When you visit Victor Harbor on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, make sure to keep an eye out for a spectacular mosaic mural.

Between the Victor central shopping and business district and the road towards the bluff, you’ll find this colourful addition to the district.

The artwork is a brilliant collaboration between two well known artists of the area, Mike Tye whose mosaic work can be found in many places around the region and Ngarrindjeri artist Cedric Varcoe, whose work is also immediately recognizable around Goolwa and Victor Harbor. The two have worked together before to create other community mosaic projects and always create something amazing.

The Bay Road bridge is an eye-catching large scale work which tells the story of Ngarrindjeri and Ramindjeri connections to the Inman River (Muwerang). The project came about through a Federal Government community grants program which enabled the artists to create this 36 metre long artwork to brighten up the once plain concrete bridge.

The mosaic was created off site with the help of volunteers and took several years to complete. It was installed in late June 2023 and as well as acknowledging the traditional owners and their cultural connection to the Inman river, it’s a wonderful demonstration of the community working together to create this beautiful piece.

The Inman River (Muwerang) runs along the Bay Road and then turns to the south east to run out into the sea and the reserve next to this inlet, Kent Reserve, is the site of the last known camp ground of the Ramindjeri people (A clan of the Ngarrindjeri nation).

The mosaic depicts the traditional owners, the river, local flora and fauna and the rivers progress out to sea where whales frequent.

You can see the stunning mosaic as you drive past on Bay Road directly across the road from the Victor Harbor Holiday Park, but for a closer look there’s easy parking nearby at Barker Reserve, where it’s just a short 50 metre walk to the start of the bridge.

Enjoy!

Glenys