After years of planning, fundraising and a last-minute weather setback, Boorowa's long-awaited platypus mural has finally been completed beneath Jubilee Bridge. The colourful artwork, created by artist Blake Pollard, has transformed a previously bare wall along the Boorowa River Walk into a celebration of the district's native wildlife. Originally scheduled to be completed during the Boorowa Irish Woolfest, the project was postponed when high humidity and moisture in the air made conditions unsuitable for painting. For Boorowa Silo Art Committee member Patty Boulding, seeing the finished mural is the culmination of years of persistence. “I'm just so pleased it's finally come to fruition,” she said. “I didn't think it was ever going to,” she added with a chuckle. The committee has been working towards the project for several years, navigating planning requirements, fundraising and other challenges to bring its vision to life. Featuring a platypus alongside other native wildlife, the mural celebrates the natural environment of the Boorowa district while adding a new attraction to the popular riverside walking track. Patty said the completed mural had dramatically transformed the previously bare space beneath Jubilee Bridge, with the finished artwork already attracting positive comments from the community. She thanked the local businesses, community organisations and individuals who supported the project through donations and fundraising. The mural is also the beginning of a broader vision to bring more public art to Boorowa, with the committee already looking towards future projects. “It is only the start,” Patty said. For now, the finished artwork stands as a colourful addition to the Boorowa River Walk and a reminder of what a determined community can achieve together.
