Today we cut off the first of two tapestry panels that together form the artwork ‘Welcome to Country – now you see me: seeing the invisible’, designed by Maree Clarke (Yorta Yorta/Wamba Wamba/Mutti Mutti/Boonwurrung) and Mitch Mahoney (Boonwurrung/Barkindji).

Created over 14 months by a team of twelve weavers and two dyeing specialists, this tapestry is the result of a remarkable collaboration involving more than 10,000 hours of skilled craftsmanship. Today’s event marks an important milestone—celebrating the creativity, care, and dedication that have brought this ambitious project to life.

Commissioned for the new Footscray Hospital, this landmark tapestry is designed to offer moments of reflection and connection. It will provide a joyful and calming presence in a healthcare environment that can often feel overwhelming.

The Hon. Colin Brooks MP – Minister for Creative Industries

“Art has positive impacts on our health and wellbeing, and this meticulously crafted tapestry, made especially for the new Footscray Hospital, is an example of how creativity contributes to every part of our lives. Artworks like this not only make our hospitals more inviting places to visit and work, they can have real benefits for health, recovery and healing.”

“From the incredible talents of artists Maree Clarke and Mitch Mahoney to the skilled weavers and the farms where the wool was sourced, this is a Victorian work through and through.”

Maree Clarke – Welcome to Country tapestry artist

“It’s so important to think about new ideas to present traditional culture in a contemporary, positive, respectful way that embraces new mediums. It’s thrilling to be in the final stages of collaboration and witnessing our design realised through the artistry of the weavers.”

Tapestry stats at a glance

- 14 Victorian-based Australian Tapestry Workshop employees worked on the tapestry:

- 12 weavers

- 2 dyeing specialists

- 2 support staff

- The hand woven tapestry took the Australian Tapestry Workshop weavers over 10,000 hours to complete over a 14-month period.

- The tapestry weaving commenced in April 2024 and was completed in June 2025.

- The tapestry is 42 square metres (4.2m high x 10m wide).

- The tapestry weighs over 135 kilograms.

- The tapestry includes over 270 kilometres of weft yarn (the distance from the new Footscray Hospital to Yarrawonga in north-east Victoria).

- The tapestry used 103 yarn colours (including 8 custom-colours).

About the work

The design is inspired by microscopic images of river reeds from the Maribyrnong River. Clarke and Mahoney’s artwork will be transformed into a three-dimensional tapestry spanning 4.2 x 10 metres, making it one of the largest tapestries ever produced for a public hospital in Victoria. The tapestry is also one of the largest ever produced at the ATW and the only tapestry ever woven at the ATW to be suspended in an ellipse installation.

‘Welcome to Country – now you see me: seeing the invisible’ is a tapestry commission supported by The Premier’s Suite partnership for the new Footscray Hospital. The Premier’s Suite is a partnership between the Tapestry Foundation of Australia, the State Government of Victoria and the Australian Hotels Association to fund the production of major tapestry commissions that are gifted to new Victorian hospitals.

The new Footscray Hospital tapestry is a collaboration between Plenary Health, the official arts partner for the new hospital, Footscray Community Arts, the Australian Tapestry Workshop, and the Tapestry Foundation of Australia, in collaboration with the Victorian Health Building Authority and Western Health.

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Fact Sheet