The Rochey

The Rochey is one of Fitzroy’s early pubs, so there’s already a lot of history and character embedded in its walls. The idea with this mural wasn’t to compete with that history, but to add another layer to it — something unmistakably contemporary, playful and very Fitzroy.

Pubs are interesting spaces to paint because they’re inherently social. People gather, linger, talk, eat, drink and return to them over and over again. The environment becomes part of those memories, often without us really noticing. Colour, artwork and visual identity can completely shift how a space feels — making it warmer, more welcoming and giving people something to connect with beyond the purely functional.

Created in 2026, this mural transforms the courtyard’s brick wall into an exaggerated little landscape of palms, plants, animals, pattern and a slightly ridiculous swimming pool scene. The aim was to brighten the courtyard while creating a strong visual identity that people would remember — and hopefully photograph, talk about and recognise when they returned.

That’s something I love about murals in hospitality spaces. They don’t just decorate a wall. They can become part of the personality of a venue: a meeting point, a backdrop to a long lunch, something you notice differently on your tenth visit than you did on your first.

For a pub that has been part of Fitzroy for generations, it felt fitting to add something new to the walls while still celebrating what pubs have always been about.