Central West communities, including Wellington and Geurie, are keen to turn town structures into visually appealing art landmarks and potential tourism drawcards.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Suggestions Wellington and Geurie should have murals painted on their grain silos have been supported by residents, Graincorp, art figures and local government.
They are following examples set by small towns in NSW, Victoria and SA.
Civic leaders see the painted structures as an attraction for road tourists, luring them to stop-off in the towns.
They report positive impacts on the spirit and pride in their communities.
In Coonamble, the town’s 26m water tank was turned into an art work recenlty by Lightning Ridge artist John Murray, Bob Barrett and local Coonamble resident and Aboriginal painter Sooty Welsh.
And the tiny town of Weethalle, near West Wyalong, tripled its population to 500 with visitors for the recent opening of its Silo Art Project.
The Bland Shire Council hired Mongolian-born muralist Heesco Khosnaran to paint the silo and says “… we are already seeing a huge increase in tourism within the Weethalle community which is fantastic”.
In Victoria’s Wimmera-Mallee region, towns have united in a ‘Silo Art Trail’. The project, when finished, will link six of Victoria’s smallest towns in an art gallery spread over 200km.
At Coonalpyn south of Adelaide it is hoped its new “art silo” will attract stops by some of the 4000 vehicles travelling the Duke’s Highway each day.