$4.4 million to Collie tourism injection as world-renowned artist selected to paint Wellington Dam

  • Collie Readiness project will see $4.4 million invested in tourism initiatives in historic South-West town
  • Australian artist Guido van Helten named as lead artist to paint Wellington Dam mural
  • Wellington Dam artwork is the centrepiece of the $1.5 million Collie Mural Trail
  • Opportunities for local artists to contribute to Collie Mural Trail
  • One of many new Collie tourist attractions due to open in 2020, alongside recreation hub Lake Kepwari and Arklow mountain bike trails
  • Collie will continue to grow as a jewel in the crown of the South-West tourism market, with

    $4.4 million committed to ready the town for the opening of several tourist attractions by the end of 2020.

    With the Collie Mural Trail, recreation hub at Lake Kepwari and the Arklow mountain bike trails all due to open to the public this year, the Collie Readiness project will ensure local businesses and the community will be able to fully benefit from the first wave of visitors to these new attractions.

    The funding will go towards town beautification, wayfinding and tourist amenity, business development and new visitor infrastructure at Wellington Dam.

     

    The announcement comes as the lead artist is named for the Wellington Dam mural, which will be the centrepiece of the $1.5 million Collie Mural Trail.

    Queenslander Guido van Helten is renowned throughout the world for his photorealistic large scale murals, which have turned structures into icons in Portugal, Canada, the United States of America, Poland, Italy, Iran and more.

    He is also a pioneer of the Australian silo mural trend, having been nominated for the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ Sir John Sulman prize for his silo murals in Brim, Victoria.

    The Collie Mural Trail will feature a number of smaller murals throughout the Collie township, providing opportunities for South-West and Western Australian artists to contribute to the trail.

    Work is underway to finalise the location of town murals and to appoint local artists.

    As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:

    “While COVID-19 has had serious impacts on tourism right around the world and here in WA, my Government is committed to ensuring the long-term future of WA tourism is bright.

    “This investment in tourism will further lift Collie’s reputation as a must-visit destination and will allow the economic benefits from the Government’s investment in tourism infrastructure to be realised more quickly.

    “This $4.4 million investment will help Collie businesses get ready for the summer tourism season and, with several projects on the go, will directly create jobs in the community immediately.”

    As stated by Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan:

    “I am very excited to have Guido van Helten locked in to make his mark in Collie, in what will be his first-ever work in WA.

    “We are also in the process of finalising the locations of other stops on the Collie Mural Trail, which will see Western Australian artists completing the work.

    “When combined with the other major tourism projects and the newly announced tourism readiness project, Collie will be a must-see destination this summer.”

    As stated by Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray:

    “Tourism is just one component of our commitment to secure Collie’s future and support the local economy.

    “With many exciting projects in the pipeline, we will continue to ensure they deliver maximum enjoyment for visitors and maximum benefit to businesses in Collie.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.