LAST Wednesday, the Wannon Nigretta Community Group (WNCG) members and Southern Grampians Shire Council (SGSC) councilors met at the Thomas Clark Viewing Area to unveil signage and ‘The Wannon Falls,’ a painting by 19th Century artist, Thomas Clark.

Thomas Clark studied at the Royal Academy School of Painting, London and emigrated from Nottingham to Victoria in 1856.

Most of his known paintings have been landscapes of Western Victoria and around Melbourne.

They have offered distinctive impressions of the Victorian countryside in its early years of European settlement.

‘Falls on the Wannon’, ‘Wannon Falls’ and ‘The Upper Falls on the Wannon’ are three of Clark’s six renowned Wannon Falls paintings.

Hamilton Art Gallery holds the 39.5 x 39.5-centimetre oil on canvas painting, ‘The Wannon Falls’ as well as the paintings, ‘View of Muntham Station 1865’ and ‘Early Coleraine’.

The WNCG were able to receive funding for the project through the SGSC SmartyGrants Program.

Hamilton Art Gallery collections coordinator, Ian Brilley provided a digital copy of the painting which was purchased by the Hamilton Gallery Trust Fund, with additional support from Geoff Handbury AO and Helen Handbury AO.

Production of the signage was completed by David Rowe, designing and manufacturing of display stands by Matt Gebert, and the rest of the team at Precision Waterjet Hamilton, pouring of the concrete base and erecting the display stands by SGSC,  including Marten Chin and Josh Bell.

After the unveiling, a morning tea catered by the Lemon Myrtle Cafe was held at the Wannon Community Hall.

It was a group effort to make the Thomas Clark interpretative signage happen and the WNCG wished to thank everyone involved.