Related: Brim silos a ‘must see’ attraction
THE Wimmera will be home to Australia’s largest outdoor gallery after the state and federal governments committed money to Yarriambiack Shire’s Silo Art Trail.
The 200-kilometre trail will include painted GrainCorp silos at Patchewollock, Lascelles, Roseberry, Sheep Hills, Rupanyup and Brim.
The state government will contribute $200,000 towards the project, the federal government will contribute $200,000 and Yarriambiack Shire will contribute $50,000.
Mayor Ray Kingston said it was a significant amount of money.
“This has been in the works for some time and it’s going to be a fantastic project,” he said.
Cr Kingston said the project would have major economic benefits.
“We know it will bring an enormous amount of visitors to the region, we’ve seen that with the Brim silos,” he said.
“People will drive right through the Wimmera and Mallee to the trail and there will be heaps of opportunities for retail businesses to capitalise on these visitors.
“Business owners across the entire trail should be thinking about how they can benefit from people driving right past their door.”
Cr Kingston said GrainCorp would provide the silos.
He said the company’s contribution was valued at $200,000.
Cr Kingston said it was great to see rural communities recognised and celebrated in a positive and culturally interesting way.
“The communities took an enormous step into the unknown by grabbing a pretty strange opportunity with both hands and it put the Yarriambiack Shire Council on the map,” he said.
Street artist Fintan Magee started painting the Patchewollock silo earlier this week.
“It looks beautiful, it’s slightly different to the Brim silo but still has that distinct style,” Cr Kingston said.
Artists will include Australian artists Rone and Adnate and Russian artist Julia Volchkova.
Cr Kingston said the remaining silos would be painted in the next few months.
“We will tick them off one at a time,” he said.
The full trail will launch mid-2017.
Creative Industries Minister Martin Foley said the trail was an example of how creativity could revitalise a region and shape a new future for a community.
“The Brim silo put Brim on the map, bringing in thousands of tourists to the town,” he said.
“This new project will spread the benefits across the region and showcase why Victoria is the creative state.”
