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At the heart of the Hospital is the remarkable ‘Welcome to Country’ tapestry, woven at the Australian Tapestry Workshop.

Artists Maree Clarke and Mitch Mahoney explain the design’s microscopic reference to Maribyrnong River reeds. Senior weaver Amy Cornall describes the unique three-dimensional approach, the materials used and the collaborative effort behind its making.

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The Tapestry in Focus

‘Welcome to Country – now you see me: seeing the invisible’ is a is a monumental three-dimensional tapestry, 4.2 x 10 metres, making it one of the largest tapestries ever commissioned for a public hospital in Victoria. The design is inspired by microscopic images of river reeds from the Maribyrnong River, it was created by renowned Indigenous artists Maree Clarke in collaboration with her great nephew Mitch Mahoney.

This tapestry is unique for its ellipse installation, handwoven at the Australian Tapestry Workshop using 103 yarn colours and 8 custom-dyed colours, produced over 14 months by a team of 12 skilled weavers.

About the Australian Tapestry Workshop

The Australian Tapestry Workshop (ATW) is an international leader in contemporary tapestry, collaborating with Australian and international artists to produce handwoven works of art. Established in 1976, ATW has created over 500 tapestries and remains a hub for innovation in textile arts, with bespoke dye lab, gallery spaces, and an annual artist in residency program.

ATW Collaborates with both Australian and international artists, to creating exceptional, handwoven works of art.

Find out more

Meet the Artists

Maree Clarke (Yorta Yorta/Wamba Wamba/Mutti Mutti/Boonwurrung)

Maree Clarke is an important artist who helps bring back South-Eastern Australian Aboriginal art practices that were lost or forgotten because of colonisation. She mentors and supports Aboriginal artists, and her work includes traditional cultural items such as possum skin cloaks and river reed necklaces, as well as modern materials and technologies like glass, 3D printing, and multimedia installations. By exploring ceremonies, rituals, and language from her culture, Clarke encourages conversations between different communities and reflects on the ongoing effects of colonisation. She works with communities across Australia and internationally.

Mitch Mahoney (Boonwurrung/Barkindji)

Mitch Mahoney is a multidisciplinary artist who works to bring back South-Eastern Aboriginal practices. He makes cultural items like possum skin cloaks, traditional stringy bark and red gum canoes, and kangaroo tooth necklaces. He also creates line drawings and designs inspired by South-Eastern Aboriginal traditions. His art shows his connection to Country and the natural world, and how it influences and inspires him.

Both Artists are represented by Vivien Anderson Gallery

Vivien Anderson Gallery

Fast Facts

+ Start of weaving: April 2024
+ End of weaving: June 2025
+ Weavers: 12
+ Weaving hours: 10,000
+ Size: 4.2 x 10 m
+ Weight: 135kg
+ Yarn colours: 103 colours, all dyed onsite in ATWs Specialist Dye Lab (including 8 custom-colours made especially for this project)

The tapestry is commissioned through The Premier’s Suite partnership, which supports the acquisition of major artworks for new Victorian hospitals. This initiative is a collaboration between the Tapestry Foundation of Australia, the State Government of Victoria, and the Australian Hotels Association, and is realised in partnership with Plenary Health, Footscray Community Arts, and the Australian Tapestry Workshop.