Orange Gecko Projects

Orange Gecko Art Network members wanted to create a ‘funky fun fish arts trail’ around the George Town Tamar Valley region of bright colourful fish on community fences and buildings to create and generate interest in the region. A ‘fun trail to follow and find’ for the locals and tourists alike. Create a point of difference for the region – a talking point. George Town is known for the Tamar River (officially kanamaluka / River Tamar), a 70-kilometre estuary located in northern Tasmania, Australia. Despite being called a river, the waterway is a brackish and tidal estuary over its entire length. It is a popular local fishing area, so we wanted to celebrate that in a fun way. 

This is an Orange Gecko Art Network Inc project and we self-funded Stage 1 from the corporate and community funds offered so far …. in other words we put ”our money where our hearts and mouth was” so to speak – into the art and community. We did not received any major government or philanthropic funding for Stage One. We could see each property having 3xfish on a property fence in a grouping along with 1xsmall gecko to identify it as part of the Funky Fun Fish Arts Trail.

There was no cost to property owners for this grouping of 3+1.  Community members have the option to purchase extra fish or larger fish if they requested them.

The cost of the Funky Fish Arts Trail packs cost Orange Gecko $40 to produce for each fence.  

We currently have over 80 fences in the region with our Funky Fun Fish on the fences.

We did receive some funding from George Town Council, Lulworth Community Association and George Town Neighbourhood House to run some community painting workshop in George Town, Beechford and Lulworth. Orange Gecko artists assisted at the funky fish painting workshops and supported the painting activities.

We see this project happening in 3-4 stages and it spreading around the whole Tamar Valley region from George Town to Clarence Point over time, but we wanted to focus on the greater George Town region first to kick it off.  We are now entering Stage 2 where property owners will seek us out to have Funky Fun Fish on their fences on a donation basis.

You can have some Funky Fun Fish on your Fence or support us by way of donation of paint, materials or $ funds to purchase the marine ply needed for the templates.

Our main cost at the moment, is materials like the AA grade marine ply @ $80 (4mm) per sheet, the size of the fish determine how many fish templates we get from a sheet (from 8 to 24 fish).  Then we have acrylic paint costs and attachment costs (wire, screws, pot rivets, hooks, liquid nails, zip ties).  

All property owners are required to sign a ‘Funky Fun Fish Arts Trail’ participation form before the funky fun fish can be attached to their fence.