A spectacular mural has transformed the wall in Queen Lane paying homage to Raine Square's namesake, Mary Raine, and the building's incredible history.
The 13x13m interactive mural installation was painted by world renowned and local WA artist, Jerome Davenport, who commenced works on February 17th, Mary Raine's birthday, and aptly completed the mural on March 8th in acknowledgement of International Women's Day.Mary’s story is one of adventure, generosity and resilience. Born in London, she arrived in Australia in 1900 with 100 pounds to her name. Working as a barmaid she saved all her pennies to buy her first property in Perth, a remarkable feat in the male dominated age. Over time, she amassed a fortune built on smart investments and hard work. At one stage she owned most of the properties on William Street in Perth’s CBD and five hotels!At 82 Mary died, leaving her property portfolio to The University of Western Australia, for the purposes of finding a cure for the illness that killed her beloved husband. To date, the Raine Medical Research Foundation has supported over 500 scientists to carry out important research into human diseases and allocated close to $50 million towards medical research.Mary Raine was an extraordinary businesswoman and philanthropist, a mogul for woman of her time. It is her symbol that we aim to personify in Raine Square – a fearless adventurer, honouring generosity and enduring modernity.The completed mural houses a QR code placed on the wall, directing visitors to a documentary style video of Mary Raine’s legacy with the hope of inspiring future female leaders and the wider community in an innovative way. Feeling curious? See more on her historic timeline here. |  |
