Garden Village Seniors Festival
Giant butterfly mural and mini Hello Koala craft workshops bring fun & joy to Garden Village for the NSW Seniors Festival — Live Life in Colour
Seniors and students came together to celebrate creativity and connection at Garden Village as part of the NSW Seniors Festival’s event themed Live Life in Colour.
The centrepiece of the festivities was a stunning butterfly-inspired mural by award-winning local artist Brad Collins, now gracing a busy laneway between the Op Shop, GV’s Café and Men’s Shed.
Vibrant and full of life, the mural honours past residents while celebrating the connection the community shares with nature and place.
“Arts Mid North Coast connected me to Garden Village, and it’s been amazing to collaborate on an initiative that brings generations together through art,” said Brad, who enjoyed the opportunity to interact with residents throughout the creative process.
Auxiliary President and resident Cheryl Pearson welcomed the mural warmly. “The butterfly mural brings a fresh burst of creativity to the village, it’s wonderful to see this project come to life.”
Activities included painting miniature Hello Koalas, photo opportunities with the iconic much loved Flying Fife from the famous Hello Koala Sculpture Trail, and adding brushstrokes to the butterfly mural and Monet inspired Virtual Reality from SilVR Adventures. Live music from local band Ruby Blunt kept everyone entertained and dancing with a sausage sizzle for nearly 100 residents.
Port City Bowling Club contributed generous funding to make the intergenerational program possible. “This wonderful initiative aligns with our core values of creating stronger community bonds, bringing generations together to create connections and shared learning experiences,” said Operations Manager Katy-Lee Waldron.
The program also received grant funding from the NSW Seniors Festival Grants and Australia Post Community Grants.
As part of an exciting intergenerational partnership, students from Heritage Christian School brought youthful energy to the village. Casey Baldwin from Intergen Connect reflected on the magic of the day: “It’s wonderful to see older generations sharing their stories and wisdom with younger ones. Through art, activities, and storytelling, we create connections that last a lifetime.”
The event marks the latest milestone in a program that has already earned local and national recognition.
Garden Village, SilVR Adventures and Intergen Connect were honoured to receive a Future of Ageing Award in 2025 for the Virtual Voyagers Virtual Reality Program.
“Winning the award in Sydney was amazing, and we are thrilled to take this program to a new level with creative ageing elements, thanks to involvement from local artists and the Hello Koalas,” said Joanna McNamara, Garden Village Communications and Engagement Manager.
Thanks to Port City Bowling Club CEO Matthew Swain and Katy-Lee Waldron, Mural Artist Brad Collins and Intergen Connect Casey Baldwin
The story was featured in Port News, Port Macquarie News of the Area and Nine NBN News
