Forgotten mural unlocks surprising piece of Launceston history

Now partially obscured by trees and beginning to flake, the Glen Dhu mural has nevertheless aged well.

It turns 25 this year.

The mural is historically significant not just because of what it depicts - McHugh's Pottery Factory, William Effingham Lawrence, Coats Patons - but also because of who painted it.

As Launceston's mural renaissance hits fever pitch, it's worth remembering the woman who brought community paintings to Tasmania.

And with it, made Launceston the mural capital of Tasmania.

The Glen Dhu mural is arguably the best surviving Launceston work of Belgian-born Chantale Delrue.

Arriving in Tasmania in 1980, Delrue set Launceston's streetscapes on a new course in 1982.

After persuading City of Launceston Council, she spearheaded Tasmania's first community mural on the Esplanade side of the Roberts, Stewart and Co. building (now BCF).

The mural featured three prospectors, shearers and a 19^th century sailor, and lasted until the early 2010s.

Seventy people helped paint it.

"It took me more than a year to get permission and go through all the rimram, but then when they did, they loved it so much and the mayor did the opening," she said.

"After that I did a lot more."

Delrue had latched onto a winner.

She completed her biggest community project in 1984, when 127 people contributed to a huge 32x5m multicultural mural at the bottom of Charles Street.

There were many other projects, including works at the Mayfield shopping centre and the LGH, and in 1990 she was sent to celebrate 25 years of the Launceston-Ikeda sister city relationship by painting a mural in Japan.

Delrue moved to Hobart in 1999, but there was time for one last project.

A mural to celebrate Glen Dhu Primary's centenary was first floated by then-principal Paul Mulcahy and parent David Rowbottom.

At the time, it was estimated the 10-panel, $10,000 project would be viewed by up to 20,000 drivers every day.

It was completed in November 1999 after five weeks of painting from students, past students and parents.

"It was about the history of the school and the area," Delrue said.

"I haven't seen it for years - I'm pleased it's still there because it's [been] a long, long time.

"The one near the Customs House [on the Esplanade] lasted 30 years, which was very long.

"I've got one here in Hobart that's still around, but most of them are gone."

Much of Delrue's Launceston work pre-dated those in Sheffield, known to many as 'the town of murals'.

The North-West township welcomed its first mural in 1986 and is now home to more than 200, but Launceston is fast catching up.

A host of new artists, led by KreamArt's James Cowan, are taking Launceston's streets by storm.

Murals are popping up all over the city and the council will soon oversee the painting of the Paterson Street East carpark.

Delrue said it was fascinating to see murals coming back in a new way 20 years after the initial craze.

"There's quite a few in Hobart popping up all the time as well," she said.

"I spent a lot of time in Mexico and America and I painted murals there and that's why when I came here I wanted to do that, because it was a novelty at the time.

"I came from Europe and they probably thought 'who's this crazy woman who's going to splash some paint on the wall'?"

Time has proven that far from crazy, Delrue has gifted Launceston with 40 years of colourful tradition.