A blank fence across the road from The Link has been given the colourful treatment, with a brand new mural honouring the local region popping up this week.

Canberra-based artist Mimi Fairall was engaged to spruce up the fence, which is currently wrapped around an empty block. Mimi is a multi-disciplinary artist who has been involved in a number of public installations, community workshops and exhibitions around Canberra. You also may have spotted some of her murals around town: last year she completed a mural across two big walls and the neighbouring bus stop at Lyons Shops, and a smaller mural at Queanbeyan Town Park, and also assisted with a mural at Whitlam Playground.

For the new Ginninderry mural, her creation is a bright, eye-catching artwork, cleverly hiding elements symbolic of the local area.

“While the mural is abstract, there are a number of small things that would be recognisable to people if they look hard enough,” says Mimi.

Firstly, there are six stars to find, a sustainability nod to Ginninderry’s recognition as Canberra’s first 6 Star Green Star Community. There are also e-bikes in there, like the electric bikes that are free to hire from The Link.

“There are also lots of references to the roads, intersections, and roundabouts, because at the moment, the suburbs are still being developed, and the roads are the first thing to go in,” says Mimi.

“Lots of the plants that have been planted are not fully formed trees or shrubs yet, so there are references in the mural to plants, but you can tell they’re small sprouts in the younger stages. And then there are geometric shapes in there like triangles or squares that reference all the styles of the houses that are being developed.”

Mimi completed the mural on June 27, after 15 days of work. And she got a little bit of help from the locals along the way. On one of the weekends, she held an open painting session, and invited anyone from the local community to join her.

“With most of my independent murals, I always host some kind of community painting session, because it gives the locals a sense of ownership over the wall and the artwork that they’re going to see every day. It makes it feel special and relevant to them, and like they’ve made their mark on something in their space,” she says.

“I had outlined areas in the mural for people to essentially colour in, so it was almost like a paint by numbers type situation.”

Around 10 people turned up to help, mostly some of Ginninderry’s younger residents, although Mimi says it wasn’t long before their parents got involved too.

“The parents turn up with their kids and assume just the kids will do their thing and then they’ll leave. But usually, the kids are the ones asking the parents to leave by the end, because they kind of take over,” laughs Mimi.

“So that was really cool. They got heaps done and filled in lots of spaces for me. It was really helpful.”

The mural is on display now directly across from The Link.