Australian athletes have increasingly been painted by street artists since 2000. This artwork is often in prominent locations and celebrates athlete achievements, sporting competitions and events and societal issues. The artworks are often commissioned by sports organisations or sponsors.
Street art is often not permanent and many of the artworks in this list many no longer exist at the location specified.
| Athletes or Sport Description | Sport | Date | City | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cathy Freeman | Athletics | 2016 | Townsville, Queensland | Located at Angus Smith Sportspower building in Ogden Street. Artists were Shane Keen and John Bradshaw. Freeman from Palm Island won the gold medal in the women's 400 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics.[1] | |
| Peter Norman, Tommie Smith and John Carlos | Athletics | 2000 | Sydney, New South Wales | Three Proud People located on the side of a terrace at 39 Pine Street, Newtown. It represents the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute in Mexìco. By artist Donald Urquhart,[2] [3] | |
| Peter Norman, Tommie Smith and John Carlos | Athletics | Melbourne, Victoria | Located in Kipling Street, Cremorne. By artist Hesco. It represents the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute in Mexìco. Norman was a track sprinter from Melbourne. | ||
| Percy Hobson | Athletics | 2021 | Bourke, New South Wales | Silo by John Murray that recognises Hobson, an Gundabooka man, who was born and lived in Bourke. He won the men's high jump at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, Perth, Western Australia.[4] | |
| Female football supporters | Australian football | 2015 | Melbourne, Victoria | Titled 'Edge of your seat' located on wall M Docklands, La Trobe Street, opposite Docklands Stadium.By street artist Rone and commissioned by property development group Capital Alliance. Faces of two young women engrossed in a football game.[5] | |
| Adam Goodes | Australian football | 2020 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located at the corner of Foveaux and Crown Streets, Surry Hills. It was painted by Hamish McBride, Laura Paige, Megan Hales, Jacqueline Butterworth and Kailin Hegel from advertising agency and art studio Apparition Media. Goodes was the victim of racial abuse during his AFL career.[6] | |
| Lance 'Buddy' Franklin | Australian football | 2018 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located on Flinders Street, Darlinghurst. The artwork was painted by Apparition Media to promote 2018 Sir Doug Nicholls round.[7] | |
| Lance 'Buddy' Franklin | Australian football | 2022 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located on corner Poet Street and North Street, East Bentleigh by Jarrod Grech.[8] | |
| Dustin Martin | Australian football | 2017 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located Rowena Corner Store, 44 Rowena Parade, Richmond. A collaboration between artists Danny Awes, and Dvate, and was all brought together by the Richmond Football Club with sponsor Puma. It celebrated Martin's 2017 Brownlow Medal.[9] | |
| Eliza Hynes, Erica Fowler, Sarah D'Arcy and Ashleigh Brazill | Australian football | 2019 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located on corner of Smith and Sackville Street, Collingwood. Commissioned by CGU Insurance to promoting AFL Women's competition.[10] | |
| Kevin Murray and Jonathan Brown | Australian football | 2021 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located at Royal Derby Hotel, corner of Alexandra Parade and Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. By artist Damien Arena. Club icons of Fitzroy Lions / Brisbane Lions[11] | |
| Eddie Betts | Australian football | 2021 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located on corner of Mcilwraith and Park Streets, Princes Hill. Betts a significant indigenous AFL player was subjected to racism during his career with Carlton Football Club and Adelaide Football Club. | |
| Josh Kennedy | Australian football | 2018 | Perth, Western Australia | Located at 11/633 Newcastle St, Leederville. By Perth street artists, Shakey and ArtbyDestroy. Kennedy was West Coast Eagles premiership player in 2018.[12] | |
| Travis Boak | Australian football | 2021 | Adelaide, South Australia | Located on corner of Mundy St and Nile St, Port Adelaide. By artists Vans the Omega & Morris Green and commissioned by Red Bull. Recognition of Boak's 300 games for Port Adelaide Football Club.[13] | |
| Josh Kennedy | Australian football | 2023 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located at 150 Foveaux St, Surry Hills. By Apparition Media. Kennedy was Sydney Swans captain from 2017 to 2021 and premiership player in 2012.[14] | |
| Sam Draper | Australian football | 2023 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located at Windy Hill, Essendon. Recognition of Essendon Football Club's Draper winning the AFL Goal of the Year.[15] | |
| Neale Daniher | Australian football | 2023 | Melbourne,Victoria | Located at Turners Alley, located between Bourke and Little Bourke streets by Vincent Fantauzzi. Mural recognises Daniher's fight against motor neurone disease and the research charity Fight MND.[16] | |
| Nick Daicos | Australian football | 2024 | Melbourne, Victoria | Collingwood premiership player Nick Daicos by Jarrod Grech. Located in Hosier Lane, Melbourne.[17] | |
| AFLW players - Abbie McKay, Ally Anderson and Libby Birch | Australian football | 2023 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located Rose Street, Fitzroy.Promoting the 2023 AFL Women's season. | |
| Tarryn Thomas | Australian football | 2020 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located at Our Community House, Victoria St, North Melbourne. The mural featured the words ‘Treaty’ and ‘Respect,a statement in support for Black Lives Matter. It was removed in 2023 after Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum was lost.[18] | |
| Nick Daicos | Australian football | 2024 | Melbourne, Victoria | Collingwood premiership player Nick Daicos by Jarrod Grech. Located in Hosier Lane, Melbourne.[19] | |
| Ben Simmons, Liz Cambage, Andrew Bogut, Lauren Jackson and Andrew Gaze | Basketball | 2019 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located at Docklands Stadium. By graffiti artist Sofles after being commissioned by Visit Victoria and Basketball Australia.[20] | |
| Marianna Tolo | Basketball | 2021 | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | Located in the car park of the Canberra Centre by Queensland artist MattyBro.[21] | |
| Patrick Mills | Basketball | 2021 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located in Canning Street, Carlton. Celebrating Mills leading the Boomers to the bronze medal at the 2021 Summer Olympics. By artist Jarrod Grech. | |
| Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst | Beach volleyball | 2020 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located at Bondi Beach. Celebrates Cook's and Pottharst's gold medal in beach volleyball at the 2000 Summer Olympics held at Bondi Beach.[22] | |
| Caroline Buchanan | BMX | 2021 | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | Located in Garema Place. By students from her old school, Erindale College, with the guidance of local artist Bohie Palecek. Buchanan represented Australia at the Olympics.[23] | |
| Ellyse and Katy Perry | Cricket | 2020 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located in Hosier Lane by local artist Tayla Broekman as part of the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Tour.[24] | |
| Shane Warne | Cricket | 2017 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located at 144 Chapel Street, St Kilda. By Lushsux. It originally had Warne drinking a glass of beer but was changed to him drinking milk as a primary school playground looked straight onto the mural.[25] | |
| Shane Warne | Cricket | 2022 | Perth, Western Australia | Located behind No Mafia restaurant in Northbridge. By artists Aidan Garnett and Caitlin Aguss. Painted after his sudden death.[26] | |
| Shane Warne | Cricket | 2022 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located laneway next to 606 Balcombe Road, Black Rock. By Melbourne's Murals and Interior Design. Painted after his sudden death and where Warne. | |
| Shane Warne | Cricket | 2022 | Sydney, New South Wales | County Avenue, the side of the Paddington RSL, about one kilometre from the Sydney Cricket Ground. By Bathurst artist Callum Hotham and 3m mural portrays Warne gazing into the distance.[27] | |
| Mitchel Marsh Cameron Green | Cricket | 2023 | Perth, Western Australia | Located in Newcastle St, West Perth by artist Michael Betts to promote Perth Test Match which included Western Australian players Marsh and Green.[28] | |
| Mile Jedinak | Football | 2018 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located at corner Johnston and Chapel Streets, Fitzroy. By street artist Scott Marsh. Commissioned by SportsBet to promote the 2018 World Cup.[29] | |
| Michelle Heyman | Football | 2021 | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | Located at 16 Bunda Street by artist Megan Hales. Mural part of a series around Australia celebrating a few of Australia's high LGBTQ+ creators.[30] | |
| Sam Kerr | Football | 2021 | Fremantle, Western Australia | Located Norfolk Street by artist Fieldey.[31] | |
| Jamie Maclaren | Football | 2023 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located at Richmond Railway Station by Hannah Wilkinson, Melbourne City player. Recognition of Maclaren becoming the A-League greatest goal scorer.[32] | |
| Ange Postecoglou | Football | 2022 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located on Coventry Street, South Melbourne by Shaun Dev. Recognising Postecoglou's achievements as Manager of Celtic F.C. .[33] | |
| Sam Kerr | Football | 2023 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located Haversham Lane, Marrickville by UK-born artist Stuart Sale, sits among John Lennon, Kylie Minogue, Cristiano Ronaldo and dozens of other celebrities. Celebrating the Matildas 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign in Australia[34] | |
| Matildas | Football | 2023 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located on Bondi Beach sea wall painted by Danielle Weber and designed Ryan Ostle. Celebrating the Matildas 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign in Australia. Includes players Sam Kerr, Steph Catley, Clare Polkinghorne, Lydia Williams, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry, Charli Grant, and Emily van Egmond.[35] [36] | |
| Ange Postecoglou | Football | 2023 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located in Hosier Lane.Six larger than life depictions showcase the various stages and achievements in the career of the Greek-Australian football manager. Project was conceived by Dean Drossos, Peter Giasoumi and Dean Kotsianis.[37] | |
| Caitlin Foord | Football | 2024 | Wollongong, New South Wales | Located in Wollongong Central. .Celebrating Matilas player Foord who grew up in Wollongong. By artist Claire Foxton.[38] | |
| Horse racing | 2020 | Dunedoo, New South Wales | On silos and painted by Peter Mortimor with state government grant of $95,000.[39] | ||
| Kate Moloney | Netball | 2019 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located at Turners Alley, just off Bourke Street Mall. Commissioned by the City of Melbourne as a partner of the Melbourne Vixens, and created by Blender Studios, the mural highlights Melbourne as a 'Vixens City'.[40] | |
| Nathan Hindmarsh | Rugby league | 2016 | Parramatta, New South Wales | Located in 110 Church St, Parramatta artist Stormie Mills. Hindmarsh a former Parramatta Eels captain.[41] | |
| Ricky Stuart | Rugby league | 2019 | Queanbeyan, New South Wales | Wall of Queanbeyan's Bicentennial Hall. Artist Claire Foxton. Stuart was born in Queanbeyan and a member of Canberra Raiders premiership teams.[42] | |
| Cameron Smith | Rugby League | 2017 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located in Hosier Lane. By Aaron McAviney to celebrate Smith's record breaking 356th NRL appearance.[43] | |
| Cameron Smith, Will Chambers and Allana Ferguson | Rugby league | 2017 | Darwin, Northern Territory | Located side of Roma Bar on Cavenagh Street. Collaboration led by well-known Darwin artist David Collins and Jesse Bell, featuring designs by Shaun Lee and East Arnhem Land's Gayili Marika Yunupingu. commissioned by the Northern Territory Government to celebrate the first international to be played in the Northern Territory as part of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.[44] | |
| Cameron Smith | Rugby league | 2019 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located at Richmond railway station, Swan Street, Richmond. By artist Sid Tapia to celebrate Smith's 400th NRL Game.[45] | |
| Anthony Minichiello, Arthur Beetson, Brad Fittler and Boyd Cordner | Rugby league | 2018 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located at corner of Council and Birrell Streets in Waverley, New South Wales. By artist Sid Tapia. Celebrating Sydney Roosters legends before the 2018 NRL Grand Final.[46] | |
| Greg Inglis | Rugby League | 2018 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located at the corner of Cleveland and Woodburn Streets in Redfern. By artist Sid Tapia. Commemorates the role of Indigenous sports people in Australia.[47] | |
| Billy Slater | Rugby league | 2018 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located outside Richmond Railway Station by Sid Tapia. Honouring Slater's retirement.[48] | |
| Maggie Moloney | Rugby league | 2022 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located in James Street, Redfern, behind St Vincent de Paul Centre. By artist Sharon Billinge. Maloney is regarded as Australia's first female rugby league star, at only 15 years of age.[49] | |
| John Sutton | Rugby league | 2018 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located at Kensington Oval in Kensington and celebrated his achievement of 300 NRL games, first ever South Sydney Rabbitohs player to reach the 300 game milestone for the Club in its 110 years history.[50] | |
| Robbie Farah | Rugby league | 2023 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located Sackville Hotel in Rozelle, Sydney by Sid Tapia.[51] | |
| Paul Gallen Andrew Ettingshausen | Rugby league | 2024 | Located outside Endeavour_Field (PointsBet Stadium) Cronulla. Replicated the famous 'Up Up Cronulla' painting that stood proudly on a local shop wall from 2018 where Gallen and Ettingshausen embraced after Cronulla's first NRL premiersip. By artist Sid Tapia.[52] | ||
| Israel Folau | Rugby union | 2019 | Sydney, New South Wales | Located at Botany View Hotel, King Street, Newtown. By artist Scott Marsh. The mural depicts Folau sitting in front of a yellow Lamborghini begging for money, proffering a sign that reads: "The righteous shall taketh from the punters for the divinity of ones [sic] property portfolio.[53] | |
| Evonne Goolagong Cawley | Tennis | 2007 | Brisbane, Queensland | Tennyson Memorial & Curzon St, Tennyson, Queensland.By Jo Murphy and part of Artforce is an initiative of Brisbane City Council managed by Urban Smart Projects.[54] | |
| Ashleigh Barty and Sam Stosur | Tennis | 2019 | Brisbane, Queensland | Located at Queensland Tennis Centre. By graffiti artist Drapl. Barty and Stosur from Queensland are grand slam singles winners.[55] | |
| Ashleigh Barty and Evonne Goolagong Cawley | Tennis | 2019 | Darwin, Northern Territory | Located at Darwin International Tennis Centre. The artwork, curated by David Collins was painted by Larrakia man Shaun Lee 'Hafleg' and portrait artist Jesse Bell, as a celebration of Goolagong Cawley and Barty, the only two Australian women to achieve the world No.1 singles ranking in the modern era.[56] | |
| Ashleigh Barty and Evonne Goolagong Cawley | Tennis | 2023 | Adelaide, South Australia. | Located at Playford Tennis Centre, Elizabeth East. Painted by indigenous artists Thomas Readett and Shane Cook.The Playford Tennis Centre hosts the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival.[57] | |
| Pat Cash | Tennis | 2014 | Melbourne, Victoria | By graffiti artist Daniel Wenn during the ellesse Tennis Performance Apparel Launch on 17 January 2014.[58] | |
| Dylan Alcott | Tennis | 2020 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located in Richmond by Connor McLennan. Part of Nike’s partnership with the Australian Open.[59] | |
| Dylan Alcott | Tennis | 2022 | Melbourne, Victoria | Located outside Le Bon Ton, Gipps Street, Collingwood by Gadigal Street artist Jesse Wright to celebrate Alcott's retirement.[60] [61] |