Faces of Wyndham: Capturing the Spirit of Australia’s Most Diverse Community
View David Mullins work at davidmullins.com.au
Over 120 residents of Melbourne’s western suburbs representing almost every continent on the planet, and often in traditional attire, have had their portrait taken for Faces of Wyndham, a years-long a self-funded storytelling project by Point Cook–based photographer David Mullins.
Portraits from the series are currently showing at three locations across Wyndham until 22 January before moving to a Melbourne exhibition where, for the first time, all portraits will be shown together.
The City of Wyndham, with Melbourne’s west and outer western suburbs, is Australia’s fastest-growing and most culturally diverse municipality, with more than 160 nationalities represented.
In Melbourne’s west the population is forecast to reach 1.8 million people by 2050, greater than the current number of people living in Adelaide, according to a West of Melbourne Economic Development Alliance report.
We spoke with David about the evolution of the project and the stories behind the portraits.
What inspired the Faces of Wyndham series?
DM: I am heavily engaged in the community and have been since the 90s. I was involved in setting up the Point Cook Pop Up Park. We got access to the local census, and we found out that there are 160 to 170 distinct cultures within Wyndham.
We are the most culturally diverse community in Australia, and a light bulb basically went off. As a photographer, I wanted to come up with something that celebrated that diversity in a visual way.
What do you talk to your subjects about?
DM: I ask the same questions of everybody: where they’re coming from, why they chose Wyndham as their home, what they do, something about their home country, and what their aspirations are for living here.
A South Sudanese lady, her name’s Asunta, came from a war-torn country. Her first words when she arrived were, ‘this is like heaven’. She could not understand when she first saw houses where only one family lived in them. The difference was night and day for her.
How have people responded to seeing the photos?
DM: It’s been very positive. Everyone loves the positive message. Seeing the images in print is even more special, especially for those people who are in the project. Everything looks better in print than it does on a screen.
This is a collaboration between me and the subject. Maybe I’ll dispel a few stereotypes. Maybe people will learn something about a culture they didn’t know about before.
Although the subjects have different clothing, different religions, and different beliefs, we are essentially the same. They all want safety, security, love, and happiness.
Visit the Exhibition
Faces of Wyndham is currently on display across three community centres in Wyndham until 22 January 2026:
Melbourne Exhibition & Book Launch
Creative Asia Art Centre, World Trade Centre
18–38 Siddeley Street, Docklands
- Opening night: 21 February 2026
- Exhibition dates: 19 February to 3 March 2026
- Entry: Free exhibition