Quarbing Street mural is the word

Cr Mia Shaw at the new street art mural near the shops in Quarbing Street, Werribee. (Joe Mastroianni). 252474_01

A colourful mural that harks back to the 1950s and Grease era has been painted in Werribee’s Quarbing Street shopping strip.

Wyndham clouncillor Mia Shaw said the council worked closely with the street’s traders over a number of months to develop a brief for the artwork.

Artist Damien Arena spent a week painting the mural, which was inspired by the businesses in the area, including food, takeaway, hair salon and a family-owned car parts store.

Cr Shaw said the idea for the mural was suggested to council by Manorvale Hair Studio owner Mandy Skopelianos.

“The feedback from the Quarbing Street, businesses, local residents and the public has been overwhelmingly positive,” Cr Shaw said.

She said the council has improved the Quarbing Street shopping strip further by installing new planter boxes, bench seating, rubbish bins and bike racks.

“As the future-focused economy portfolio holder, I am very passionate about revitalising our local strip shops across Wyndham,” Cr Shaw said.

“A huge thank you to Mandy, who had the idea of the mural, and all the business owners who have worked with council on this.”

Cr Shaw said the mural was “a wonderful example of business working with council to achieve a positive outcome”.

“Council has a role to play in the revitalisation of these important local strip shops and we have started that work,” she said.

“We’ve taken an audit of all of the strip shops across Wyndham and will be looking to do similar upgrades this council term.”