A huge new art piece putting a fresh spin on Sunbury has been unveiled along the new Jacksons Creek road bridge underpass as part of the Sunbury Road Upgrade.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson and Member for Sunbury Josh Bull were joined by Australian test legend Nathan Lyon and Big Build Roads Program Director Dipal Sorathia to unveil the continuous 40-metre-long artwork along the underpass of the bridge.
The mural reflects the heritage of the Jacksons Creek, celebrates distinct flora and fauna and acknowledges Sunbury as the birthplace of cricket’s legendary Ashes urn.
Drivers can look forward to benefiting from smoother and safer run to Goonawarra and other growing nearby areas, with the new Jacksons Creek crossing to provide two dedicated lanes. The bridge opened to traffic for the first time three days ago, initially single lane traffic in each direction.
Diggers Rest artist Ervin Molnar was selected to create the public piece having previously worked on projects for the Royal Canadian Mint and several major public facing murals across Canada in places including Ontario, Winnipeg Manitoba, Calgary Alberta.
Created in consultation with community feedback, the design celebrates local flora and fauna and will include a nod to the local story of cricket’s greatest icon – the Ashes urn.
Now complete, the artwork which took four weeks to create, has been treated with an anti-graffiti coating to ensure it is protected against vandalism and can be enjoyed by the public for years to come.
It comes just three days after the Jacksons Creek Bridge opened to traffic for the first time, providing a safer and less congested connection to emerging communities in and around Goonawarra.
Mural image gallery
The off spinner is gearing up for his first Big Bash League season with the Melbourne Renegades, all the while channelling his energies into his start up – GOATD.
The underpass connects with an upgraded path from the Jacksons Creek to Goonawarra which will open in December and replaces an aging winding path, ensuring safer access for both cyclists and pedestrians. Landscaping work will be completed later this year.
This year, the project has already delivered kilometres of new lanes to traffic for the first time, fast-tracked the transformation of key intersections at Lancefield Road and Francis Boulevard and built new shared walking and cycling paths across the entire length of the project.
Over summer, the project will continue to make gains with the warmer weather ensuring the project stays on track for completion ahead of 2025.
Locals can expect to see significant progress with action occurring around Francis Boulevard and Lancefield Road over the coming months.
With the new bridge opening to traffic this week and all four lanes opening in early 2023, creating a smoother and more reliable journey for the more than 24,000 motorists who travel over the bridge every day.
The Sunbury Road Upgrade is funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments.