Haylee co-led the design and delivery of a monumental 1.5 km public artwork for the METRONET Byford Rail Extension, transforming the Armadale Viaduct and new station entry into an iconic visual journey through Country. Working with collaborator Mel McVee, she co-project managed the work and developed the overarching concept. Together, they assembled a team including artists Amok Island, Seantelle Walsh and lighting designers Light Application. Haylee integrated all four artistic styles into a single cohesive narrative that unfolds across 60 viaduct piers, two retaining walls and the illuminated 300m² soffit ceiling.

The artwork interprets the rail line as both a physical and cultural passage through place. Drawing on extensive ecological and cultural research, the design moves through four interconnected landscape zones: Scarp, Bush, Wetlands and River. Each zone is represented with its own colour field, environmental patterning, native flora and symbolic Noongar iconography. These zones flow rhythmically along the viaduct like ripples in water, reflecting the METRONET Gnarla Biddi theme of pathways, movement and connection.

Layered over these zones are Haylee’s signature black and white realist paintings of local wildlife. Species such as quenda, motorbike frogs, red-tailed black cockatoos, possums, waterbirds and the striking five metre western grey kangaroo anchor the abstract design to the living landscape. These realist elements pair with Mel McVee’s botanical linework, Amok Island’s abstract environmental patterning and Seantelle Walsh’s cultural symbols referencing Noongar stories, seasonal cycles and travel lines. Together, the artwork forms a rich and layered visual language that honours biodiversity, cultural knowledge and the surrounding environment.

At the station entry, the soffit artwork creates a dramatic focal point. Painted across aluminium panels and concrete, it depicts a family of oblong turtles gliding through a tannin-stained stream. Thousands of programmed LED nodes, developed and delivered in collaboration with Light Application, shimmer like light reflecting on water and guide commuters naturally toward the station. This central piece celebrates Kep (water) and the three brooks that cross the line: Wungong, Cardup and Manjedal.

Delivering an artwork of this scale required exceptional coordination, collaboration and a clear creative vision. As co-project leads, Haylee and Mel guided the project from concept to completion, managing artists, refining the design direction, liaising with stakeholders and navigating construction constraints. Haylee acted as the project’s creative director, ensuring visual cohesion, narrative continuity and the successful integration of all artistic elements across more than 60 viaduct piers, two 30 metre retaining walls and the entire soffit ceiling. Together, they maintained a consistent artistic standard across the full length of the project.

The final result is a landmark artwork that positions Armadale as a place deeply connected to its natural environment, cultural stories and community identity. It stands as one of Western Australia’s largest and most complex public art installations and reflects Haylee’s ability to collaborate, lead and deliver large-scale work with artistic integrity.