General News
7 November, 2025
Pop-up art a hoot in Avoca
Avoca Primary School students created barking owls that have been pasted up across town.
Paste ups of barking owls have roosted across Avoca in recent weeks. It’s owl-right for the local community though who are having a hoot with the pop-up art.
Avoca Primary School students are behind the avian stares filling windows, across walls, and through-out much of the local community.
It’s the third round of paste up graffiti from the school with previous animals including ants and dogs.
The school’s art teacher Suzanne Blackie said she chose the barking owl because of its connection to the pyrenees environment and timing with the Barking Owl Arts Festival.
“To make us feel part of one big community I thought why not tap into that,” she said.
Each owl is made by a student using a variety of mediums, including acrylic paints, water colours, pastels, and charcoal.
Ms Blackie then photocopies and pastes them up around town using a mixture of water, flour, and sugar.
It’s a process that gives them some staying power, and for good reason, Ms Blackie said the community loves them.
“The response from the community was they didn’t want me to take them down,” she said.
“People are still talking about the dogs which is unexpected more than anything. It’s nice to see people are valuing the work.”
She said the project builds connections between young people and the Avoca community.
“It makes people aware Avoca isn’t just about older people but also the youth,” she said.
“They should be recognised.”
The joy it brings the kids and their families, the smiles in the local community, Ms Blackie said it all comes down to community embracing the project.
“I’m just so lucky the community really supports our school and we’ve got a really good relationship,” she said.
There is a free competition running at the Avoca Information Centre for those who can correctly answer there question.
What do you call a group of owls?
The winner of the draw towards the end of the school year will get a large jar of owl lollies.
Witchetty grubs, slugs, frogs and snakes — a haul that would make an owls stomach grumble. Except that they’re the jelly kind.
There is also a short movie on the silo at night featuring the school’s owls.