Benny served multiple terms as president of Nimbin Aquarius Foundation Inc from 1993 to 2023.
If you would like to contribute to Benny Zable’s artful actions, please lodge it to Benny Zable:
C.B.A. BSB # 062-565 Account # 10271459.
If you are donating outside Australia, add BIC/SWIFT code: CTBAAU2S.
Thank you.
The Protester Sculpture
Towards a culture of peace…
The Protester sculpture is dedicated to all who seek & act questioning authority.
It is Benny’s dream to have a life size bronze displayed permanently on the United Nations forecourt in New York City.
After first meeting at the DLF (Disrupt Land forces) in Naarm 2024, Benny has teamed up with Cameron McIndoe from Fundere Fine Art Foundry to realise this dream.
The dream of a life size bronze is being fundraised by sales of signed and numbered miniature versions of the statue cast in recycled aluminium, and produced by Fundere free of charge.
If you are interested in supporting the project by purchasing one of the miniature statues, or want to learn more please contact info@funderestudios.com.au
More photos and info at
A life sized resin and fiberglass statue has been made by the Fundere team, hand painted by Benny and mounted on a trolley to be taken around Melbourne for events and protests.
The Benny Zable Profile
Born in the Wellington hospital New Zealand, at 10am on the 1st of October 1945.
My parents emigrated from New Zealand to Australia in 1948, and settled down in North Carlton, Melbourne Victoria. I pre-schooled at the Lady Gowrie kindergarten, graduating to Lee Street primary and Princess Hill central schools. I was brought up in a Jewish Socialist Yiddish speaking community, which was centred at the Kadimah Jewish Theatre and Library in Lygon Street, North Carlton.
When I was fourteen I did an apprenticeship in letterpress printing as a machinist for a friend of my fathers. I joined the Victorian Contemporary Art Society and Jewish Society of the Arts, so I could develop my artistic skills and took up a number of dance courses, performing with the Ben Uri dancers and the Contemporary Dance Theatre Company in Beaumoris Victoria.
After finishing my 5 year apprenticeship in 1968, I journeyed to Israel and worked on a kibbutz by the Lebanese border, witnessing the horrors of war. It was through my journey to Israel that I learnt the futility and tragedy of war and the boundaries thereby created by nationalism. I spent a lot of time there painting and sketching the people and their environment.
I was fortunate enough then to also visit London, [UK] at the height of the 60’s era, to witness the counter culture and peace movements. One of these cultural centres was the London Arts Lab, which was a club in Drury Lane were an international array of artists met to exhibit and interact with each other. I travelled on to Paris [France] to witness the beginnings of the students uprising. Back in Melbourne, I exhibited the artwork created on my journey and came together with like minded friends who had experienced the London Arts Laboratory, to create the Melbourne Arts co-op, a multimedia events network. I ran dance workshops and performed happenings around Melbourne, improvising with filmmakers, poets, musicians etc., fully immersing myself in that process.
It was in 1973 that our dance workshop formed “The Metaphysical Magic Show”, which performed the “Time Machine” by H.G.Wells at the Aquarius Festival held in Nimbin NSW. Throughout the festival we ran dance workshops at the Nimbin Town Hall.
I stayed on in Nimbin to continue doing dance workshops and help the ‘Tuntable Falls Co-ordination Co-operative’ get on its feet. I would go back to Melbourne to keep in touch with family and friends, sketch, paint and hold exhibitions. I created a free form type of character I called ZANY BUBBLES, which I performed at events.
In 1977 I repainted the Nimbin facades, a Graeme Dunstan project that were originally painted at the Nimbin Aquarius Festival primarily by Vernon Treweke, Lindsay Burke and Dick Weight.
End of 1978 I finished the mural project and travelled to the USA to research the public art movement and connect with lost relatives. I attended the World Symposium on Humanities that was being held at the Pasadena Centre in Los Angeles. It was an event that linked me with kindred spirits, a time of reflection on the horrors of the Nuclear Power and weapons industry. A serious accident took place at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Reactor that is downwind from New York City, nearly resulting in a meltdown. This issue dominated the symposium.
I visited ARCOSANTI, a mini alternative city being created in Arizona and afterwards the Rainbow Gathering, being held in New Mexico. I made it to New York City and volunteered to help out at the “No Nukes” concert and rolling actions throughout the month of September 1979. I was most impressed by the quality and discipline of these actions.
When I came back to Australia in december 1979, I joined with activists to help bring about clarity to issues effecting humanity, justice and the Earth. By bearing witness to the habitats being destroyed, I developed an image at frontline actions to bring about awareness of the dark side of humanity which I called GREEDOZER AND COMPANY.
GREEDOZER AND COMPANY developed out of witnessing the destruction of coastal Rainforest at the Middle Head sandmining protests in NSW, October 1980.
I visualised a dark character with a skull head, GREEDOZER (death the reaper) to portray the ugly side of civilisation while meditating amidst the clear felled trees of the once coastal forest home of many native birds and animals. At the Middle Head protest, I set up a studio using recycled materials from the camp, to create props for our actions.
The first GREEDOZER costume was made from black plastic and cardboard.. I developed a durable costume, crafting it through many actions, arts festivals and street events. I experimented with an array of signs, banners and flags, as the icon matured. I was part of the Nomadic Action Group (NAG) that grew out of Nimbin activists, who helped set up installations, theatre pieces at vigils and actions. I later created a pedestal formed from nine painted 44 gallon drums, that gave me extra height to project well painted messages and symbols on the banners and flags.
I received a $5,000 grant from the Australia Council for the Arts, which helped me with developing a road show, adding a PA system, a mike in the gas mask, a video display unit and tape deck. The living stature toxic tower installation also became a shelter, with a tent attached to the barrel structure. I transported the show in a painted blue Ford panel van, which I toured around Australia, performing at actions, festivals, etc.
In 1989 I completed my Australian leg of this show and ventured overseas to firstly support the Filipino peace movement at the Asia Pacific Conference, recreating and constructing the toxic tower at Clark Air Base, and then travelling out to the USA, to support the peace and environment movements there. I performed in San Francisco, joining the peace vigil at Concord Weapons Depot, from which I joined the walk to the Laurence Livermore Laboratories all part of the peace movements nuclear arms free protest.
I travelled with Seeds of Peace to the Nevada Test Site actions, where I teamed up with Doctor Death and the dancing dumplings. We travelled to Colorado for the Hiroshima Day actions at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons factory. On the East coast I travelled with Woodstock activists to festivals and rallies, promoting military spending conversions for human and environmental needs.
On my return to Australia, I decided to go back to Nimbin and create a cultural bridge with Woodstock, New York. Together with supporter we formed the Nimbin Aquarius Foundation.
I designed and painted the Nimbin flag, repainted deteriorating rooftop murals, and created a series of images to promote the significance of the Nimbin Rainbow region culture. In 1994, I travelled with my family to the USA to attend the Woodstock II, 25th anniversary festival.
In Woodstock I launched the Nimbin Woodstock Connection, recreated the toxic tower to perform at events. I returned to Nimbin to form a committee in support of developing Sister Village Project. I left the following year to participate in the 50th anniversary since the bombing of Hiroshima, and protesting Nuclear Testing. At the Woodstock Museum, I attended the Nimbin Woodstock Sister Village Project launching, with the Some Children of the Dream exhibition, which was sent from Nimbin for the occasion.
Back in Australia, the Nimbin Woodstock Sister Village Connection was officially endorsed. by the Lismore Council. I continued working with the Nimbin Aquarius Foundation in preparations for the 25th anniversary since the Aquarius Festival. I also continued contributing to the peace and environmental movement with GREEDOZER AND COMPANY, designing, painting at actions and participating in forums.
Some of these are Jabiluka, Timbarra,, the S11, World Economic Forum Blockade at Crown Casino, and the M1 Stock Exchange blockade, Melbourne.
Since March 2001 GREEDOZER 1 is being exhibited at the National Museum of Australia.
From 31st July 2001 GREEDOZER II will be exhibited at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.
The Nimbin Mural Story
A Nimbin Public Art Story
In the lead-up and during the Aquarius Festival in May 1973, the Village of Nimbin facades were decorated with brightly coloured murals.
Vernon Treweeke came up with the initial idea. Graeme Dunstan and John (Johnny) Allen helped get this project going. Permission was sought from the shopkeepers.
The Rainbow Cafe was the first place Vernon painted, featuring 2 rainbow stars. This inspired many other creatives to join in. Among them was Lindsay Burke and Dick Weight, also spreading the Rainbow theme to neighbouring buildings. The Nimbin RSL purchased by the Aquarius team, became the Media Centre. It was painted up with a large Union Jack flag. The plumber’s shop became the Learning Exchange centre. A mural of flying saucers were painted on it by “Peter Painter” which after 1992, the Susukka Trading textile and craft gallery replaced with a mural by Colleen Saulwick. Daisy’s Cafe, had murals painted both inside and outside. Later Burri Jerome painted the Nimbin Rocks Cafe. later to become the home of the Nimbin Happy High Herbs and Daisy clothing store.
In 1997, Graeme Dunstan as director of the Lismore Festival of Arts, facilitated a mural project to refresh the deteriorating Nimbin facades. Benny Zable design and painted a whole new sequence of murals, so to unite the town with rainbows and bubbles going from one building to the next. British Paints who sponsored the murals at the time, sent Rolf Harris to come to Nimbin to paint a mural. He was dropped off outside the Nimbin Hall to paint, while children looked on and gave instructions. The Rolf Harris mural was installed inside the Nimbin Hall before it was removed in 1990. Sections of that mural were installed on the outside of the Nimbin Museum. Tragically together with the Rainbow Cafe, the murals, and painted walls inside and outside both buildings were destroyed by fire.
The Sukyamuni (Healing) Buddha.
Norman and Carol who started Birth and Beyond) obtained a tanka of the Sakyamuni Healing Buddha from the Nepal Healing Centre. This was the reference used for the mural on the former Media Centre. A traditional Buddhist “Dotting of the eyes“ ceremony took place on completion by the venerable Phra Kantopalo. Mandalas of the sun and moon created by John Seed were installed on either side of the mural. Frank de Rambelje painted the doors of the Healing Centre and the Rainbow Cafe.
Richard Bingham in the 1980’s and the mural restoration projects.
The Nimbin old and new settlers mural were removed from the Newsagents facade to be replaced by a mural honouring the International year of the youth. This mural was co-coordinated by Richard Bingham. Throughout the 80’s he revived the old and created new murals at the public school and above the then Nimbin Garage now where the Nimbin Information Centre was housed, honouring the International year of peace.
Paul Paitson replaced one of Richards murals in Allsop Park with a spectacular Waterfall mural. to be It was replaced later by a Dreamtime creation story painted by Gilbert Laurie, Oral Roberts and Lewis Walker of how the country of the Bundjalung people was made. Burri Jerome who painted the Nimbin Rocks Cafe facade and the interior of the Rainbow Cafe at the time, also created another Nimbin rocks visual perspective over the former Nimbin Garage, which was situated opposite the Nimbin post office. It has since been refreshed a number of times by a group of womyn artists, led by Elsbeth Jones.
The Fountain Tomato Sauce building which was the general store for a food co-op during the Aquarius Festival, Dick Weight painted a spectacular bold red image of sauce sprouting from the top of the building. Benny Zable, Richard Bingham and Bob Hopkins, Elsbeth Jones, all had turns in repainting the Fountain Tomato Sauce building since Aquarius Now it the home of the Hemp Embassy. Alfredo Bonanno who designed the Rainbow Power Company logo, also did a mural over the the former Nimbin butchers, which has since become the bakery.
Sculpture installations.
There have been many sculpture installations erected in Nimbin since Aquarius. Notably are the Donato Rosella creations. The most prominent are the 3 rocks in Allsop Park commission by the Lismore Council. His works are seen all over Nimbin and Lismore and in South Australia. Many have been community directed projects for folks to practice with his chisels the art of sculpting the sandstones that where installed around the town. He also built a number community pizza ovens. Still existing is the one in the Nimbin Community Centre. The pond is another of his creations.
Gito von Schlippe sculptures of endangered native animals are visible throughout Nimbin. Most notably is the Humpback Whale base relief sculpture dedicated to the heroes of Sea Shepherd. Steph Seckold has facilitated and created many sculpture installations for the Nimbin Community Centre especially.
The mural restoration 90’s projects
In 1990’s the Fountain Tomato Sauce building become the Hemp Embassy. Elsbeth Jones painted their facade to promote the Hemp Mardi Grass. She also painted murals throughout the Nimbin Museum. Their creations extended beyond the confines of building. One of the creations was a combi van, Found and donated objects where collaged into this creation, a hippy aboriginal visual story for visitors to walk Alan Barker (Black Al) and Herbie Roberts had added much to the post Nimbin Aquarius visual story,
In 1990, the Nimbin School of Arts commissioned the Robert’s family to do murals on the Nimbin Hall facades to celebrate the International Year of Indigenous people. The Nimbin School of Arts continued to encourage and fund Aboriginal Art. Gilbert Laurie led and created with friends new murals over the Nimbin Hall over the decades since. 2019 the Nimbin Community Centre and Neighbourhood Centre commissioned Gilbert Laurie, Oral Roberts and Lewis Walker to create an Aboriginal creation Dreamtime mural in Allsop Park of how the country of the Bundjalung people was made. Burri Jerome was a major contributor of Aboriginal creation stories to the visual landscape of Nimbin until he sadly passed away in 2018. The students from the Nimbin public school have received valuable tuition from many of our local Aboriginal artists.
The Aboriginal Murals
Alan Barker (Black Al) and Herbie Roberts had added much to the post Nimbin Aquarius visual story.
In 1990, the Nimbin School of Arts commissioned the Robert’s family to do murals on the Nimbin Hall facades to celebrate the International Year of Indigenous people. The Nimbin School of Arts continued to encourage and fund Aboriginal Art. Gilbert Laurie led and created with friends new murals over the Nimbin Hall over the decades since. 2019 the Nimbin Community Centre and Neighbourhood Centre commissioned Gilbert Laurie, Oral Roberts and Lewis Walker to create an Aboriginal creation Dreamtime mural in Allsop Park of how the country of the Bundjalung people was made. Burri Jerome was a major contributor of Aboriginal creation stories to the visual landscape of Nimbin until he sadly passed away in 2018. The students from the Nimbin public school have received valuable tuition from many of our local Aboriginal artists.
The New Millennium
Alicia Murphy was commissioned by the Nimbin Hotel to paint the history of Nimbin on 5 panels. This was later replaced with a mural by Jimmy Willing. The pub was also a major sponsor towards lighting up of the murals in the main street. Roger Foley-Fogg (LSD Fogg) has since replaced them with rainbow lighting installations.
A group of muralists came up from Melbourne in 2015 to paint a mural over a shopping centre next to the Nimbin Hall. The deteriorating murals by Benny Zable over the Nimbin La Tratorria Italian restaurant were replaced by a series of new murals painted by Vernon Treweeke. Vernon during the 40th anniversary of Aquarius painted a new mural on boards of a reclining checkered man.
Benny Zable copied an exact copy of the IMAGINE mozaic in Central Park, New York City was painted for a peace gathering circle in Allsop Park.
In 2020 to honour the memory of street artist Peter Jackson, aka Roa Dart, Benny painted a mural for the Nimbin Emporium of an expanding rainbow heart radiating out from one of Peter’s stickers.
The Womyn muralists
There have been many outstanding womyn artists who have worked on murals around Nimbin. Here are a few. Kathy Stavro created many early works, noticeably is a map of Nimbin, located on the perimeter of Allsop Park, next to the Neighbourhood Centre. Amanda (Miranda) Williams painted the first murals on panels depicting endangered species to be installed on the Nimbin News Agents. Elsbeth Jones and Julie De Lorenzo have worked together to create many recent murals around town. In 2019 they painted a sunny face mural to replaced the fading Zany Bubbles mural over the then Nimbin Lifestyle Real Estate building. Julie is especially known for designing and painting extensively inside and around the Nimbin Bush Theatre complex.
Revised 5th-11-2020
Fossil Fool – GreedDozer Mask
Designed by Benny Zable.
Print or mount on cardstock. Cut out along red dotted lines.
Fossil Fool Mask facebook Page
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