A blank wall within the CBD has given graffiti artist Morris Green the perfect canvas to pay tribute to ANZAC soldiers and Gladstone’s connection to the Gallipoli campaign. An award-winning Adelaide-based muralist with more than 20 years’ experience, Morris creates
artwork using an all-freehand graffiti style with aerosol paints to depict photo realism. From 15-23 September, the car park at 37 Tank Street was transformed into a place of memory connecting Gladstone’s past to the present with dignity, pride and respect.
Morris said the mural’s design not only honours local WWI veteran Samuel Streeter but invites reflection on the broader sacrifices of regional Queenslanders during wartime.
“At the centre of the work stands the haunting gaze of a young soldier, eyes lost in what has become known as the ‘1000-yard stare. It reflects the trauma and quiet resilience of those who served, embodying the psychological scars of war that often went unseen. The surrounding imagery tells of Gladstone’s deep wartime connection with troopships departing from Brisbane Harbour and the Gladstone Wharf with many to never return. Alongside them, hundreds of horses sent into service, never to come home. Their silhouettes represent both loyalty and loss, a powerful reminder of the lives changed by war.” Morris said.
Private Samuel Thomas Streeter enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 16 September 1915, joining the 25th Infantry Battalion the following year. He was Killed in Action during the Second Battle of Bullecourt in France on 3 May 1917, aged only 22 years. Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett said that public reaction to the mural, which is part of the ongoing Tank Street Beautification Project, has been overwhelmingly positive.
“The mural looks fantastic and the feedback I’ve been receiving is that people would like to see more of this type of artwork within the region. Morris has done an amazing job to capture a defining time in Australia’s history with a local connection to the region. Like the soldiers who fought during the First World War, I hope this mural stands the test of time and can be admired for generations to come.” Mayor Burnett said.