With the weather finally cooling down and an overcast day we decided to head to Victoria Park to find all the street art as this has been on our list for quite a while. Our research showed that there were lots of locations spread along Albany Highway into East Victoria Park so we decided to divide the walk into two sections and see how we went. For the Victoria Park Street Art go to: https://www.outandaboutfnc.com/post/street-art-victoria-park.
There is a map of the artworks published by the Victoria Park Collective called The Urban Gallery. We were not able to zoom in on the map we found online and could only print an illegible copy. The map is supposed to be available at various shops in Victoria Park but as we were walking on a Sunday most shops were still closed. Fortunately we had pieced together our own map using information from Streets of Perth.
We decided to head to the southern most point first and work our way back so we found a parking spot near Edward Millen Park. We wandered up for a closer look at Edward Millen House but as it is surrounded by an electric fence we couldn't get a close look. There was no information on site but a quick google search found that the buildings date back to 1911 and served a variety of purposes as a hospital or medical facility through to 1995.
Wandering down the long driveway past a small dated playground we emerged back on Albany Highway, spotting a little friend on the bus stop. We walked in a northerly direction along the eastern side of Albany Highway, spotting some artworks on the opposite side which we would see on our return.
It was about a ten minute walk to the first group of artworks on this side of the street at the Organic Products and Healthy Food Store opposite Willis Street and then Seven Aprons, with it's seven spoons of spices, and the adjoining barber shop.
At Dane Street we enjoyed the bubbles on the Laundromat and decided to continue along Albany Highway. We saw a few pieces of public art including Time Out - three unique friendly guardians on banner posts guarding the cafe precinct and Gateaux and Spoon - locally known as the Cake Bin - a rubbish bin decorated as a colourful piece of cake in a nod to the area's coffee culture.
We also discovered the lovely Lalleuca Wildflower Walking Trail...
...before coming across this magnificent mural at Bidi Walk (next to IGA).
We wandered down playful Bidi Walk emerging into the Hubert Street carpark which is home to many murals including the geisha girl, the toucans, the circus and the yellow ocean wall on the faces of the public toilet block.
We then backtracked south along Iceworks Lane where the residents have gotten into the spirit of things and have decorated their garages and fences with street art. We came out at the laundromat on Dane Street and discovered another colourful mural...
... before returning along Hubert Street where we found a few quirky bits and pieces on this quiet residential street.
Back at the Hubert Street carpark we headed north on Iceworks Lane finding more street art on the rear of the shops facing Albany Highway.
At Mint Street we admired the Melski walls surrounding the shopping centre carpark, caught a glimpse inside Chimek and then continued on to have a wonderful cinnamon scroll and a coffee at Sinamon...
...and then up to Isaia Park where there is a large colourful mural by Sioux Tempest opposite the Boston Brewing Company. We followed Kent Street down to John Macmillan Park, detouring to take in the mural on the Victoria Park Community Centre.
John Macmillan Park has a lovely nature playground shaded by mature fig trees which double as an invitation to climb! Every Sunday the park hosts the Victoria Park Markets selling fresh produce. There is also a basketball court, ping pong table and a public toilet. Public art includes the Portal, footpath mosaic and the Library mosaic.
The library offers a book themed artwork at the rear and you can cross through the carpark to see the shopping centre mural.
We now headed south along the western side of Albany Highway - fortunately we stopped to use the public toilet in the shopping Centre or we would have missed the murals at the back entrance.
We wound our way back past Rhubarb Records and along Albany Highway making sure to check out some of the back laneways and the alleyway alongside the Bottle-O where the art is more adult centred.
There was a cat theme to the murals on the laneway next to Healthy Thai.
The masked kiss is on the side of Dragon Hot Pot on Canterbury Terrace and further down we discovered more public art: The Bike Rack and Coffee Conversations - mosaic coffee beans. The dog friendly Balmoral Hotel has a mural inside it's veranda area.
A few blocks further there is a little parklet and the Coffee and Camping mural on the side of the cafe at the corner of Balmoral Street. Further down at Langler Street head into the car park behind The Venn where students from Ursula Frayne College have helped to decorate the old outside toilets.
We spent about two hours exploring but walked a bit further than we needed to. It would be more time efficient if you park in the Hubert Street Carpark and do a loop around from there. With plenty of cafes and eateries you can extend your visit to take in a coffee or a meal.
Mural Map
Our walk map
I must admit I thought it might be unpleasant walking along Albany Highway as I associate it with heavy traffic but the section through Victoria Park has a 40 km speed limit as it travels through the retail zones so it felt relaxed and safe.
For more art nearby head in to explore Carlisle and Lathlain.
To read more blogs go to:
or for an overview of all Urban Art blogs click on Art and About in Perth
https://www.outandaboutfnc.com/post/art-and-about-in-perth and for Victoria Park go to https://www.outandaboutfnc.com/post/street-art-victoria-park
In the spirit of reconciliation Out and About- Family Nature Connection acknowledges the traditional owners of the Wadjak boodjar (Perth land) and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
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