Wellington Dam, WA: Where is the mural and can I go camping?
The Wellington Dam mural near Collie, WA, is best seen from the nearby lookout. The nearest Wellington Dam camping option is to the north at Potters Gorge.
Wellington Dam near Collie in Western Australia has long been a popular recreation spot. But a recent addition has made it a cultural attraction as well as a natural one.
Wellington Dam is the largest dam in south west WA. It was built on the Collie River in 1933, creating the Wellington Reservoir. There are several walking trails around the reservoir, and some designated swimming spots.
The Wellington Dam mural
In February 2021, the Wellington Dam mural by artist Guido van Helten was unveiled. Officially called Reflections, this is the largest dam wall mural in the world.
The Wellington Dam wall is 34 metres high, and 367 metres wide. Van Helten’s mural covers a whopping 8,000 square metres of it.
The Wellington Dam mural features a series of photo-realistic images of local people playing in the water. It was inspired by real life photographs.
Van Helten erected special scaffolding to complete his work, and took months painting the images.
The best place to view the highlight of the Collie Mural Trail is the Wellington Dam Lookout, near the dam wall.
Wellington Dam camping at Potters Gorge
Most of the tourist infrastructure around the reservoir is near the Wellington Dam Lookout. This includes a kiosk and the Quarry picnic area.
However, you can’t go camping near the dam wall. For that, you have to go a bit further north to the recently redeveloped Potters Gorge campground.
There are 55 sites at the Potters Gorge campground, catering for tents, campervans and caravans. There are also toilets, picnic shelters and gas barbecues. Camping at Potters Gorge costs $15 per adult per night, and more information is available on the Parks and Wildlife Service website.
Other attractions near Collie include Black Diamond Lake.
More Western Australia travel
Go snorkelling at the Aquarium, Yallingup – or surf at Smiths Beach.
See the Hamelin Pool stromatolites on the drive from Kalbarri to Monkey Mia.
Visit Hovea Falls in the John Forrest National Park on the drive from Perth to Northam.
Drop by Dongara on the Jurien Bay to Geraldton drive.
What to see on the Melbourne to Perth drive.