Old utes are art and an attraction on a Central West farm bringing a bit of the famous Route 66 of the United States to Australia.
Burrawang West Station owner, Graham Pickles, is collecting old utes, having them painted by well-known Aussie artists and then dumping them back in the paddocks of his Ootha property, between Parkes and Condobolin.
His inspiration came in Texas, while driving the celebrated US highway.
“In the middle of nowhere we came across Cadillac Ranch,” he said.
“They had 10 cadillacs buried up to their windscreens.”
Back in Australia, Graham approached local mechanic, Mike Powers, who runs Mike Power Autos in Condobolin, and set about finding old Holden utes.
The first was donated, and others quickly followed.
It then didn’t take long to twist the arms of some well-known artists to come up with unique artworks using the Holdens as canvases.
“I thought people would embrace the idea, but they’ve done it so quickly,” Graham said.
The first piece, Circle Work, completed by famous outback artist, John Murray, Lightning Ridge, features a flock of galahs at play on a 1971 Holden HQ towed through the air by a sculptured galah.
It is one of three pieces in the paddock (another is Epitaph To Fossil Fuels, by Shane Gerlhert), but Graham expects three more to be added by the end of August and 12 to be standing in the paddock by the project’s completion around Christmas.
“Utes in the Paddock gives people from Australia and overseas another reason to visit Central West NSW,” he said.
“We want to draw people to this area so they can experience the beauty, adventure and wonder of outback Australia.”
Central West tourism providers and the local indigenous community have backed Utes in the Paddock, which has already attracted many visitors – including World Youth Day pilgrims from Iowa in the US.
“We’re getting lots of groups coming through,” Graham (pictured with his wife, Jana) said. “The kids loved it.”
Burrawang West, 566 hectares, runs Angus cattle and a Dorper stud.
Other artists involved in the project include Peter Browne, Max and Gloria Reid of the local Wiradjiri Corporation and Peter Mortimore.
* Visit www.utesinthepaddock.com.au