The Indian Root Pill building, Bradford Cotton Mills and steam ships at Morpeth are among the iconic elements being captured in a special mural of the Hunter Valley.

But this isn't just any colourful mural - it's an art work with a twist. The colourful addition in the play area at The Bradford Hotel will double as a climbing wall.

The large canvas is a real treat for Merewether artist Mitch "Revs" Resevsky.

"I'm so used to painting and illustrating on a small-scale, and that's very intricate, so to be able to do this on such a larger scale is exciting - there is something about painting large," he said.

"We put a call out on social media and asked the public what they wanted to see. We've got things like the cotton mill, the Hunter Valley wineries, the Indian Root Pills building - there are ties from the vineyards right up to the top of the Hunter Valley and all the way back to the Port of Newcastle.

"It has a bit of everything in there."

Hotel owner and licensee Neil Hedges was pleased to engage a local artist.

He expects the mural to become a popular attraction and said the inclusion of the Bradford Cotton Mills was extra special - that's how the hotel got it's name.

"It will show our Hunter Valley identity and a wide range of different employment that comes out of the valley," Mr Hedges said.

"We'll have climbing blocks on it so the kids will be able to climb across it."