Take a walk through beautiful Malanda on the Mosaic Trail starting from the Malanda Falls. There are 10 mosaics on the circuit walk.

The Story of the Mosaics

In 1998 the Eacham Shire Council successfully applied for funding from the Australian Federal Government as part of the Centenary of Federation Celebrations. A committee of interested local people was formed, and they decided to put the money towards an ‘Arts Trail’ linking the five towns of Eacham Shire.

Malanda was able to utilize the talents of local mosaic artists Natalie Foster and Felicity Wallis. The artists held public meetings to hear stories and to work on a design plan. They proposed a series of nine mosaics, each being a window into different aspects of the past, present and future. The quiet country town revealed such a depth and richness that the
artists were posed with a challenge how best to reflect its character in just nine images. They decided to hand-make ceramic border tiles, each one telling more about the theme of the central mosaic.

All the designs were completed by January 2000 and the Mosaic work began in a dingy council shed in February. Later on the artists also applied for, and received, an extension grant from the Regional Arts Development Fund. The last mosaic was finished in June 2001. Many of the local businesses provided financial and in kind support. Five provided wall supports!

The completed works are sure to last many centuries thanks to the quality of their construction and installation.

Many details are camouflaged in the intricate designs, revealing themselves on closer inspection. See if you can locate the blue butterfly in each mosaic!