Street artist soars with emu masterpiece

Port Hedland’s Pilbara Regiment depot will get a facelift this week as emus storm the outside wall.

Broome artist Sobrane Simcock, who goes by the moniker Sobrane, visited Port Hedland last weekend to spray-paint her famous emus on the Wilson Street depot as part of a collaboration with the Pilbara Regiment.

Pilbara Regiment officer commanding 1 squadron Major Guy Warnock said he first approached Sobrane after seeing her art at the NORFORCE depot in Broome.

“The emu features on the Pilbara Regiment’s badge, so it’s the perfect symbol to have at the depot to transform a plain wall into something striking,” he said.

The artist, slowly gaining international acclaim, said she was excited about this career first.

“I’ve drawn lots of emus on a smaller scale but never in spray- paint as wall art, so I’m really excited about doing my first wall in the Pilbara and creating something really special for everyone to enjoy,” she said.

“It all started with one wall in Broome last year, which proved so popular that since then I’ve done installations all over the world, including a giant 36m wall in Italy.”

The installation started last Sunday, with members of the public filtering in to witness the latest piece of street art to join the well-loved murals throughout Port Hedland’s West End.