A VIBRANT new mural has transformed a roadside wall in Holloways Beach, bringing colour and connection to the coastal community just north of the Cairns CBD.
Titled ‘The Welcome of Holloways Beach’, the large-scale artwork was painted by Italian muralist Rossella RZ, who is currently travelling Australia in a van and creating public art along the way.
Commissioned by the owner of Strait on the Beach, a local café hoping to uplift the area following damage after Cyclone Jasper, the mural is bursting with locally inspired imagery, including black cockatoos, a whale, crocodile, native trees, and even a cheeky octopus enjoying a drink and a snack.
“This is the road that welcomes visitors to Holloways Beach,” Rossella said.
“It felt important to paint something joyful, and something that says you’re here, and you’re welcome.”
Rossella said the mural was created under tough conditions, but the interaction with the community made it deeply rewarding.
“It was hot. Really hot. But I loved painting it,” she said.
“The locals kept coming by, thanking me and telling me stories. That’s the best part of painting in public – it’s alive.”
Working full-time on murals for more than three years, Rossella is no stranger to the challenges of large-scale outdoor painting.
She says the experience is as physically demanding as it is creatively fulfilling.
“Creating a mural isn’t complicated, but once you start painting, it takes everything,” she said.
“You’re up and down ladders all day, working fast before the paint dries, or gets washed away by the rain.”
Rossella says it’s the emotional connection with place and people that makes mural work so meaningful.
“It grounds you. It connects you to the wall, the place, the moment,” she said.
“You’re not just decorating – you’re leaving something of yourself in that surface. That’s why I love it.”
While this mural was commissioned for a private wall and did not require council approval, Rossella says the process for public murals can be more complex, often involving permission from local government or property owners, depending on the site.
Rossella is currently open to new commissions and creative collaborations as she continues travelling throughout Australia.
Her portfolio can be viewed at https://bit.ly/3U2g1XP
