Looking for something different as you explore the north west part of Tasmania? Stop by Sheffield and take yourself on a Sheffield murals tour!
Dating back to the 1980s, the Sheffield murals came into being when the town found itself in economic decline. The town had heard about how a Canadian town faced similar problems and had painted murals on town walls. This lead to public recognition and the reversal of town fortunes.
Sheffield murals
They decided to do the same thing and create an outdoor art gallery in Sheffield and its surrounds depicting the district’s pioneer heritage. The first murals were completed by John Lendis and they were completed in 1986.
It worked. The town’s decline was reversed and today it’s a bustling little town with over 200 murals. There’s also an annual International Mural Fest where artists can compete for one of nine spots to paint a mural over Easter in mural park. This means there’s always something new to see.
Below, you can read everything you need (and want) to know about the Sheffield murals.
Sheffield Murals
Mural Park, Sheffield
The Sheffield murals are located all over the town. A great place to start is Mural Park where you can see many murals including the latest additions from the Mural Fest. There is also a car park here which makes it handy place to leave the car and set off on foot to explore.
Mural Park is full of murals. They seem to be on a variety of topics and not just the pioneering past. While some are brilliant, others left me scratching my head. In some cases, I wish there were some information boards to describe what the artist was trying to achieve.
Mural Park
Mural Park
After you finish exploring Mural Park, I recommend walking down the main street. There are seemingly constant murals to see both along the main street itself and on the side streets. You won’t find it hard to find them.
There are various murals depicting town life as well as local wildlife.
Murals around town
The main road is also homes to shops and cafes and it’s easier to add in a lunch stop while you are in town.
Sheffield Tasmania Murals Location
Click the Map to open in Google Maps. You can then access directions to each of the locations discussed in this article.
Sheffield Murals Tasmania are located throughout the town and in some surrounding places as well. You can find all the locations on the above Sheffield murals map
Final Words
If you like art work and exploring new places then you’ll love a stop at Sheffield, Tasmania. The murals make for quite a sight and it’s fun walking around town and checking them out.
Sheffield Murals
It’s also easy to visit here – Sheffield is about a 30 minute drive south of Devonport or you can visit them combined with stopping by Tasmazia, Mole Creek Caves or Cradle Mountain.
If you decide to stay in town, read our guide to the best Sheffield accommodation here.
We hope you found this review of the Sheffield town of Murals useful. You can find more guides to this part of Tasmania here. I also recommend visiting the nearby Marakoopa Cave and Tasmazia. We visited all three of these attractions in one day and it was lots of fun!
Sharon grew up in Tasmania, moved away and then came back with her family twenty years later. She loves re-discovering her home state and sharing it with you here.
