Work on the new artwork and square upgrades will begin in mid-August 2026 and is expected to be completed by the end of November 2026. The artwork, Transition, has been created by artists Creature Creature (Chanel Tang and Ambrose Rehorek) and Madwings (Jason Wing). It celebrates the connections between Aboriginal and Chinese cultures through stories of family, migration, resilience and cultural exchange.

Council’s Main Streets Program aims to improve the vibrancy and safety of public spaces and local streets by improving their character and making them more inviting. As part of this program Ashfield Town Hall is ready for a refresh.

Re-imagining the use of public spaces and regenerating them can enhance the lives of the community and assist economic growth by providing settings to attract visitation and local spend and creating places to go to, not move through.

Ashfield Town Hall Square is located at 260 Liverpool Road, Ashfield, the square is in front of the entry to Ashfield Civic Centre and the Ashfield Library. The Square is a plaza space fronting Liverpool Road where people can gather and pass through on their way to the Inner West Council Service Centre, Town Hall, the library and the Ashfield Mall.

Who are the artists?

Creature Creature (Chanel Tang & Ambrose Rehorek) and Madwings (Jason Wing) were selected, following an expression of interest, to develop a collaborative artwork inspired by the local culturally diverse community and exploring the artists’ Aboriginal and Chinese heritage.

What does the artwork represent?

Aboriginal and Chinese cultures are two of the oldest living cultures in the world. This cross-cultural artwork celebrates migration, knowledge and families with two of the world’s oldest civilisations since the original sea trade/migration routes.

Transition is about the strength, cross cultural collaboration, resilience, adaptability, survival and celebration of the intergenerational migrations between Chinese (Pan-Asian), Aboriginal people and colonial Australia.

Selected commissioned artists, Chanel Tang was born in the year of the Dragon and Jason Wing, the year of the Snake. The collaborative artwork marks the current auspicious Dragon to Serpent (snake) transformation. The Dragon and the Serpent are the most powerful cultural symbols and stories. They are related in all ways.

The Magpie in both Aboriginal and Chinese cultures symbolise mixed blood, mixed marriage, mixed family, forbidden marriages, forbidden mixes and more. The Magpie are also our ancestors who sing wise reminders.

The animals are intrinsically combined with significant native plants in China and Australia that have been used since the beginning of time to promote healing, food and other cultural uses. Flora in the mural, such as Gum leaves, Kakadu Plum, Kangaroo Apple from Australia. Gingko, Ginseng and Goji Berry. Chrysanthemum and Waratah are significant flowers in both Chinese and Aboriginal culture. The flora and fauna represent prosperity within all diverse Aboriginal people and migrant communities.

Transition is an artwork focusing on mixed Chinese/Asian and Aboriginal cultures and stories of strength, power, migration, adaptation and a celebration of cultural diversity.

Improvements to the Square include:

• New seating and tables
• Additional shade umbrellas
• Refreshed garden beds and planting
• Improved paving
• New bike parking
• Retention of existing mature trees
• Improved accessibility