Unique mural turns heads on highway

Drivers on the Warrego Highway may have noticed a a giant deep sea monster staring back at them recently.

WORK OF ART: Brisbane artist Dan Krause designed and painted this unique mural for Wet Dreams Aquatics at Hatton Vale. Picture: Contributed

IF YOU'VE driven up the Warrego Highway past Hatton Vale recently, you may have spotted a new aquatic creature staring back at you.

A new mural has been painted on the Wet Dreams Aquatics building, and the giant octopus is certainly turning heads.

Brisbane based artist Dan Krause, who paints under the art name Dr Drule, designed the mural specially for the aquatics store.

Mr Krause, who operates Street Art Concepts business, is no stranger to the Lockyer Valley, having painted the original murals for the aquatics store as well murals for Hannants take away in Gatton.

He said murals like the octopus were powerful tools for business to make them stand out in the crowd, and a way to to turn a plain boring wall into something unique.

"It's a good way to deter vandalism and it's a good way to stand out - it's a conversation stater," Mr Krause said.

The owners of Wet Dreams Aquatics said they were thrilled to have Mr Krause come back do such an awesome job.

"It's been great having him back - and we can't wait to have him back again to do the other end wall eventually as well," they said.

The mural is already having an affect they said, having noticed an increase in business.

"More people coming in, more people noticing it on the road and stopping," they said.

The art work isn't just benefiting their business they said, with sightseers coming for far afield to check it out.

"Anything that catches the eye - it's good for the business and it's even good for the Valley because it's bringing people into the valley because they're hearing about it and they want to come see it."

Mr Krause said he had seen an increase in businesses requesting his skills in recent years, and said he believed it was a move to target younger demographics.

"Time's are changing, generations are changing," he said.

Originally published as Unique mural turns heads on highway