Waihi Beach artist Shane Walker has won the 2015 New Zealand Mural and Arts Festival's top award with a stunning mural depicting the country's unique wildlife and landscapes.

The 26-year-old's mural, painted under the public gaze during the week-long contest, will have pride of place in Katikati, which internationally known as NZ's Mural Town.

The tuatara is 'there to keep an eye on things” in this mural, says artist Shane Walker of Waihi Beach, who won of the 2015 New Zealand Mural and Arts Festival award. Photos: Supplied.

It adds to Shane's already impressive outdoor gallery of art, which includes murals on a new toilet block at Waihi Beach, the Beaches Motel and the Dave Hume Pools in Katikati.

Shane, who has been painting on canvas for around seven years and working on murals for two years, entered the Katikati Open Air Art-organised event for the first time this year.

His mural also took out the ‘people's choice' award at last night's award presentation. Shanes says he paints landscapes with no human interference and a few portraits.

'I like to touch up on all of my skills and do a bit of everything,” he explains. 'I've always been interested in colour and creating artworks since I was a kid.

'It's just something I've stuck with throughout my years and I can't really explain why.”

Runner up was J Muzacz of Nelson, with the spirit of the festival award going to Australian artist Kerry Nicholson.

First prize and the people's choice awards in the sculpture competition both went to Sam Dunlop of Katikati.

The awards presentation marked the end of a week of activities for Katikati and celebrated 25 years since the town's mural project began.

Waihi Beach artist Shane Walker, who won the 2015 New Zealand Mural and Arts Festival's top award, pictured with an earlier art work in the town.

Runner-up in the 2015 New Zealand Mural and Arts Festival, J Muzacz of Nelson, putting the finishing touches to his mural on Saturday afternoon before the judging on Sunday.

Australian artist Kerry Nicholson, winner of the 'spirit of the festival' award, uses an airbrush for the finer details of this entry in the Katikati Open-Air Art festival.

Constanza Pinto, from Chile, working on her mural based on the Katikati Open-Air Art festival theme 'Nga Taonga o Aoetaroa – the natural treasures of New Zealand”.