8 Nov 2022A new mural featuring native wildlife and titled ‘Nature’s Playground’ was recently unveiled at Rangiora Playcentre, Canterbury. The playcentre was one of ten winners in this year’s Keep New Zealand Beautiful Wall Worthy Competition, sponsored by Resene, which gives youth groups, schools and ECEs from across the country the opportunity to paint a mural with an environmental theme or message, to help beautify an area in their local community. The mural (shown below) is made up of two parts, both of which depict native birdlife in picturesque settings inspired by the natural beauty of the region, and of Aotearoa as a whole. “The tui, kereru and piwakawaka perched close to the climbing frame and the shore birds and Hector’s dolphin splashing beside the sandpit help our children create connections with the natural environment as they play,” said artist Mel, who completed the mural on behalf of the playcentre. “Our mural celebrates nature as we create a link between the playcentre environment where the murals will be placed – the sandpit and the garden – and the landscape of the beach and bush where native birds and animals live. We hope that these murals will create conversations with our children about caring for the environments where these animals live so that they can thrive.” “We can enjoy nature’s playground but must remember that they are also home to beautiful creatures and plants.” The Playcentre utilised an extensive selection of vivid Resene paints to create the mural, including Resene Kingfisher Blue, Niagara, Pelorous, Wellywood, Colour Me Pink and Outrageous. Design and painting of the mural was facilitated by local North Canterbury artists Laura and Mel of Off the Wall Murals, and the plywood panels on which the murals were painted were supplied by Kenneally Timber and Outdoor Living. NATURE’S PLAYGROUND at Rangiora Playcentre About the Resene Wall Worthy Competition Our Resene Wall Worthy Competition, which is part of the Paint New Zealand Beautiful programme, gives early childhood centres, schools and youth groups the chance to tell their local history, celebrate a local hero or communicate a nature or conservation theme via a mural on a wall in their community. The competition helps teach children the importance of Keeping New Zealand Beautiful by getting them involved in creating the design and helping bring it to life. From all the submissions received, 15 designs were chosen as finalists for their strong and creative environmental message and the enhancement they would make to the local community. These submissions were then put to a public vote via social media to determine the top ten murals, with winning submissions receiving a $750 Resene paint voucher, drop cloth and high vis vests, as well a $500 donation if the mural is completed by the end of the 2022 school year. Keep New Zealand Beautiful CEO Heather Saunderson, says: “Our Resene Wall Worthy Competition provides a great opportunity for early childhood centres, schools and youth groups to celebrate a local hero, to tell a story about their local area or communicate a conservation theme. As always, we were blown away by the calibre of entries, and by the participation in the voting by the public with over 4,500 votes cast via our website and social media. We’re so excited to see these murals come to life, knowing how the beautification of public spaces greatly benefits communities by increasing civic pride.” The ten winning schools and their regions are listed below, with their designs visible on the Keep New Zealand Beautiful website. Ashgrove School, Rangiora with Tūrangawaewae Our Place to Stand Craighead Diocesan School, Timaru with Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua, ko au (I am the land and the land is me) Dot Kids, Greytown with Our tamariki, our turangawaewae Manchester Street School, Feilding with Be Kind to Papatuanuku Martinborough Playcentre, Martinborough with Te Whanau Tupu ngatahi Pakowhai School, Napier with We’re More Than Just Apples Rangiora Playcentre with Nature’s Playground Rototuna Senior High School, Hamilton with Kotahitanga Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls with Te Kura Pi’opatanga o W’akaa’urangi Woodend School, Waimakariri with Woodend School Cultural Narrative Share this page
