Our People
27 February, 2026
Community healing through art
A community led art project that rose from the devastating Bayindeen Rocky Road bushfires came to fruition at the weekend with the launch of the Heart Art exhibition at the Beaufort Town Hall.
Two years ago, the Beaufort and surrounding communities were traumatised by the Bayindeen Rocky Road bushfires which devastated many areas across the Pyrenees and came close to Beaufort’s edge.
Raglan, Mt Cole and Mt Lonarch residents in particular were in the line of the fire and many stayed to fight it and save their homes, livestock and livelihood.
Some succeeded and some did not, but the end of the tunnel has begun to emerge and that light is shining somewhat brighter today than it was in the dark place after the fires.
Local artists Angela Gerrard and Lyn Heenan created an opportunity for local residents to take part in their Heart Art project, designed to support the emotional recovery of the communities affected through art.
Displays at the exhibition on Sunday included photography, dyeing, quilting, journalling, collage, painting, charcoal, mosaic and other art forms evolved from the workshops.
Over the four workshops, fifty people, aged from twelve to eighty-four attended with follow up sessions at Angela’s studio.
The results of the four HeartArt creative workshops were on display at the Beaufort Shire Hall on Sunday at which residents presented their works which told their personal story of the bushfires and the impact on them as individuals, as a family and as a community.
The mural, commenced at the first workshop, was unveiled at the exhibition along with a second mural featuring nature and regrowth as a theme – in mosaic form. Both murals will be displayed on the lawn area at the front of the Shire Hall.
“The murals have been designed to be outdoors and to withstand the weather,” Angela said.
“We encourage everyone to view the murals up close and read the messages within them.”
With a digital viewing at the commencement of the display, a series of walk through panels depicting the fire created the feeling of the event, one of recovery, one of sombre reflection and one of community.
Connecting with one another, supporting and listening were all evident on Sunday.
On a sombre note was the recognition of the recent fires in the south of the shire with residents dealing with their own loss being supported at such a difficult time.
Lyn Heenan said the local community has great affection for the mountain range.
“We all love Mt Cole in a different way. Some from thirty kilometres away, others from the base of the mount. It is so evident in the works at the exhibition.”
The exhibition was officially opened by Pyrenees Shire Mayor, Councillor Damian Ferrari and MC’d by Raglan resident Douglas Ball – both who experienced the fires at their own properties.
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