A new mural at Windale Public School in Lake Macquarie is helping bring the community closer together.

The 16.8m long by 1.2m high mural took artists Nicole Harrison and Belinda Schueppenhauer more than 250 hours to complete.

Ms Harrison, who also works as an SLSO (school learning support officer) at Windale Public, on Awabakal Country, said the mural represented the many connections Windale Public School had with its community.

“The eagle in the centre is the Windale Public School emblem. It’s an important symbol shown throughout our school,” she said.

“Other animals featured include the kookaburra, magpie, blue-tongue lizard, possum, plovers and tawny frogmouths, which are all residents of our school.

“We ensure their environment is cared for and looked after so these animals can continue to be a part of our school environment.

“The yellow, green and white dots represent the partnership Windale Public has with Hunter Sports High within the Waiyarang Community of Schools.

“The handprints are a representation of the positive engagement with our community and the strong connection we have with each other.”

Ms Harrison said footprints throughout the mural painted in blue represented the future of Windale Public School, while circles linked together symbolised interagency collaboration.

The painting also explored the leadership journey of teachers and students.

“The orange and white dots represent the strong educational leadership and guidance we have at Windale Public School,” Ms Harrison said.

“The smaller white dots beside the large orange dots represent those following in our leaders’ footsteps. The journey is for everyone.”

Principal Craig Atkins said the mural had brought new colour and vibrancy to the school.

“We wanted something that would really welcome people to our school, but also be a learning resource for our students,” he said.

“Belinda and Nicole have already started teaching the children about the imagery in the artwork and what it means to our school and our community.

“We’ve also got a QR code, so visitors can learn all about the mural at their own leisure.”