The first round of primary school students have made their mark on the SH84 underpass with painting beginning yesterday on the mural project. 

Around 20 senior students from Te Kura O Take Kārara were the first to paint the underpass walls and, by the end of next week (weather permitting) the whole underpass will be complete.

Take Kārara principal Jodie Howard said the students had been excited about the project for months. 

“I think they’re quite honoured to put their stamp on the community in this way,” she said.

Senior Te Kura O Take Kārara students started painting the mural on Tuesday morning.

The $1.5M underpass was completed last year, with ten precast concrete boxes forming the tunnel under the highway, which connects existing sealed walk/bike paths from Three Parks to established trails around Mt Iron and towards Wanaka’s town centre.

Many of the students who attend the school travel from Albert Town and bike through the underpass going to and from school, Jodie said, which made the mural project extra special for them.

Zeska and Ava, both 9.

Maya and Roko (both 10), paintbrushes in hand, said they had envisioned a lavender farm with mountains and “maybe a little house” for the section they were painting, while nine-year-olds Zeska and Ava launched straight into creating their mountain scene.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) was originally planning to paint the underpass with a nondescript, anti-graffiti finish, but the Wanaka Community Board (WCB) approached them with a wall mural concept and commissioned local artist Chrissy Wickes.

The painting began after a waiata by the students.

Chrissy developed the mural concept and she is managing the project with input from the students.

She told the Wanaka App it was exciting to start the final mural, and said students had practised seven times at school during the last term.

Students from different age groups will continue painting the mural this week and next, with hopes to complete it by the end of next week.

PHOTOS: Wanaka App