New Shoalhaven sporting mural featuring Andrew Walker promotes 'Coming Together'

Designed by celebrated local Indigenous artist and Gomeroi (Gamilaraay) man Warwick Keen and installed by Simon Thomas and Glenn Duffield, the mural celebrates connecting through sport, entering as opponents and leaving united as friends.

The mural features Indigenous former rugby league and rugby union player Andrew Walker, who hails from the Shoalhaven, in a celebration of local identity and talent.

"You don't get too many people like him. He also symbolises Bomaderry and is the most fitting person for the mural," said Mr Keen.

Embedding words into the mural that highlight the benefits of connecting through sport, Mr Keen said he hopes the work will help instill confidence in players stepping onto the field.

"I think it'll fill young people with confidence and aspiration, to show they can achieve good things, too," he said.

Andrew Walker, who travelled down from Queensland just to see the mural, said he is thrilled to be a part of it.

"It's an honour to be included and be a face of this sporting complex. The thought that has gone into it from the mountain to the river is phenomenal," he said.

"I hope young people can look at it and see I've done something with my career and they can do the same, this area has a lot of sporting talent."

An initiative of the Bomaderry Community Inc, Mr Keen draws on the landscape visible around the Sports Centre, representing colours, bushland and water stretching from Mt Cambewarra to Mt Cullunghutti.

He said it took him around eight months to design.

"I have about 300 files at home on the computer of designs I came up with. It was a long process but it only took the guys two weeks to install it. And I kept an eye on them everyday!" he said.

The painting of the160 square metre canvas commenced on 1 December 2020 and was completed 15 days later.

The project represents the first step in an exciting contemporary Arts and Cultural program for Bomaderry.

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