Five striking new murals now brighten Greerton Village following the inaugural Greerton Whakanuia Kotahitanga Mural Festival.

Organisers say the project has already left a lasting legacy for the community.

The festival saw artists transform walls on Cameron Rd, Chadwick Rd, Greerton Rd and Mitchell St over almost two weeks from June 15-26, creating large-scale public artworks celebrating Greerton’s people, culture and identity.

The festival was overseen by the Greerton Business Association and managed by Greerton Village Mainstreet Manager Mel Carullo.

It was initiated by Tauranga artist and curator Sam Allen, who worked with the community to select mural sites and develop concepts. Artist Tautoko Matehaere coordinated the artists during the painting process alongside Carullo.

Marsh Pearson's mural on the Chadwick Rd stairs. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Carullo said the festival had been embraced by residents and visitors alike.

“The Greerton Village Mural Festival has been an incredible experience, with locals and visitors enjoying the chance to watch our talented artists bring these stunning murals to life in real time,” she said.

“As the five artists worked on their murals, the public stopped by to say hello and watch them at work. Our artists have loved connecting with the community and sharing their creative process along the way.”

She said the festival celebrated Greerton’s identity, diversity, and community spirit, while creating public artwork that would be enjoyed for many years.

Greerton Mural Festival artists Manea Ngatai, Millie Pidwell, Tautoko Matehaere, Marsh Pearson, and Louis Mikarere.

The five participating artists were Tautoko Matehaere, Marsh Pearson, Manea Ngatai, Louis Mikaere and Millie Pidwill.

Matehaere said despite a few logistical challenges, including wet weather, stolen batteries from an elevated work platform and access issues at one site, the project was overwhelmingly successful.

“It was great to interact with the public. I probably spoke to more than 200 people over the week and the feedback was awesome,” he said.

“The main comments I got were that Greerton really needed this. People were happy to see some colour go up on the walls because they’ve been wanting something like this for so long.”

Louis Mikaere's mural on the Super Liquor building. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

He said the positive response from the public kept the artists motivated throughout the project.

“The overall outcome was what we had hoped for. We got to see five amazing new murals painted in Greerton and the community loved it. The community’s happy, the board’s happy and I’m happy.”

Each mural reflects a different aspect of Greerton and Tauranga Moana.

Louis Mikaere’s mural on the Super Liquor building at the corner of Chadwick Rd and Cameron Rd welcomes visitors entering the city from the south.

Inspired by Te Ao Māori, the design explores community strengthened through diversity using woven threads, with birds to be added as symbols of movement, connection and freedom.

At the Chadwick Rd stairs beside Lees on Chadwick, Marsh Pearson’s mural features wheku and manaia figures representing kaitiaki, or guardians, watching over the area. Traditional tukutuku-inspired patterns symbolise strength, support and protection.

Millie Pidwell’s mural on the former Waipuna Hospice building. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Millie Pidwill painted a mural at Greerton Village School in May which tells the story of the land the school sits on once being a thriving food garden where kai was gathered to nourish people across Tauranga Moana.

“While I was painting, tūī birds kept flying in and perching in the tree right beside me – it’s like they were part of the story too,”Pidwell wrote on a Facebook post.

During the mural festival, she painted two large native fantails surrounded by cherry blossoms on the former Waipuna Hospice building beside Greerton Hall. The mural celebrates Greerton’s connection to nature while creating a colourful northern gateway into the village.

Manea Ngatai’s mural on The Salvation Army Family Store recalls Greerton’s well-loved cherry blossom festival through flowering trees and classic cars, combining local memories with his contemporary mural style.

Tautoko Matehaere's mural in Mitchell St. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Matehaere’s own mural on Mitchell St reinterprets traditional marae architecture using bold purple and orange tones.

The work features a central wharenui framed by carved guardians, native planting and a taniwha emerging from beneath a brick wall, blending Māori storytelling with contemporary street art.

Although one or two people expressed differing opinions about some of the artworks, Matehaere said that was part of creating public art.

“You can’t please everyone. Art is subjective and we’re used to that. Working in public art, people are always going to have different opinions, but the response overall was overwhelmingly positive.”

Artists Marsh Pearson, Sam Allen and Tautoko Matehaere. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Carullo thanked Tauranga City Council for funding the festival, along with the Greerton Business Association Board, Greerton Village School, Creative Bay of Plenty, local businesses, mural hosts and the many residents who stopped to encourage the artists throughout the fortnight.

A small informal mural blessing ceremony will be taking place outside Greerton Library at 1pm on Wednesday, July 8 with the artists, Ngāti Ranginui representatives, and members of the Greerton Business Association.