State Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp announced the $80 000 grant awarded to the Kyabram Project Committee on June 25, which will help get the project under way.
The $130 000 project will see the 500 square metre Goulburn Valley Water tank transformed from an eyesore into an eye-catching, large-scale mural.
Kyabram Project Committee chair Allan Weeks said the painting of the tank might start between February and May next year and be completed by June.
“The money will cover the cost of cleaning, priming, painting and sealing the tank, and we’ve still got hire equipment on top of that,” Mr Weeks said.
Mr Weeks said he was in negotiations with VicTrack to transform the train platform into a safe viewing area for the artwork.
Melbourne artist Jimmy D’Vate has been commissioned to complete the project, which will feature images reflecting the threatened species at the Kyabram Fauna Park, as well as local wetlands and rivers.
His mural creations at Rochester, Goorambat, and Gunbower, together with murals across Australia and the world, attract thousands of visitors each year.
Mr D’Vate said he looked forward to getting started, as the project had been a long time coming.
“Kyabram’s land and environment are among its most valued assets — with the awesome fauna park in the centre of town an obvious inspiration,” he said.
“By focusing on these ideas, I look forward to creating a mural that not only looks great but will also stimulate community spirit and raise awareness of local threatened flora and fauna.”
Kyabram Project Committee secretary Joy Salter thanked Mr Gepp for supporting the project.
“I have seen how Colbinabbin and other towns on the trail have been transformed as visitors flock to the region, and we believe this one project will draw many tourists to a struggling town and give us a tourism boost,” she said.
The Kyabram Project Committee formed three years ago to investigate the feasibility of painting a mural in Kyabram to attract more visitors and reinvigorate the small town.
Mr Gepp said he was proud to announce the funding that would see the Kyabram Water Tower project come to life.
“Projects like these reimagine old, unused structures into new and interesting public works of art — which puts small towns on the map and boosts the morale of the community,” he said.
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