Trek of a lifetime
Amani O’Brien, a Year 11 student at Mount Carmel College
in Rosewater, took the trip of a lifetime in July when she had
the opportunity to trek the Kokoda Trail. The Kokoda Trail
is a 96 kilometre track that leads through the rugged Owen
Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea and was the location
of World War II battles between Australian and Japanese
forces in 1942.
The trek is known to take between four and 12 days,
although some locals have been known to hike the route
in only a couple of days. The challenging route was made
even tougher by hot and humid days, cold nights and heavy
rainfall. To prepare for the trek, Amani, her three co-members
and two trek leaders undertook physical training including
daily runs, strength training and hiking with weighted packs,
with hikes at Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges, Mount
Lofty, Black Hill and Morialta.
Amani and the other participants undertook the trek as part
of their participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. It is
the second time that South Australia, as part of these awards,
has been offered the chance to take part in the journey.
Amani said she was grateful for the opportunity to learn
more about Australian history and what the Aussie troops
experienced while serving abroad.
Murals brighten Blair Athol
Lutheran Community Care is a community hub that offers
a range of services to more than 2,000 people in need
per year. It applied for a Council Cultural and Community
Develop Grant seeking to work with local clients and
residents to develop a mural which reflects the diversity
throughout our local Kilburn and Blair Athol communities.
The project engaged over 30 people, who worked with
community artists Helen Crawford and Lawrence Wilkes.
“It was a great opportunity for us to chat and work together,
learning about diverse cultures and life experiences of
local community members. It is a project which we will
never forget and we hope will leave a colourful and lasting
impression on passers-by and commuters down Prospect
Road,” said Shaun Harris, Team Leader - Low Income
Support Services. Check out the wonderful, colourful murals
at 309 Prospect Road, Blair Athol.
Youth focus for
the Night Mural
Night Mural 2014 is already a finalist for the
SALA Festival 2014 Unitcare Services Moving
Image Award.
The Night Mural 2014 provides a fantastic
opportunity for young and emerging artists to
work with and be mentored by professional
artists in the creation of public murals to be
projected onto a building…and a bus!
The inaugural 2013 Night Mural Picnic
enchanted audiences with work featured from
established Port Adelaide artists and it is exciting
this year for a new generation of local artists
to be showcased in this unique format. The
12 young artists, who range in age from 14-24,
currently work in a range of mediums including
signwriting, street art, aerosol, photography,
acrylic, pencil, charcoal and digital.
The artists have attended workshops to
learn how their art work can be translated
into a mural format, which will be animated
by Illuminart. Apart from providing these
workshops, Council is also donating vouchers
for art supplies to the young artists, which gives
local businesses a boost.
The young artists themselves are excited to
be part of Night Mural 2014: “It’s a win-win
for everybody,” says Lucas. “I would love to
showcase my work in the area that I grew
up and live in. I also think it is a great
chance to meet other local artists and make
great connections.”
For Emma, it is a “great opportunity for me to
be involved in the community and learn new art
skills,” and Stephanie says: “I want to be an artist
and this will be the first time my art is treated
with a professional attitude.” Then there’s
Mitchell who “would like…to start an art career
by getting my art work in the public.”
The exciting Night Mural display on Saturday
23 August from 6pm will allow you to see a
dozen possible future urban transformations
in one night. Bookings for this SALA event
are essential and can be made at
or by
calling the Port Adelaide Visitor Information
Centre on 8405 6560.
The secret location in Port Adelaide will be
revealed when you make your booking. While
you must book in advance, payment must be
made on the day. Tickets are $5 per person for a
prime viewing seat or $20 for a group of six. For
$15 per person you will also receive a souvenir
blanket patch, illuminart DVD or USB, while a
special $50 package will entitle you to a secret
tour and VIP artist mingle. Visit the web site on
the week of the event for up to date weather
and booking info. If poor weather is predicted,
the event will be held on Saturday 30 August.
Lutheran Community Care Murals
