General News
24 April, 2026
Artist picked for Newstead mural
Mount Alexander Shire Council has announced a public art commission in Newstead by local artist Kirsten Moegerlein.
Mount Alexander Shire Council has announced a public art commission by local artist Kirsten Moegerlein.
The artwork will be a wrap‑around mural on Panmure Street in Newstead on the soon-to-be refurbished toilet block.
Kirsten is an emerging artist, experienced designer and researcher living on Djaara Country, based in Yapeen.
She paints landscapes, has a PhD in participatory design and has exhibited work locally, including at Artpuff and in Melbourne.
Kirsten will work in partnership with Newstead Landcare to design and paint the mural over the next three months, celebrating over 30 years of revegetation work on the Loddon riverbanks.
Mayor Toby Heydon said council is proud to support a local artist and celebrate the natural beauty of the river.
“Kirsten is a wonderful artist and brings great skills in collaborating with the community. We look forward to seeing how she commemorates the transformation of a degraded river habitat into an oasis of plant and animal life,” he said.
“We’re delighted that Kirsten will celebrate Newstead Landcare’s hard work restoring the riverbanks and create this mural to brighten up a well-used corner of Newstead.”
Kirsten was selected from a pool of 26 artists who responded to an expression of interest in early 2026.
The commission follows community engagement where Newstead residents showed strong interest in telling the story of the Loddon River and revegetation.
Kirsten’s artwork will connect with wider community celebrations of the river.