Mural captures the importance of good health and self-care at school

On Monday 9 December the mural was formally unveiled on the side of the wellbeing hub at Eden Marine High by representatives from Southern's health promotion team and South Eastern NSW PHN, Coordinare.

Former Eden High graduate Kristy McBain MP, school principal Viv Chelin, school Aboriginal education officer Stacey Muscat, artist Alison Simpson and 5 of the students who created the project also attended.

Students Matari Aldridge and Coopa Hamilton from Year 7 and Rakai Schelfhout, Rylee Watson and Tahayla-Rose Niezgoda from Year 8 were at the launch to see the enlarged artwork that they helped to create with guidance from local Aboriginal artists Alison Simpson and Joe Stewart.

The mural is an award-winning school-based community initiative in Southern NSW to reduce the incidence of vaping and smoking among young people.

In creating this artwork, it was essential for the artists to capture the importance of good health and self-care, highlighting the message of avoiding harmful habits like vaping, this artwork reflects the belief that true wellbeing is rooted in a deep connection with Country and community.

At the heart of the piece is the wellbeing hub with students and staff that access this space.

The other two gatherings represent families and communities that support the students, the hub and the school. There is a yellow track throughout the artwork which represents the young people’s pathway throughout their school and life journey – not linear but many twists and turns. 

The small gathering circles represent the Elders and the important role they have within our community. The 13 orange circles represent the 13 clans within the Yuin nation. The kangaroo tracks and footprints represent the traditional connection to country (hunting and gathering). There are three spirit figures in the artwork that represent past, present and future and life beyond departure of this world.

We wanted to capture sky, sea and earth Country in the artwork to highlight that there is no separation between them and that everything is connected. We have the radiant sun, the giver of life and energy that nourishes all living things. We have the mountains, the flowing waterways, and bush medicines. The hands surrounded by night sky represents our ancestors who are ever present in all we do.