Hornsby Shire Council in New South Wales is planning a distinct new mural that draws on local history.
The artwork will transform a blank wall into a street scene that would have been found in Hornsby early in the 20th Century. It will also include an image of iconic Australian comic strip character, Ginger Meggs.
“This is all about enlivening Hornsby and making it a better place to visit,” said Hornsby Shire Mayor Steve Russell.
“We want to remind everybody of the days when Ginger Meggs was growing up in Hornsby.”
Mayor Russell chose this concept for the mural when he was in France and walked past a doorway without realising it was actually a mural.
“I showed the fantastic murals of Lyons to our staff and all agreed we could do something similar here,” Mayor Russell said.
A firm timeline for the mural has not been established, but it is expected to be carried out over the next couple of months.
Ginger Meggs has been added to the mural as a tribute to his creator, Jimmy Bancks, who grew up in Hornsby and used this area as the inspiration for his iconic cartoons.
Ginger Meggs himself was based on a local boy who grew up to be mayor of Hornsby Shire.
And no, it wasn’t Steve Russell. It was Charles Somerville who was mayor for two separate terms between 1936 and 1953.
