Bass Coast Shire Street and Public Art
Bass Coast Shire has a diverse collection of street art, murals, mosaics and public sculptures spread across its coastal towns and communities. The artworks celebrate the region's maritime heritage, coal mining history, native wildlife, natural landscapes and local culture.
Many artworks are located in parks, along foreshores, in shopping streets and on public buildings, while others can be found at local attractions and community facilities.
Quick Links:
Cape Paterson | Churchill Island | Corinella | Coronet Bay | Cowes | Grantville | Inverloch | Kilcunda | Newhaven | Rhyll | San Remo | Surf Beach | Ventnor | Wonthaggi
Cape Paterson
Love and Precious Things Sculpture
Part of the Cape Paterson Public Art Program.
Location: Cape Paterson Foreshore Reserve, Cnr Market Place and Surf Beach Road, Cape Paterson
Churchill Island
Australian Working Dog Mural by DVATE
A tribute to Australian working dogs, painted at Churchill Island Heritage Farm. The mural features a working dog named Rip and celebrates the important role these dogs have played in Australian farming.
Location: Churchill Island Heritage Farm, 246 Samuel Amess Drive, Churchill Island (admission fees apply)
Eastern Barred Bandicoot Mural by DVATE
This mural celebrates the conservation of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot, a species that became extinct in the wild on mainland Australia following habitat destruction and predation by foxes and feral cats.
Churchill Island is one of the predator-protected locations where captive-bred Eastern Barred Bandicoots have been reintroduced as part of a conservation program involving Zoos Victoria.
Location: Churchill Island Heritage Farm, 246 Samuel Amess Drive, Churchill Island (admission fees apply)
Corinella
Corinella Bowling Club Fence Mural and Artwork
Artwork decorating the bowling club fence.
Location: Corinella Bowling Club, 24 Balcombe Street, Corinella
The Shape of Nature by Joe Donohue (2018)
This artwork celebrates life on the Waterline. Its organic shape represents the ever-moving time and tide, inspired by ancient fish traps and the natural and cultural history of Corinella.
Location: Harold Hughes Reserve, Corinella
Coronet Bay
Biker Sculpture
A kinetic sculpture depicting a cyclist, designed to move in the wind. It is located beside the BMX track.
Location: Coronet Bay Recreation Reserve, Coronet Bay
Cowes
Anerie Restaurant Ceramic Artwork
Decorative ceramic artwork associated with Anerie Restaurant.
Location: Anerie Restaurant, Cowes
Ceramic Murals on Mussel Rocks Beach Toilets
Colourful ceramic murals decorating the public toilet block.
Location: Mussel Rocks Beach public toilets, Cowes
Cowes Recreation Reserve Toilet Block Mural
A colourful mural decorating the toilet block.
Location: Cowes Recreation Reserve, Cowes
Cowes Town Square Bells and Seat by Dr Anton Hassell (2012)
These bronze bells were created by sculptor Dr Anton Hassell and have been a feature of central Cowes since 2012. Their artwork represents the sea and the waves of people who travel to and from Phillip Island.
Location: Cowes Town Square, Cowes
Fig and Olive Restaurant Mural by Phillip Island Murals
A colourful mural decorating an exterior wall of the restaurant.
Location: Fig and Olive Restaurant, Cowes
Front Room Boutique Mural by Tommy Murray White and Darren Henderson (2013)
A large mural decorating the side wall of Front Room Boutique.
Location: Front Room Boutique, Cowes
Humpback Whale and Calf by Victoria Nelson (2018)
Created by local sculptor Victoria Nelson, this striking white Carrara marble sculpture depicts an adult humpback whale and its calf, measuring approximately five metres in length. The whales appear to be diving into the sloping grass near the waterfront.
Location: Cowes Jetty Triangle and Piazza, Cowes Foreshore, Cowes
Olive Justice Place Mural - West Wall by Eirian Chapman
A large mural on the western wall of Olive Justice Place.
Location: Olive Justice Place, Cowes
Phillip Island Bowling Club Mural
A decorative mural at the bowling club.
Location: Phillip Island Bowling Club, Cowes
Priceline Pharmacy Mural
A colourful mural decorating the side wall of the pharmacy.
Location: Priceline Pharmacy, Cowes
St Philip's Anglican Church Parish Hall Murals by Paul Woodford
A series of murals illustrating historical and contemporary scenes of Phillip Island.
The parish hall was designed, planned and built under the supervision of Rev W M Robertson, Vicar of Cowes, with construction undertaken by local volunteer labour during 1934-35.
The murals depict St Philip's Church and Mrs Giorgianna McHaffie, who led the community in constructing the church building in 1869-70. Other scenes include the island's flora and fauna, the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, Churchill Island with its Cape Barren Geese and Highland Cattle, San Remo with its pelicans and bridge, families enjoying the beach, penguins and shearwaters at The Nobbies, and seals at sunset.
Location: St Philip's Anglican Church Parish Hall, Cowes
Tyde Gift Shop Mural
A mural decorating the side wall of Tyde Gift Shop.
Location: Tyde Gift Shop, Cowes
Grantville
Grantville and District Memorial Park Toilet Murals
Decorative murals on the public toilet facilities.
Location: Grantville and District Memorial Park, 1510 Bass Highway, Grantville
Today and the Future Sculpture by Victoria Nelson
The sculpture celebrates Grantville's past, present and future. Grantville was a thriving town in the early 1900s before entering a period of decline as local industries disappeared. More recently, commercial and residential development has helped the town grow again.
The sculpture pays tribute to the Bunurong people, early settlers involved in timber and agriculture, those who served in military campaigns, and the people working towards a prosperous future for Grantville and the surrounding district.
Location: Rear of Grantville and District Memorial Park, 1510 Bass Highway, Grantville
Inverloch
Bunurong Environment Centre - Mangrove Mural
An educational mural created by students with visual art teacher Sarah Reark, depicting mangrove ecosystems and coastal wildlife.
The artwork includes mangrove leaf mandalas, prawns, fish, crabs, a flowering 100-year-old mangrove tree, snails, seedlings, pied cormorants and white-faced herons.
Fish species depicted include yellow-eye mullet, dusky flathead, greenback flounder, bream, King George whiting and luderick.
Location: Bunurong Environment Centre, Inverloch
Scarlet Honeyeater and Pied Cormorant by Melanie Caple (2023)
This impressive mural features a little pied cormorant, a scarlet honeyeater, glycine pea flowers and coastal banksia foliage. The mural celebrates Inverloch's native species and coastal environment.
The scarlet honeyeater is a migratory bird that travels between Inverloch and New Caledonia each year.
Artist Melanie Caple selected warm peach tones and cool green-blue colours to evoke the feeling of a warm coastal escape. A band of blue crossing the wall represents the proximity of the ocean.
Location: Deery Consulting, Dixon Street, Inverloch. The mural is inside a business garage, so public access may be restricted.
Inverloch Cemetery Mural by Ray Burtt
A commemorative mural created for the local RSL branch, depicting aspects of war and conflict and honouring the service and sacrifice of those involved.
Location: Adjacent to the commemorative garden, Inverloch Cemetery, 6055 Bass Highway, Inverloch
Inverloch Ceramic Murals
A series of eight ceramic mosaic artworks depicting scenes from Inverloch's history. Subjects include:
- Samuel Anderson - Kathy Everitt. Commemorates the discovery of Andersons Inlet in 1840 and the first settlement at Bass in 1834.
- The Ketch Ripple - Ted Smythe. Depicts an 1880 coastal trading vessel that carried building materials into the area.
- Transportation of Coal 1909 - Jill Hill. Illustrates coal being transported by bullock dray from the Wonthaggi mines to Inverloch Jetty, where it was loaded onto steamships bound for Melbourne.
- Shack Bay - Janice Orchard. Depicts shacks used by local miners for holidays. During the 1934 mine strike, miners caught fish to feed their families.
- Beef and Dairy - Ivan Fell. Celebrates the district's agricultural and dairy farming history.
- Pine Lodge - John Mutsers. Depicts Pine Lodge, built in 1930 and once a leading guesthouse with its own swimming pool and stables.
- Vineyards and Pottery - Janice Orchard. Depicts the area's vineyards and pottery industry.
- Fishing and Navigation - Valda Cooper. Celebrates the history of fishing and navigation around Andersons Inlet and Western Port.
Location: Cnr A'Beckett Street and Reilly Street, Inverloch
The Birdseat by Colin Suggett
A sculptural artwork and seating installation situated outside the Bunurong Environment Centre.
Location: Bunurong Environment Centre, Inverloch
Kilcunda
Site Lines by Bonnie Charles and Sarah Hicks (2015)
Site Lines commemorates the foundations of Kilcunda's settlement, tracing its mining, agricultural and railway heritage.
The artwork incorporates fragments representing the infrastructure that once supported local industries. These include the cross-bracing of the railway bridge and viaduct, the circular wheel of a mining tipple, a homestead with a verandah and a shed.
These historical structures and their remains provide a connection between Kilcunda's past and present.
Location: 3515 Bass Highway, Kilcunda, near the Kilcunda Community Centre and Kilcunda CFA fire station
Newhaven
Alpha by Geoffrey Bartlett (2021)
Alpha explores the concept of latent energy and appears caught in mid-passage between departure and arrival. Its sculptural form seems to billow like sails drawn by the wind, evoking the movement of vessels passing through the harbour.
Throughout his career, sculptor Geoffrey Bartlett has drawn inspiration from shipbuilding, navigation and sailing. The dynamic forms and resilient materials associated with these activities have been recurring features of his work.
The title pays homage to Alpha, the first locally owned vessel in Newhaven, a cutter built in 1841.
Location: Seafarers Way, Newhaven
Legends of MotoGP Bronze Busts
A collection of bronze busts honouring prominent figures associated with motorcycle Grand Prix racing.
Former Location: Newhaven Visitor Information Centre, Newhaven. Current location not confirmed.
Phillip Island Chocolate Factory Chocolate Bulls
Decorative bull sculptures positioned outside the chocolate factory.
Location: Phillip Island Chocolate Factory, Newhaven
Phillip Island Chocolate Factory Murals by Jimmy DVATE (2023)
A series of wildlife murals decorating the front of the chocolate factory. The artworks feature a fur seal, shearwater, Cape Barren Goose, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Swamp Wallaby and echidna.
Location: Front exterior wall, Phillip Island Chocolate Factory, Newhaven
Rhyll
Koala Conservation Reserve Murals by Jimmy DVATE (2021)
Wildlife murals celebrating native species associated with Phillip Island and the surrounding region.
One mural features a Bush Stone-curlew, koala, Orange-bellied Parrot and crimson berry, while another depicts a New Holland Honeyeater.
Location: Koala Conservation Reserve, Rhyll
Koala Conservation Reserve Yarning Circle by Arieta Fergie, Lenna Scholtmeyer and Rhylee Duell
Surrounded by some of the oldest manna gums on Millowl (Phillip Island), the Yarning Circle provides a culturally safe place for storytelling, cultural learning and community connection.
Yarning circles are used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to share cultural knowledge between generations. The space also encourages visitors to learn about the unique flora and fauna of the island's woodland habitats.
Location: Koala Conservation Reserve, Rhyll
San Remo
Excuse Me Mr Seagull by Paul Jesse (2017)
A seagull-themed public sculpture located near the playground and San Remo Bridge.
Location: San Remo Park, Marine Parade, San Remo
Memorial to Fishermen
A stone cairn dedicated to local fishermen from San Remo who lost their lives while pursuing their livelihoods at sea.
The memorial honours the courage and sacrifice of those who worked in the fishing industry, often facing dangerous conditions on the water.
Location: Marine Parade, near the public toilets and San Remo Bridge, San Remo
San Remo Co-op Mural by Curl (2022)
A colourful mural created by street artist Curl at the San Remo Fishermen's Co-operative.
Location: San Remo Fishermen's Co-operative, Marine Parade, San Remo
The Australian Pelican Sculpture
This pelican-shaped sculpture provides a collection point for discarded bottle tops and raises awareness of the dangers of marine debris to wildlife.
Animals can mistake bottle tops for food or become entangled in discarded rubbish. Visitors are encouraged to collect bottle tops while walking along the beach and place them into the beak or neck of the pelican sculpture.
Location: Near San Remo Jetty and the Fishermen's Co-operative, Marine Parade, San Remo
Woolamai Grove Mural
A colourful mural at Woolamai Grove.
Location: Woolamai Grove, San Remo
Surf Beach
Butterfly Bloom by David A Kopelman
This impressive butterfly sculpture was created by local artist David A Kopelman using recycled materials that once littered Scenic Estate Conservation Reserve.
For many years, the area was used for dumping cars and rubbish. The site has since been restored as a conservation reserve, providing habitat for numerous native plants and animals, including endangered species.
The butterfly emerging from its cocoon symbolises a new beginning for the reserve.
It rests on a Sweet Bursaria flower, a food source for butterflies found within the reserve and near the foreshore.
Location: Scenic Estate Conservation Reserve carpark, Boobialla Road, Surf Beach
Surf Beach Community Park Mosaic
A colourful mosaic artwork installed in the community park.
Location: Surf Beach Community Park, Surf Beach
Ventnor
The Nobbies Ocean Discovery Building Murals by Jimmy DVATE (2019)
Large wildlife-themed murals decorating the exterior of the ocean discovery building at The Nobbies.
Location: The Nobbies Centre, Ventnor
Wonthaggi
Durham Lane Mural by C Meade Creative
A colourful mural decorating a building wall.
Location: Durham Lane, Wonthaggi
Emergence Sculpture
A public sculpture celebrating Wonthaggi's history while highlighting the importance of climate action and a sustainable future.
Location: Cnr Heron Drive and Graham Street, Wonthaggi
Miners Dispensary Mural by Jim Barritt and Dennis Leversha (2023)
This mural commemorates the centenary of the Wonthaggi Miners Friendly Society's Dispensary, established in 1922, and the dental clinic established in 1927.
It pays tribute to the foresight of Wonthaggi's pioneers who established these important community health services, as well as the people who continued their work on behalf of the community.
Location: Wrench Lane, Wonthaggi
Mortgage Brokers Co Murals by Phillip Island Murals
Large murals decorating the exterior of Mortgage Brokers Co.
Location: 107A Graham Street, Wonthaggi
Murals Above Cargill Sports Store
A series of murals decorating the upper exterior walls above the sports store.
Location: Above Cargill Sports Store, Wonthaggi
One of Thousands by Sam Gatto
A sculpture at the State Coal Mine commemorating the people associated with Wonthaggi's coal mining history.
Location: State Coal Mine, Wonthaggi
Ronni's Restaurant Mural
A mural decorating the western exterior wall of Ronni's Restaurant.
Location: Western wall of Ronni's Restaurant, 103 Graham Street, Wonthaggi
SEAM by Shane Cargill and Martin Moore
Created to commemorate the centenary of Wonthaggi, SEAM represents the volume of coal that each miner was expected to bring above ground every day.
The sculpture honours the town's coal mining heritage and the demanding working conditions experienced by generations of miners.
Location: Fincher Street Reserve, 1 Bent Street, Wonthaggi
SHAFT by Shane Cargill and Martin Moore (2012)
SHAFT commemorates the centenary of Wonthaggi and its coal mining history. Like its companion sculpture SEAM, the artwork represents the volume of coal that a miner was expected to bring above ground each day.
Location: Wonthaggi Visitor Information Centre, 1 Bent Street, Wonthaggi
Sureway Employment and Training Mural by Melbourne Murals (2012)
Murals on the eastern side wall of the Sureway Employment and Training building. Commissioned and donated to the community by Alex Scott and Staff in 2012 in memory of Alex Scott, Stewart Scott and Bruce Gibson.
Location: Eastern side wall, 99 Graham Street, Wonthaggi
The Coffee Collective Mural by O-ROC
A colourful mural decorating the premises of The Coffee Collective.
Location: 50 McBride Avenue, Wonthaggi
Union Community Arts Centre Murals
Colourful artworks decorating the community arts centre building.
Location: Union Community Arts Centre, 96 Graham Street, Wonthaggi
Wonthaggi Workmens Club Carpark Artwork
Public artwork located around the club carpark.
Location: Wonthaggi Workmens Club, 75 Graham Street, Wonthaggi
Wrench Lane Mural by Buff Diss
A mural by Australian street artist Buff Diss.
Location: Wrench Lane, Wonthaggi
