Pioneer trails, plaques and statues across towns in the Wheatbelt have been constructed over the years to inform adults and history buffs of a townships history.
Yet one Wheatbelt town is taking the plunge to modernise history! The Shire of Brookton, a town located in the Southern Wheatbelt, has teamed up with CAN WA to tell the tale of Brookton’s history, with students armed with stenciling and spray-painting skills, they are making their mark.
Urban artist Darren Hutchens has been teaching the students from Brookton District High School how to create images to make up a heritage trail, with everyone making their own awesome name stencils as a quick and easy way to learn the tricks of designing stencils. The young people involved have also had visits from the local historical society and a Brookton Elder, to learn more about the town they live in and consequently inform their urban art making.
The Brookton Stencil trail will take you around 6 sites in Brookton for a 3km casual stroll. The stencils tell both the Noongar and European history, including stories about the founder of Brookton, the Old Mile Pool swimming hole, local plants and animals, plus more!
The trail was finished on December 8 2011, so if you’re passing through Brookton make sure to check it out, and maybe you can convince your local council to use urban art to tell the story of your own town too!
By Nicola Davison, CAN WA Project Coordinator
Image I Brookton District High School students creating their funky stencils on the Brookton Stencil Trail, pictured from left to right: Zane Bowen - Zoccoli, Chermia Cook, Rohan Whittington and Jarrad Turner. Photo by Michelle White