A mural that has become a Sunshine Coast landmark will return to public display after being absent for the past four years.
The Wave, by Owen Cavanagh, had become familiar sight for motorists travelling the Sunshine Motorway between Coolum and Marcoola over two decades.
But after being repeatedly targeted by vandals, it was placed under wraps about four years ago while a decision was made about its future.
Mr Cavanagh said the mural was likely to make a comeback soon on a climb-proof billboard structure designed to minimise the risk of future vandalism.
He said the billboard would be in a different position to where the mural had been, which is now airport territory, but still prominent.
“In terms of the mural and where it should be, it can’t stay there – there was too much red tape,” he said.
“There’s been lots of discussion about where it’s going to go and what’s going to happen, and it’s going to be really exciting.”
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At about 10m by 3m, the billboard version of the mural will be half the size of the original but will be painted exactly the same by Mr Cavanagh, even down to being on corrugated iron.
Mr Cavanagh painted the original mural in 2001 on a shed on a cane farm, swapping a carton of beer with the farmer in exchange for the wall space.
There was community outrage in 2011 when it was vandalised, and various improvements have been made – such as erecting it at height and installing lighting – to try to protect it from further vandals.
It has been repainted at least four times due to fading and damage but it was covered for protection after the last vandalism attack.
Mr Cavanagh said he had painted the mural as a promotional idea and had had not anticipated how popular it would become with the many people who passed it every day.
“Like lots of art, whether it’s singing or painting, it spurs something in your imagination: the perfect day with lots of surf,” he said.
“It’s given a sense of place on the Coast. When people come home and see the mural, it’s a landmark.”
Mr Cavanagh said he was looking forward to the unveiling of the billboard mural, which he hoped would be in the next couple of months.
“There’s been times during the last six months where I didn’t think the mural would see the light of day again, there’s been so much red tape involved,” he said.
He said it was thanks to the determination of a Sunshine Coast Council project manager that it was going back out on public display.
He hopes the original will go on to a have a new life elsewhere.
“I think it could be disassembled and sold at auction and reassembled, and I’d be happy to paint it up again for the new owner. The proceeds could go to a charity of my choice, but we’ll have to wait and see,” he said.
