Tongala’s future is bright thanks to generous artists

A crew of volunteers is turning this dairy farming community into a must-see attraction to boost locals’ spirits, as well as the local economy. Find out what inspired them to paint the town happy.

Tongala local Murray Ross coordinates a team of volunteer street artists who have been painting murals and street art all over the town for the past 14 months. Picture: Zoe Phillips

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A TEAM of volunteer street artists led by Tongala local Murray Ross is determined to paint a brighter future for the dairy farming town.

For the past 14 months, about seven volunteers have created artworks on so many buildings in the Goulburn Valley town, they are running out of blank wall space.

“It has brightened up the town,” said commercial artist Murray, who is also a Lions Club member.

Murray Ross, left, with the Tongala street artists receiving an award at the shire’s Australia Day celebration for their work painting murals in the dairy-farming town. Picture: supplied

“People have been getting a more positive attitude about the town since we started.”

The more than 40 murals include Moses parting the waters on the local church and a fisherman and his loyal Border Collie on the side of the town’s farm supplies store. The most recent work-in-progress is a scene of Australian Open fans that is taking shape next to Tongala’s tennis courts.

In the 2000-strong town, fortunes are tied tightly to the dairy industry.

After the 2016 farmgate milk price crisis, Tongala took another hit seven months ago when Nestle announced it was closing the local milk manufacturing facility, which employed more than 100 people.

“We really needed to pick up our game and get people to come to town,” Murray said, explaining the project was supported by the Lions Club and Bendigo Bank, and took inspiration from the Silo Art Trail.

“With ours, it is not just a look-and-see,” Murray said. “You can walk around and get stories from each of the pictures.”

Some of the volunteer artists travel from Echuca and Rochester.

Local resident and former dairy farmer Ken Chapman said the street artists’ work had not only added colour to the town but given the community a new sense of pride and enthusiasm.