North Balgowlah Noise Wall Gets a Makeover

A noise wall along Burnt Bridge Creek Deviation at North Balgowlah will soon be revamped, with work to paint a mural on the wall next to Serpentine Crescent starting next week.

Member for Manly James Griffin said the noise wall was completed in 2016 and is helping to reduce noise generated from traffic travelling along Burnt Bridge Creek Deviation for local residents.

“Noise walls can become targets for unattractive graffiti so work will be carried out from next Monday to install a mural which will aim to discourage the unwanted graffiti,” Mr Griffin said.

“The new mural has been commissioned by Roads and Maritime Services and features the work of local artist Jessica Birk, who was raised on the Northern Beaches.

“Roads and Maritime engaged Sydney-based and Aboriginal-owned agency Balarinji to lead the design of the mural.

“The new mural will complement the immediate landscape and will not distract or affect the vision of motorists.”

Balarinji’s Managing Director Ros Moriarty said the mural will celebrate the cultural significance of caring for country at North Balgowlah.

“This mural is a culmination of a collaborative workshopping process with artists from the Northern Beaches Aboriginal community,” Ms Moriarty said.

“The key themes of the artwork will include flora and fauna, land animals and marine elements to tell the story of the connection between land and water.”

Local artist Jessica Birk said the design was created to map local spaces using colour, line and pattern to aesthetically celebrate the richness of cultural connections Aboriginal community have with the landscape, in the past and in the present.

“As a local Aboriginal person, I look forward to this public artwork highlighting the holistic relationship Aboriginal traditional owners had with the land for generations as well as the responsibility to care for it by our contemporary communities,” Ms Birk said.

Mr Griffin said work on the new mural will start on Monday 29 April and is expected to be completed by the end of July, weather permitting.

Work will be carried out between 8am and 6pm on weekdays.

Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions and follow the direction of signs and traffic control.

For the latest traffic updates call 132 701, visit livetraffic.com or download the Live Traffic NSW App.