What’s up Tongala? Liv Mitchell (left) and her sister Nicole applying the finishing touches to the double-stacked hay bales that are among 10 supplied by Alabar Stud Farm, where Liv works, for the Tongala Development Group Easter hay bale launch. They will remain in place for the entire Easter holiday period.
It will be very difficult for the Easter Bunny to miss Tongala this year after an illumination station was added to the long list of attractions for this year’s Easter edition of hay bale art.
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On Tuesday, March 26, night there were families scattered everywhere on the Potts Village Green in Mangan St as the Tongala Development Group launched the celebration of community and the now renowned hay bale art.
The added attraction in the lead-up to Easter of an illumination station, featuring a bunny and eggs, is certain to bring more people to the town.
It will be placed alongside the five double-stacked hay bales that have been painted in Easter themes on the lawn of the council-owned park.
Tom Galloway from Alabar Stud Farm, just outside Tongala, provided the hay bales that have been painted by several old hands and a couple of newcomers to the concept of hay bale art.
Liv Mitchell, who works at Alabar, was one of the newcomers and was invited to be involved on the back of her boss’s generous donation.
She enlisted the help of her sister, Nicole, to paint the Easter bunny, complete with wheat stalks to celebrate the involvement of Alabar on the hay bales that were transported to the site by Rick Graves.
Amber Townsend, from Tongala Development Group, said Rick had not only picked up the bales and dropped them off, but he was also taking them away post the Easter celebration.
“We are a very sustainable celebration. The hay bales will be put to good use on Rick’s farm after the event and the paints we are using are left over from the Christmas trail,” she said.
Tongala and Mathoura Community Bank is again a major supporter of the launch, which was held at 5pm on Tuesday, March 26, and included an Easter egg hunt.
JB and the Tongala Community Activities Centre were other sponsors and the event also involved both schools — Tongala Primary and St Patrick’s.
Linda Wilson was another new artist involved in the Sunday morning session to complete the artwork. She even enlisted the support of several Filipino workers, from Greenhams, who were interested in the activity at the site.
She is a comparatively new Tongala resident who lives opposite the school and was attracted to the program during the Christmas instalment.
“I used to do street art at Smythesdale (20 minutes outside of Ballarat) and this really appealed to me,“ Linda said.
“We love it up here.”
Well-known artist Ali Farrell will again be involved in the celebration.
“Ali is great. She travels from Lancaster to paint a hay bale,” Amber said.
Amber, herself, and Darcy Tinning are other artists involved in the hay bale painting.
“We have some great volunteers and we really appreciate people willing to put in the time.
Tongala Primary School has a bake sale fundraiser and St Patrick’s has cookie decorating and is selling raffle tickets.
Hopping in to help: Linda Wilson (left) and her white bunny creation on the round hay bales that were among 10 painted by volunteers for the Easter Hay Bale launch last night. In the background are Tongala Development Committee co-organiser Amber Townsend and Greenham’s Filipino workers, who pitched in to help as they were wandering along Mangan St on Sunday morning.
