Colossal black cockatoos and towering tuart leaves are catching the eye of Mandurah locals and at around three metres high, they’re hard to miss! 

Add in massive mulloways (fish) and you’ve got a celebration of local native flora and fauna in a public art piece that’s creating a big visual impact on our new METRONET Mandurah Station Multi-Storey Car Park.

The artwork is inspired by the natural beauty of Mandurah’s landscape and is the collaborative brainchild of artist Ian Mutch and emerging Bindjareb Noongar artist Corey Ugle, who were engaged to capture the local identity of Mandurah.

Corey provided insight into native species in the Mandurah area and hand sketched images of the flora and fauna. Ian then added digitised sketches, transforming them into the giant metal fabricated pieces that grace the car park’s exterior. Illustrations of each species also feature in the car park’s interior as wayfinding signage for car park patrons.

For Ian, the public art piece is about connecting people, land and culture through shared public space. 

“Public art can add feeling and story to a location and if people are discussing the artwork, this can be a great catalyst for bringing community together,” Ian said.

Corey sees the large-scale project as a great way to express and share Noongar culture and voice.

“Seeing Noongar art on display can bring happiness to the community to see something of their own, and make people feel more comfortable,” Corey said. 

The project illustrates the integration of our Public Art and Gnarla Biddi strategies through the development of creative capital and employment opportunities; collaboration between established and emerging artists; and engagement of local Aboriginal corporations and emerging Noongar artists.  

About the Artists

Ian Mutch
Ian is a regional WA artist who creates paintings, drawings, installations and public artworks based on nature, characters, storytelling, movement and feeling. He works across a range of scales and mediums, from small illustrations to larger canvas paintings, land-based drawings, murals, metal and glass work. 

Corey Ugle
Corey is a Mandurah artist who gained an interest in art after seeing his father-in-law’s art. He and his wife Peta started a business, Meena’s Designs, about 6 years ago, working across different artforms including jewellery and clothing design.