New mural a welcome addition to Sobering-Up facility in Adelaide
- kirranicolle
- Jul 30
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 31
BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE
Staff at the Salvation Army’s Sobering-Up Unit in Adelaide, South Australia, have recently unveiled a new mural.
The Australian landscape scene, featured in the entryway of the complex, was painted by Leah Newman, Art Teacher from the Warrondi Engage and Link (WEL) Day Program, which operates in tandem with the service. The painting is one of many that Leah has installed throughout the building.
Leah said her painting was inspired by a conversation with an Indigenous client in her art class at the WEL rehabilitation program, who was an anthropologist with a knowledge of the landscape from which many Aboriginal Australians in Adelaide have migrated.
She said that since 70 per cent of the clients at the Sobering-Up Unit were Indigenous, she wanted to paint something that would help them feel welcome.
She began with paintings of Australian animals, then her anthropologist client advised her on the correct animals and bush foods to include in the larger mural.
“It was great to have somebody who really knew what she was talking about,” Leah said.
Sobering-Up Unit Team Leader Kirsten Pennington said the mural was a “wonderful” addition to a part of the building, which, due to iron gates and an intercom system to preserve security, can seem intimidating. Kirsten said clients were enjoying Leah’s work.
“A lot of them have made comments about the artwork throughout the unit,” she said.
The Sobering-Up Unit is a 30-bed facility that operates free of charge and accommodates people aged 18 and older requiring non-medical detoxification from the effects of alcohol and other drugs.
The service offers around-the-clock support and monitoring in a safe environment and refers clients to other services for further care and symptom management.
