Celebrating growth with a vibrant new Junior School mural

At Abbotsleigh creativity and education go hand in hand—and our Junior School campus is now even more vibrant, thanks to a beautiful new mural by Science teacher and artist Sophie Burnett, who paints under her maiden name, Sophie Pulvers. Over the recent school holidays Sophie has spent many hours painting a stunning tribute that celebrates the journey and growth of our students. The mural features the unique Southern Corroboree Frog, a choice that Sophie explains was “commissioned by Year 6 2024 as their gift to the school, because it beautifully symbolises the students’ journey and growth.”

Sophie, whose own background is in environmental science, did not only paint from imagination—she also took the time to learn more about these remarkable frogs. She spent some time speaking with the zookeepers at Taronga Zoo who care for the frogs in their exhibit and took reference photos and drawings to help bring authenticity to this work. This experience gave Sophie deeper insights into the life and habits of these remarkable frogs, enriching the mural with real-life details and stories.

Every year our Year 6 students go on a memorable climb up Mt Kosciuszko, a challenge that takes them to the natural habitat of this frog in the Snowy Mountains National Park. The frog’s striking colours, which happened to echo the school’s own palette, and its natural process of metamorphosis from tadpole to adult, perfectly capture the spirit of transformation as students leave primary school and step into the new adventures of high school.

The mural is not only a feast for the eyes, it is also a reminder of the incredible potential that each student has. It celebrates the hard work, change, and exciting challenges ahead, encouraging everyone who passes by to embrace growth with optimism and enthusiasm. Sophie’s artwork is a heartfelt tribute to the journeys we all take at Abbotsleigh—a blend of art, nature, and the inspiring stories of our students.

We invite you to come by the Junior School campus to see this captivating artwork for yourself and share the story of transformation and adventure that it so beautifully represents.

You can see more of Sophie’s incredible art at her website: http://sophiepulvers.com/