Paint our Town Community Art Project in Toora

SUNDAY October 14 saw the completion of the “Paint our Town” Art Project in Toora.

Under the expert direction of lead artist Leila Boakes and Liz Zanella, 60 energetic volunteers painted 19 power poles the length of Toora’s main street.

Each pole has a different design inspired by both the street and the surrounding hills. Patterns such as tree fern fronds, rooftops, wind towers and front fences are repeated up and down the street.

Leila Boakes, originally from the UK, visited Toora several times in the past months to finalise her designs. She has drawn her colours from the town itself, and her fine eye for detail means that there is a shape or pattern in each pole that can be found in the main street. “I hope that people will enjoy walking from one end of the street to the other and trying to solve the puzzles,” she said. “It has been a really wonderful experience to discover Toora and the welcoming people of the town.”

The Toora Community Action Team has been delighted with the results of the working bee, and pleased with the response from residents. Louisa Vale, the project co-ordinator, is grateful for the town’s support. “With the generous grant from the

Gardiner Foundation, we have achieved something really special for Toora today,” she said. “It has been great to have so much participation from people of all ages, and the reaction from the town has been overwhelmingly supportive. The whole street looks so vibrant now. Who knows what’s next!”

The freshly painted main street will next host Toora’s first T.A.S.T.E festival over the Cup Weekend, with several alfresco live music venues, amazing food and of course the new art trail!

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