Melbourne artist Jimmy Dvate is drawing curious onlookers to Rochester after floods

Melbourne artist Jimmy Dvate was preparing to complete the final piece in a trio of silo artworks at the rural town of Rochester when the Campaspe River overflowed and ravaged the small community.

Now, two years later he is back in his cherry picker towering over the central Victorian town as he finishes the striking artwork at the former industrial site. Last week, he had almost completed the painting that depicts a New Holland honeyeater. It stands alongside a squirrel glider and kingfisher he painted in 2018, followed by the platypus he finished in 2021.

The artist has built a reputation for painting native species on huge silos. But he said Rochester was among his favourite silo art destinations in Victoria.

“It’s definitely the most stopped at, especially in Victoria,” he said. “You can’t miss it. It’s not hidden away. It’s right in the public view.”

On Thursday last week, the Dvate chatted with a stream of locals and curious passers-by who stopped to admire the enormity of the project. Dvate said he had waited to finish the work because he wanted to give the town some time to recover, although many people have still not returned to their homes. Some are still living in caravans.

In the 2022 floods, Rochester was among the hardest-hit towns. About 1000 private houses out of 1520 were flooded above floor level.

“Now all the shops are back up and running, so it’s a good time for us to do this and try to add a bit more life and bring people back to Rochester,” Dvate said. “It’s such a resilient town. People are so supportive, and it’s got that real community vibe.”

The final artwork is based on a photograph shot by local photographer Bruce Povey in his back garden. Povey’s house was flooded with 60 centimetres of water inside, and he moved back only about five months ago. He said Dvate’s artwork was helping to lift the community’s spirits.