High country: Artist Terry Petersen commissioned to paint Ensay cattle mural

Ensay Hereford Stud owner Barry Newcomen’s vision is coming to fruition, as a corrugated canvas becomes a masterpiece.

Ensay’s standing as a quality beef cattle breeding region is coming to life in a mural on a recently installed water tank near the small town’s saleyards.

Artist Terry Petersen, from nearby Omeo, has been commissioned to paint the mural that was the brainchild of Ensay Hereford Stud owner Barry Newcomen.

Mr Petersen, 83, is a lifetime high country resident, who has produced numerous landscape paintings in the Omeo, Benambra and Mt Hotham areas.

Omeo artist Terry Petersen works on a mural near the Ensay saleyards. Picture: Jason Palmer

Mr Newcomen said he was the “obvious choice” for the job after some other artists expressed some difficulty of working with the tank’s corrugated surface.

“I’ve seen a lot of paintings Terry has done with people with horses and cattle,” Mr Newcomen said.

“The cattle look very realistic and it’s looking really good.

“Now we’ve got this one up and going we’re going to push for more of them to get painted so they become like the silo tours up north.”

Omeo artist Terry Petersen takes a break from painting the mural. Picture: Jason Palmer

Cattle in the painting are mostly Herefords, but there are some Black Baldys and cattlemen on horseback including another local stud owner, Phillip “Bluey” Commins.

East Gippsland Shire contributed $5000 towards the project with five tanks installed in the area to assist in future firefighting efforts.

Ensay’s saleyards host a leg of the Mountain Calf Sales each March.

Mr Petersen said he developed a passion for painting cattle, particularly Herefords, early on in his artistic career.

“When I was a young bloke and lived at Glen Valley, I used to go with my uncle up to the high plains,” he said.

“That’s where I fell in love with the Herefords and I also used to sketch the cattlemens’ huts.

“I’ve been painting Herefords ever since and probably done thousands of them.”

Omeo artist Terry Petersen works on a mural near the Ensay saleyards. Picture: Jason Palmer

Ensay’s Little River Inn is also located near the mural and owner Andrea McWhinney says it’s going to be a “great representation of the area”.

“It will definitely be a conversation starter in town when the next calf sales are held next year,” she said.