{"id":5286,"date":"2026-04-16T04:37:51","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T04:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.villages.com.au\/?p=5286"},"modified":"2026-04-17T02:34:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T02:34:35","slug":"nsw-seniors-festival-mural-at-garden-village-more-than-a-painting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.villages.com.au\/lifestyle\/nsw-seniors-festival-mural-at-garden-village-more-than-a-painting\/","title":{"rendered":"NSW Seniors Festival: Mural at Garden Village more than a painting"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5286\" class=\"elementor elementor-5286\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6acdf3c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6acdf3c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-eb8a675\" data-id=\"eb8a675\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-09b1be9 elementor-drop-cap-yes elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"09b1be9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;drop_cap&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.15.0 - 20-08-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>T<strong>he NSW Seniors Festival, which was held last month, celebrated the role and contributions of older adults to their local communities, with various events across the state celebrating the theme Live Life in Colour.<\/strong><\/p><p>The centrepiece of the festivities at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au\/nsw\/mid-north-coast\/garden-village-port-macquarie-950\">Garden Village<\/a>, the Not For Profit operator of retirement living, aged care, home care and disability support, in Port Macquarie, on the NSW mid-North Coast, was a butterfly-inspired mural by award-winning local artist Brad Collins.<\/p><p>The work now graces a busy laneway between the Op Shop, Garden Villages\u2019 Caf\u00e9 and Men\u2019s Shed.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-11f84c6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"11f84c6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0c8152e\" data-id=\"0c8152e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd33334 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"dd33334\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.15.0 - 20-08-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture2-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5289\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture2-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture2-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture2-585x390.jpg 585w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture2.jpg 1878w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d88cca4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d88cca4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-64159b5\" data-id=\"64159b5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-af96b47 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"af96b47\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The mural honours past residents while celebrating the connection the community shares with nature and place.<\/p><p>\u201cArts Mid North Coast connected me to Garden Village, and it\u2019s been amazing to collaborate on an initiative that brings generations together through art,\u201d said Brad, who enjoyed the opportunity to interact with residents throughout the creative process.<\/p><p>Auxiliary President and resident Cheryl Pearson welcomed the mural.<\/p><p>\u201cThe butterfly mural brings a fresh burst of creativity to the village, it\u2019s wonderful to see this project come to life,\u201d Cheryl said.<\/p><p>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.\u00a0 Live music from local band Ruby Blunt kept everyone entertained and dancing with a sausage sizzle for nearly 100 residents.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d43c378 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d43c378\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-231fb6b\" data-id=\"231fb6b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-00bea80 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"00bea80\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture3-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5291\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture3-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture3-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture3-585x390.jpg 585w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture3.jpg 1878w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8fc989a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8fc989a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ea25930\" data-id=\"ea25930\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4e1b0e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f4e1b0e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Port City Bowling Club contributed generous funding to make the intergenerational program possible.<\/p><p>\u201cThis wonderful initiative aligns with our core values of creating stronger community bonds, bringing generations together to create connections and shared learning experiences,\u201d said Operations Manager Katy-Lee Waldron.<\/p><p>The program also received grant funding from the NSW Seniors Festival Grants and Australia Post Community Grants.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-94bbd0f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"94bbd0f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7a24486\" data-id=\"7a24486\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f4ffb4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6f4ffb4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture4-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5292\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture4-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture4-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture4-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture4-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture4-585x390.jpg 585w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Picture4.jpg 1878w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-48bac39 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"48bac39\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2e5e6e3\" data-id=\"2e5e6e3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e639f00 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e639f00\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As part of an intergenerational partnership, students from Heritage Christian School visited the village. Casey Baldwin. from <a href=\"https:\/\/intergenconnect.com.au\/\">Intergen Connect<\/a>, reflected on the day:<\/p><p>\u201cIt\u2019s 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,\u201d Casey said.<\/p><p>The event marks the latest milestone in a program that has already earned local and national recognition.<\/p><p>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.<\/p><p>\u201cWinning 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,\u201d said Joanna McNamara, Garden Village Communications and Engagement Manager.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-10acbe3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"10acbe3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9ec649e\" data-id=\"9ec649e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b5f531 elementor-button-success elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"2b5f531\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-md\" href=\"https:\/\/thedcmgroup.createsend1.com\/t\/y-e-ahjvdk-l-v\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Return to Newsletter<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The NSW Seniors Festival, which was held last month, celebrated the role and contributions of older adults to their local communities, with various events across the state celebrating the theme Live Life in Colour. The centrepiece of the festivities at Garden Village, the Not For&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5286"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5336,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5286\/revisions\/5336"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}