For drivers travelling the length of the BORR once its open, their journey will follow the story of the Noongar Six Seasons. Colours of the Six Seasons have been attributed to zones on the BORR to communicate the overarching story. This theme, which is at the heart of the Urban Design Strategy, was developed through consultation with focus groups, including the Aboriginal Heritage Advisory Group, as well as community feedback through public surveys in July 2021.

Melissa Riley, a local Noongar artist, is behind the artwork that drivers will see as they transition from Forrest Highway onto the Bunbury Outer Ring Road. The design at this Paris Road and Clifton Road interchange is inspired by the Noongar season of Djilba (August – September). Painting at this location is nearly complete and feature light poles have been installed which will be painted to match the bridge artwork.

Feature lighting poles at the Paris Road and Clifton Road interchange

Noise and screen walls being constructed near the Bussell Highway interchange

Across the project, there are several artworks on noise and screen walls that run alongside the highway. This includes a mural by local Noongar artist team Shirley Michael and Glen Garlett, who have created a collaborative design which weaves together their family, culture and community.

This mural will be painted by the artists themselves over 42 screen and noise walls. The artwork is inspired by the Noongar season of Birak (December-January) and ties into the urban design on the nearby bridge abutments at South Western Highway (north). Construction and painting of these walls will occur later this year.

Heading towards the southern end of the project, the urban design shifts into the cooler tones as it moves into the colder months. Djeran (April – May) is represented by green tones, linking to the surrounding bush and forest, and Makuru (June-July) is represented by cool blue tones of a winter sunset and darker blues of the stormy winter seas.

Noise and screen walls are a key element in communicating the seasonal shift. On the roadside the walls will have a relief pattern and anti-graffiti paint colour consistent with the community endorsed BORR urban design strategy. Construction and painting of these walls has commenced and will continue in the coming months.

Noongar mother-daughter team Dellas and Korrine Bennell from Karrak Designs are the artist team behind the artwork at the Yalinda Drive overpass. This artwork highlights the colours of Djeran and features flowing bands of green and blue, to represent the sights and feelings of the local vegetation of the land and the flowing river systems.

To accompany the bridge abutment walls, a similar design will also be applied to the bridge’s perforated screen walls which will feature similar green tones and a complementary aesthetic. Painting of the bridge has recently commenced and the installation of the screen walls will occur later this year.

Painting commences at the Yalinda Drive overpass

Visualisation of the artwork on the Bussell Highway interchange bridge

The most southern artwork on BORR has been created by local South West artist Ian Mutch. Ian’s design is placed on the mechanically stabilised earth walls that form part of the bridge abutments at the Bussell Highway interchange. Using the deep and cool colours of the season of Makuru, the artwork features three species of Banksia that can be found in the Gelorup area with seasonal blooms and native bees.

“I’m constantly drawn to leaves, patterns and shapes in nature, and how species interact and rely on each other,” said Ian. “I love these plants. To me they evoke the memory and feeling of being down south. I hope that the art brightens the development and the daily commute. Most of all, I hope the artwork can highlight and celebrate the natural beauty of the region.”