Paddle steamer Waimarie murals delight Whanganui riverboat guardians

Whanganui artist Michelle Sigley based her murals on photographs from the Waimarie's early days. Photo / Supplied

While the historic Waimarie riverboat rests on a temporary slipway on the Whanganui riverbank, scenes from her past have taken shape downstream.

Whanganui artist Michelle Sigley has completed murals of the Waimarie and her past crew members and passengers on two exterior walls at the Riverboat Centre on Taupō Quay.

Centre manager Phil Pollero said the Whanganui Riverboat Restoration and Navigation Trust was delighted with Sigley's murals, which were based on authentic photographs from the paddle steamer's early days.

"I had been looking for an artist to add some artwork to the riverboat when I met with Michelle and the plan quickly took shape," Pollero said.

"The murals have caught a lot of people's attention with passers-by stopping to check on progress as they were being painted."

Although the trust offered to pay Sigley a commission for her work, she declined because she wanted to donate her time and talent to the project.

"I thoroughly enjoyed doing these as a contribution to our community for everyone to enjoy," Sigley said.

"It was an exciting challenge to take old-fashioned photographs and make them into such large artworks".

The products used in the mural were donated by Guthrie Bowron and manager Stuart Watts said he was only too happy to help out with paint and other materials.

Past crew members feature in the murals. Photo / Supplied

Sigley began work on the first mural in April this year, facing the challenges of working around unpredictable weather and painting straight lines on corrugated iron.

Whanganui Riverboat Restoration and Navigation Trust chairwoman Marion Johnston said the trust could not be happier with the work.

"We needed something on some of the walls at the Riverboat Centre and these fit the bill perfectly, big thanks to Michelle for a magnificent job and Stuart for making it happen by giving us the products needed," Johnston said.

Meanwhile, the 122-year-old Waimarie is undergoing her annual winter maintenance regime which includes a boiler check this year.

The refurbished paddle steamer was restored to her former glory and relaunched for public journeys in 2000 after being salvaged from the Whanganui River where she had languished for around 50 years. The Waimarie is New Zealand's only authentic coal-fired paddle steamer still in operation.