Rochester silo artwork giving town a welcome tourism boost

Artist Jimmy DVate spent the last month going up and down the sides of the two silos while working on the murals of a squirrel glider and an azure kingfisher.

Kits Kafe is located opposite the park that the silos over look. Owner Brooke Walkley said the new attraction was beneficial to everyone.

“It's awaesome to wake up every day, drive past and have such talented artwork to look at,” she said.

“The amount of business it has drawn to town – and still is – beneficial to everyone.”

Ms Walkley said the tourism boost was a welcome positive following the closure of the Murray Goulburn dairy facility earlier in the year.

“We had locals working in Murray Goulburn for years and years, who have had to either move or travel out of town for work. The ripple effect is (felt by) everyone,” she said.

“But this is something to bring tourism to the town. We do a really good trade and have lots of return clientele but the extra visitors has been awesome.

“If people don’t know about it we make sure they’re aware. They often go over to see it and walk back for a coffee or lunch.”

The new attraction is also giving locals the chance to promote some of Rochester and surrounding town’s attractions.

“There's lots of other things to do like the walking tracks along the in Rochy, which we promote,” she said.

“You can walk down there see wildlife, the views and the serenity is good. Events in Echuca always help us as well. 

“There are lots of ideas as a community that we put forward but the fact that this was a community coming together as whole made it even more beneficial.”