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Bringing up a century in style: Seymour Health marks 100 years with murals

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In charge: Master of ceremonies Michael Molony at the lectern before the unveiling of the murals. Photo by Max Stainkamph
Delighted: Former Seymour Health chair and Seymour Health 100 Years’ Working Group’s Annie Fletcher-Nicholls.
Small crowd: A number of Seymour Health workers were on hand for the unveiling on Thursday.
Delighted: Artist Marina Villani in front of one of her murals. Each of the three murals honours a different time in Seymour Health’s history.
Back in time: The mural honouring the formative years of Seymour Health.
Development: The mural reflecting the growth and expansion of Seymour Health across the middle to late decades of the 20th century.
Modern day: The final mural in the set honours emergency workers, ambulances and the present day.

Walking out of Seymour Health, three blue and green murals spanning 100 years of history greet you.

The artwork, designed to reflect the changes at the facility over the past century, was created by Kilmore artist Marina Villani.

The three murals were unveiled last week in front of about 40 current and former Seymour Health staff.

They recount the early days of the hospital through to the modern day. Mrs Villani used old photographs and documents to piece together the mosaics.

Mrs Villani said it felt “very strange” to see the artwork on the wall after working on it for more than 12 months.

“There's this sense of pride but also a great sense of accomplishment, of completion, because it has been a long time in the making,” she said.

“Even just the planning took months and months and backing and co-ordinating with the board committee that were handling it, so it's been quite a journey.”

She said historical photographs of different people and events around the hospital helped shape the murals.

“The twins balancing on a nurse’s knee in the second mural is based off a photo, as is the truck,” she said.

Additionally, the green and blue grass and sky match the Seymour Health logo.

However, Mrs Villani said her favourite parts to create were the ambulances.

“I love my ambulances because they change over the years and it was a lot of research, which was fun,” she said.

Former Seymour Health chairperson and Seymour Health 100 Years’ Working Group’s Annie Fletcher-Nicholls said it was exiting to see the artwork on display.

“To mark 100 years you do need to celebrate, and we had COVID hit us right when we were planning all sorts of street parades and all sorts of things, so all events got cancelled,” she said.

“So you needed to do some things that were a little bit clever but left a lasting impression and I'm just thrilled to see this.

“If you think now that everybody that walks into the hospital is now going to see it, and when they realise what it's about, I think it's a great memory.”

She said it was the first time she had seen it in person and was “delighted” with the artwork and hoped members of the community would sit nearby and reflect.

“Seymour hospital and now Seymour Health's been a really important part of this community,” Ms Fletcher-Nicholls said.

“And I just now hope the community people will be able to come and have a look at this and just feel part of it.”

The murals are at the front of Seymour Health’s main entrance.