The Murrurundi Gateway Bookends

The Story & The Creators

The Murrurundi Gateway Bookends ( Creation )

In 2000 Murrurundi woke to find a corrugated iron Town sign with jumping sheep had been erected at the East End of the town during the night by local artists Charlotte Drake-Brockman and Fran Wachtel.

Murrurundi Shire Council subsequently commissioned Fran and Charlotte to make a permanent Gateway sign East End which was installed in 2001.

The East End Gateway sign celebrates the proud tradition of wool production in the Murrurundi district.

In addition, Murrurundi Shire Council also commissioned Fran and Charlotte to create a permanent Gateway sign at the West End of Murrurundi which was also completed and installed in 2001.

The Murrurundi West End Gateway sign celebrates crop farming in the northern part of the Murrurundi district.

The East End Gateway Bookend Installation Night

As you enter the southern gateway of Murrurundi, you’ll be greeted by an eye catching corten steel sign, crafted by local sculptors Fran Wachtel and Charlotte Drake-Brockman.

This playful sculpture depicts sheep leaping over the town name ‘’Murrurundi’’ while being herded by a cattle dog, and its backstory is truly memorable. After a community group had long planned and created this sign, their patience wore thin waiting for local Council approval. So, taking matters into their own hands, Fran & Charlotte installed it themselves in the dead of night – a clandestine operation that showcased genuine community spirit and pioneering initiative.

Murrurundi Artists Charlotte Drake-Brockman and Fran Wachtel have worked collaboratively for decades.

Commemorating 25 Years

In October of 2025, the Murrurundi Arts & Crafts Council celebrated 25 years since the initial installation of the Gateway Bookend Signs.

Storyboard Plaques were installed and unveiled to ensure that this important part of local history is documented and preserved.

Fran Wachtel was on hand to tell the story behind the signs and both her & Charlotte’s history in Murrurundi.  Due to poor health, Charlotte was not able to attend however Fran represented them both in her story telling and knowledge of their artistic contributions to Murrurundi.

Artist Charlotte Drake-Brockman

Born in England, Charlotte came to Australia in 1964 after studying at the Farnham School of Art and working at the Byram Shaw School of Art (which was later absorbed into Central Saint Martins). After working in Sydney, she eventually moved to Murrurundi with her partner Viv Carter, the well-known jazz drummer, in search of a more sustainable lifestyle. Charlotte returned to art school — this time at the University of Newcastle and then taught at TAFE until her retirement. 

In her first year in Murrurundi, Charlotte got a job handing out the census and met another artist, Fran Wachtel, and so began a creative partnership that was to last decades. The pair made created the Gateway Bookend sculptures at the town’s entrance and collaborated on several exhibitions together while also running Chicken in the Window, a gallery specialising in recycled tin work.

Throughout Murrurundi you will see bicycles adorning parks, poles and walls.  These are artistic instillations installed by Charlotte and her partner Viv. 

Artist Fran Wachtel

Fran’s studio workshop in Murrurundi, known as The Chicken in the Window, served as both her creative space and a retail outlet until 2020. Collaborating with Charlotte Drake-Brockman, they crafted and sold tin animals.  Although the shop has closed its doors, Fran continues to operate from her studio workshop.

Fran’s artistic journey has been graced with fortunate opportunities to undertake large-scale public art commissions, adhering to specific guidelines and deadlines. In addition, she has engaged in numerous private commissions. Fran finds personal gratification in creating exhibition pieces, which often showcase intricate layers of recycled tin.

Recently, Fran has felt a deep pull towards documenting the vanishing infrastructure in rural areas due to progress. This fascination leads her to explore small towns, immersing herself in research, absorbing stories, and collecting fragments of tin to incorporate into her work. She meticulously cuts out shapes, rearranges them until they harmonize visually, and welds them together to form captivating collages.

Fran derives immense satisfaction from crafting pictures using tin as her medium of choice.

To view Fran’s more recent commissions  CLICK HERE