Taungurung Mural Project at Broadford Secondary College
Celebrating Culture and Connection:
Taungurung Mural Project at Broadford Secondary College
The Yea & District Memorial Hospital mental health team has continued its strong partnership with the Education Department through an inspiring community art initiative at Broadford Secondary College. This project engaged local Taungurung students in a meaningful and culturally inclusive mural project designed to support expression, connection, and wellbeing.
The Education Department approached mental health clinicians at Yea & District Memorial Hospital with the intention of developing an art-based program that would enable Aboriginal students to express themselves creatively, while also opening a gentle pathway to mental health support if needed. Recognising the importance of culturally informed wellbeing approaches for this cohort, the departments worked together to bring the mural project to life.
Approximately 15 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students from Years 7 and 8 took part in the project. In collaboration with graphic designer Paul Sonsie from Sonsie Studios in Healesville, students created a mural celebrating the cultural significance of the school’s four houses. Each house is represented by a colour and an animal, and the final artwork incorporates Taungurung language and symbols in recognition of the deep cultural heritage of the region.
The mural was painted on a shed on the school oval—an active community space used by students during the week and by locals on weekends. Once a structure in need of TLC, it has now been transformed into a vibrant and culturally meaningful centrepiece.
Cultural Sensitivity and Representation
The design highlights the 
four school houses—Hickey, Fraser, Piper, and Ridley—through their colours and associated animals. Students explored the deeper significance of each name and its connection to the surrounding landscape. For example, several of the mountains linked to the houses are ancient volcanoes, and Mt Hickey, near Trawool, takes its Indigenous name Traawool, meaning wild water along the Goulburn River.
The project also features animals of particular importance to Taungurung culture, including the red-bellied black snake, golden sun moth, blue-tongue lizard, and turtle.
Their Taungurung names were incorporated into the artwork to ensure cultural accuracy and respect, and this was done under the guidance of members from Taungurung Land and Water Council.
Students researched Taungurung symbols and animal significance to guide the mural’s overall theme. Under the guidance of Paul Sonsie, and with input from Aboriginal Koorie Education Support Officers, they actively participated in designing and painting the final artwork.
The mural project also expanded into the creation of new school flags featuring the house animals, beautifully rounding out the initiative.
By working closely with a professional artist and cultural mentors, students gained valuable experience in creative industries, visual communication, and collaborative project work.
Why This Project Matters
The mural stands as a culturally significant artwork that celebrates local Aboriginal heritage and fosters pride and connection for students. It also created a supportive environment in which students could build trusted relationships with mental health clinicians—particularly Kate Bysouth, who coordinated the project.
While the participating students were not experiencing acute mental health issues, the project provided a safe and informal space to discuss personal topics. The timing of the project coincided with the Camp Sovereignty invasion in Melbourne at the end of August, giving students the opportunity to talk about the event if they needed to.
The project offered students a comfortable space to talk openly about personal matters, and many shared deeply meaningful conversations with Kate throughout the process. We are thrilled with the outcomes—both visually and professionally—and hope the project has helped raise awareness among students of the importance of social and emotional wellbeing.
Funding and Support
The total cost of the project was $12,000 and was generously supported by:
- The Education Department
- Taungurung Land and Waters Council
- Bendigo Bank
- Broadford Secondary College
We also extend our sincere thanks to all partners for their contribution, and to Paul Sonsie for his artistic expertise and guidance—the students loved working with Paul.
Overall, the project demonstrated how art can be a powerful tool for strengthening social and emotional wellbeing, especially within Indigenous communities that often face barriers when accessing mainstream mental health services.
We anticipate that the mural and flags will continue to provide lasting recognition and respect for Taungurung culture and students for many years to come.
Thank you once again to everyone who made this project possible.