New mural to shine a light on native animal’s plight

A message of conservation will be splashed across 119 Flinders St with the creation of a new piece of street art featuring a Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo.

Townsville artist Jon Electros has been commissioned by Townsville City Council to create the mural titled From the tree tops …, which is hoped to raise awareness about the plight of the near-threatened tree kangaroo.

Community and Cultural Development Committee chairperson Ann-Maree Greaney said the new piece of street art would add to the city centre’s cultural appeal.

“The Townsville city centre boasts street art created by local painters, as well as nationally- and internationally-renowned street artists. We’re thrilled to be adding to our street art collection with the addition of From the tree tops …,” Cr Greaney said.

“Not many people know that Pallarenda used to have the only captive breeding colony of Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroos in the world, run by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services, so Townsville does have a significant tie to these interesting animals.

“It’s important that we all do our part to preserve the natural habitat of Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroos as they only live in a small part of North Queensland. This mural will serve as a reminder of the responsibility we share as guardians of our natural environment.”

Cr Greaney said From the tree tops … would join other significant works of art along the Street Art Trail through Townsville.

“Street art trails are a global phenomenon and a real drawcard for many cities across the world. They add important cultural value to the city for visitors and locals,” she said.

“Having such a great array of artworks on the Street Art Trail is a huge drawcard for the city centre, as it encourages visitors to explore the entirety of the city and hopefully engage with local businesses along the way.

“Townsville has positioned itself as the arts and cultural capital of Northern Australia, and we encourage visitors to take a trip to our beautiful city to enjoy our Street Art Trail, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, and all of the other local art haunts that Townsville has to offer.”