These murals honour Sydney’s hero of heritage. Will they be preserved themselves?

“Originally intended to last 10 years, they have now been on display for more than 40,” she said.

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Designed and painted by local artists Michiel Dolk and Merilyn Fairskye, the murals on the railway pylons celebrate the suburb’s unique history.

Some of the works have been secured to the pylons with massive straps to prevent them falling off, and structural checks are expected to take place in the coming weeks. The city conducts necessary repair works, cleaning and routine stabilisation works by a skilled conservator.

But the council spokesperson said they won’t be repainted.

“The artworks document a moment in time, and as a result the artists requested that the works are not repainted,” she said.

The murals tell the story of how residents came together with unions to save homes and get more public housing for low-income people, defeating the then Askin government’s plan to raze the area to make way for 45-storey developments.

Judy Mundey said the green bans solved the housing crisis in the past, and they could today, too.

“It’s a pity governments have forgotten their history,” she said, “because they used to build public housing, and that would go a long way to overcoming the housing crisis we’ve got.”

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