Residents at Ingenia Bethania Lifestyle Village have teamed up with Loganlea State High School to create a mural on a storage container adjacent to their Anzac memorial, enhancing the tribute to veterans.
The project, which took nearly a year to coordinate, was a collaborative effort between the village’s community members and the high school’s art department.
It aimed to blend generations through art while honouring the Anzac spirit.
Sharon Robertson, a resident who organised the project, said the idea emerged after the village received a new storage container to support the community shed.
While practical, the container appeared out of place next to the memorial.
“We were saying it kind of let down the memorial a bit,” Mrs Robertson said.
“So, we thought, why don’t we ask the schools? They all have art departments.”
Loganlea High School eagerly accepted the opportunity, and after months of planning, around 20 students and teachers arrived to bring the mural to life in early March.
However, heavy rainfall from ex tropical cyclone Alfred delayed the process.
“We were hoping to get it finished in a day, but the rain had other ideas,” Mrs Robertson said.
“The kids were around half way through with completing it but they just couldn’t compete with the heavy rain. We all decided to pack it up and give it a crack a couple of weeks later.”
The students returned last week to complete a poppy-themed mural, which she described as a perfect complement to the memorial.
“They were really busting to get it ready for Anzac Day,” she said.
“It’s been a great collaboration. The kids were absolutely wonderful and the school was so open and responsive.”
The memorial itself was built with funds raised by the residents, supplemented by a $10,000 federal grant.
It features three flagpoles and serves as the site for the village’s annual Anzac and Remembrance Day services, which regularly attract 80 to 100 people.
Mrs Robertson said the project had a profound impact on both students and residents.
“It was interesting for the kids to come to a village like ours because we live in a secure area, and they didn’t realise how close we were to the school,” she said.
“We told them every day we can hear their bells going off as there school is just on the otherside of the Logan River”
Ingenia President Len Gray, said it was important to preserve the Anzac legacy for future generations.
“As we get older, it’s our duty to make sure that connection carries on,” he said.
“Vietnam veterans are now the next generation moving into the villages, followed by those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
The success of the mural has sparked further ideas within the community, including a potential memorial walk featuring tributes to veterans from various conflicts.
“We want to keep the theme going,” Mrs Robertson said.
“It’s a way to honour those who served, while also strengthening the bond between young and old.”
