St James silo art by Tim Bowtell drawing tourists to town
Tourism sky-rocketing in St James thanks to art on high
SOARING: Coles founder, George Coles, who lived in St James surveys the town from the silo heights. North East artist Tim Bowtell, of Samaria outside Benalla, will paint all four silos. Pictures: MARK JESSER
SOARING: Coles founder, George Coles, who lived in St James surveys the town from the silo heights. North East artist Tim Bowtell, of Samaria outside Benalla, will paint all four silos. Pictures: MARK JESSER
HISTORY: George Coles' first store, which he purchased off his father. The store remains as a part of St James history but is now boarded up.
BOOM: Hotel St James, which project committee secretary Kathy Beattie said has benefitted from an influx of tourists looking at the silo's progress.
LARGE CANVAS: Artist Tim Bowtell, of Samaria outside Benalla had taken to the skies in St James to produce detailed silo art.
St James, a town of about 132 nestled between Wangaratta and Shepparton, has become a hive of tourist activity thanks to their new work-in-progress silo art.
The St James Hotel has opened a coffee shop to cater to the visitors flocking to see artist Tim Bowtell, of Samaria outside Benalla, paint.
Committee secretary Kathy Beattie said two silos had already been completed, one depicting George Coles, who was born in St James and went on to found Coles supermarkets, and another depicting the first motorised vehicle used to deliver wheat to the silos.
HISTORY: George Coles' first store, which he purchased off his father. The store remains as a part of St James history but is now boarded up.
She said Coles contributed $20,000 towards the project, with the community funding the rest, but that did not factor into their decision to honour George Coles.
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The final two designs are being kept as a surprise.
Mrs Beattie said they hope the silos continue to draw in tourists.
BOOM: Hotel St James, which project committee secretary Kathy Beattie said has benefitted from an influx of tourists looking at the silo's progress.
"It's about our history," she said.
"Even now there it's unbelievable the amount of traffic coming through.
"It's certainly helping the hotel, they've opened up a coffee shop."
An official opening will be held on April 28.
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