Walgett residents now have new scenery to look at while strolling around town with a much anticipated artistic collaboration brightening up a large wall in Fox Street.

“Walgett is a great town and has many community champions within, from many different backgrounds," said artist, John Murray.

Mr Murray, now living in Lightning Ridge, worked in Walgett 35 years ago and said he hoped the mural he has created with local Aboriginal artist, Frank Wright, a prominent figure in the local arts scene, depicts the diversity of the area.

"Frank and I have been wanting to work together and collaborate our skill sets and visions for quite some time, " Mr Murray said. "So it seems fitting that as artists from different backgrounds, two different towns and two different life stories we collaborated with Council, community members, worked together, consulted and here is an artwork showcasing just that, harmony in an amazing visual outcome."

Although now having worked for two weeks on the project, part of the Walgett Shire Council’s “Street Art & Beautification Initiatives", the outcome has been a long time coming.

PHOTO: A blank canvas; the wall in Fox Street, Walgett prior to it's recent beautification.

Previous Walgett Shire Council General Manager, Mr Michael Urquhart and Manager Community Development, Mr George McCormick began conversations and scoping works around this project some time ago, but it has been several years on the back- burner with COVID, availability of the two busy artists and then recent floods and accessibility impacting the initiative.

Now the project is almost complete, it serendipitously aligns with Walgett Shire Youth Week, allowing young people also to be engaged in the mural.

Harmony in the community is the theme for the joint work. Colourful and quirky emus, created by Mr Murray are dressed and styled to represent the diversity of the community. An Aboriginal storyline painted by Mr Wright showcases the river system in the Shire.

"We can all live in harmony, support each other and get along with each other, that’s our choice and it’s a positive thing," Mr Wright said. "That’s the message and interpretation that I hope and encourage residents and visitors get out of this large scale painting.”

PHOTO: The new mural created by local artists John Murray and Frank Wright has brightened up the community in more ways than one.

Fellow painter, Mr Murray said coming back to Walgett to collaborate on the mural has meant re-establishing friendships and ties to community and was glad the project had finally come to fruition.

Mr McCormick from Walgett Shire said the partnership had been great "across all fronts".

"I applaud the commitment by artists Frank and John and their right-hand man Bob Barrett for their efforts in such an amazing artwork."