Find our new mural 'Before' Positioned prominently on the external façade near Woolworths and opposite Beams Road at Taigum Square.

About the Artist : Tori‑Jay Mordey

Tori‑Jay Mordey is a respected First Nations illustrator and artist based in Meanjin/Brisbane, with more than a decade of professional practice. Born on Thursday Island and raised in Hervey Bay, she launched her career at 17 after illustrating Bakir and Bi, winner of the 2012 Blak&Write award. A Queensland College of Art graduate, she has since built a strong national and international profile, joining Solid Lines-Jacky Winter’s First Nations agency in 2022.

Her work spans murals, digital illustration, and painting, characterised by bold colour, emotional depth, and explorations of identity, connection, and belonging. Career highlights include Vivid Sydney (2024), an international mural in Niue (2025), and the award‑winning children’s book A Blue Kind of Day (2022). Her practice is grounded in representing her community and amplifying contemporary Torres Strait Islander perspectives.

About the Artwork – “Before”

Before reflects the native landscape that existed long before suburban development in Taigum. The central First Nations figure stands among native vegetation, pausing to reconnect with Country, symbolising the continuity between past and present.

The mural features:

• Green Tree Frog and Moorhen with chick, representing local biodiversity
• Native flora that once thrived across the area
• A visual narrative that positions Country as a living presence holding memory, identity, and knowledge

The artwork invites the community to reflect on the importance of caring for land, acknowledging history, and recognising the deep cultural connection First Nations peoples maintain with Country.

A Collaborative Journey

This project commenced in May 2025 through a close partnership with Tori‑Jay Mordey to ensure the artwork authentically represented Taigum’s native landscape and cultural context. We are so excited to have it part of our centre's story.

*Photography credits - Cindy Yohana