Artist Juliann Gosper designed the mural, drawing her inspiration from the pictures created by the students at previous workshops in 2007.

Several RSL members were invited to share their personal stories of their service experience with the children and the pictures were created to represent the visual imagery evoked by the stories. Juliann’s design captures the images most commonly featured in the children’s work.

The mural design was then drawn onto eleven sheets of fibro boards measuring 1.8m by 1.2m by another local artist Jen Nichols.

Committee chair Shona Hunter Howarth hosted the painting workshop in the undercover area at her home in Tea Gardens.

This enabled the committee to manage the large boards in terms of moving them about and allowing them to dry between coats.

By the end of the workshop, the painting was almost complete, with only a few minor adjustments to be made by guiding artist Juliann.

The committee would like to acknowledge the support of Tea Gardens Hardware owner David Bright for assisting with the cost of materials and the generous donation of all the paint by Karuah Painter and Decorator Phil McMahon.

Tea Gardens Country Club has also assisted with costs through a generous cash donation.

The committee will be seeking the services of a helpful person, such as a builder, to attach the fibro boards to the western wall of the Tea Gardens Waterways Office sometime in early October.

An information board will be erected alongside the completed mural with the assistance of Great Lakes Council, and a formal launch of the mural will be celebrated as part of this year’s Myall River Festival on Saturday, October 25.