A new mural in the heart of Blackwood celebrates Blackwood’s former experimental fruit orchard and its contribution to horticulture in South Australia.
‘A Fruitful Experiment’ by Adelaide Hills artist Taylor Summers, known as TaylrJay, has been installed at the public toilets at the Shepherds Hill Road pedestrian crossing.
Taylor set out to capture the story of the orchard, which operated from 1908 to the 1960s at the site of what is now the Blackwood Forest Recreation Park.
“There was an orchard with lots of fruit trees that have since been removed,” she said. “I thought it was an interesting story, and I wanted to learn more about it and share it with the local community.”
Taylor’s work features a selection of fruit grown on the orchard, including cherries, peaches, nectarines, Prince Edward apples and citrus, along with the pine plantation, native plants and manager’s office that can be seen today.
Working on the mural, Taylor said she was overwhelmed by the level of interest and support from locals.
“This has been such a special mural to work on - I love being able to connect and meet so many people. One lady stopped to give me a Kit Kat for morning tea which was lovely, and I’ve had a few honks and waves from people driving past. People have been sharing their memories of the orchard and manager’s office too.”
The mural was funded by a City of Mitcham public art grant.