culture
From Lanes to Skate Parks: The Community Murals Shaping the Central Coast
Local artists and a youth-led council program are transforming public spaces with large-scale works that tell the region's stories.
How we reported this
The Central Coast has become a canvas for community-driven street art, with murals appearing on walls from Long Jetty to Wyong Town Centre and a youth program turning skate parks into outdoor galleries. The movement is less about graffiti and more about connection-local artists working with residents to tell the region's stories through paint.
A Trail Through the Coast's Creative Corridors
The Central Coast Graffiti Trail links several prominent public murals, including the Long Jetty Mural by local artist Brent Smith, known as Biffy Brentano, and the Love Lanes Wall in the Wyong Town Centre. These works are part of a broader effort to channel creative energy into sanctioned spaces rather than illegal tagging. The trail offers a self-guided walk through vibrant, large-scale pieces that reflect the area's character.
Youth-Led Art at BATO Yard
The Paint My Park initiative, run by Central Coast Council, gives artists aged 14 to 17 the chance to co-design and paint large-scale murals at local skate parks. One notable project is at BATO Yard Skate Park in Bateau Bay, where young people worked with professional artists to cover concrete surfaces with bold, colourful designs. The program was created as a proactive way to reduce illegal graffiti by offering young artists a legitimate platform to express themselves and take pride in their public spaces.
Stories on Walls: Grant Molony's Guringai Murals
Grant Molony, a proud Guringai man, has created murals across the Central Coast that celebrate local wildlife and land stories. His work can be found on the sides of buildings, inside bars, and on school walls. Each piece draws on deep knowledge of Country and aims to connect viewers with the region's Indigenous heritage. His murals are both decorative and educational, bringing First Nations perspectives into everyday public and commercial spaces.
Murals With Meaning
The community behind the Coast's street art movement continues to grow. Whether it's a teenager leaving their mark at a skate park or an established artist mapping Country onto a café wall, these murals serve as a public record of who lives here and what matters. For anyone keen to explore the region through its art, the Graffiti Trail is a good place to start-just look up as you walk through Long Jetty and Wyong.