The active but peaceful small Goulburn Valley town of Dookie is nestled in its surrounding hills of rich red volcanic soil, back-dropped by Mount Saddleback. It is located 30 kilometres east of Shepparton, and an easy day-drive from Yarrawonga, Rutherglen, the Snowfields, Myrtleford, Milawa, Albury/Wodonga, Echuca or Nagambie.
In summer the harvest brings extra activity, along with weekend tennis and lawn bowling competitions. In autumn the town hosts several Shepparton Arts Festival events, and the annual ANZAC Day ceremony at the war memorial. In winter the town’s football and netball team is in action. In spring the paddocks with canola turn vibrant yellow, and the local agricultural show takes place.
Whatever the season, in Dookie’s main street you will find the Gladstone Hotel for meals and entertainment, General Store and Post Office, the C.W.A. Gardens with playground and BBQ facilities, the Emporium café within an antiques and bric-a-brac shop, a boutique art gallery, a plant nursery, and the famous nomadic art silos are dotted along the streetscape in ever-changing points of interest.
Dookie Nomadic Silos – Art on Wheels
The Dookie Nomadic Silo project is a silo trail with a twist, featuring sizeable artworks created by local and international artists on an assortment of up-cycled, decommissioned, portable grain silos. Designed with a distinctive point of difference, the works are nomadic in nature – created on moveable, transportable, re-locatable grain bins that can be grouped together or separately.
Local farmers have loaned or donated the field bins as a canvas for these large-scale artworks. The silos are located within the Dookie Township and wider district with the best locations selected for public viewing. This may be at township entrances, in public parks, streets or paddocks around the district. During harvest and sowing, some can be viewed in situ, on working productive agricultural land.
With six portable grain silos receiving a facelift for the initial launch, this project is a special one, generating much community interest and partnering with the North East Art Trail.
Walking and Cycle Trails
The Dookie Rail Trail starts on the eastern edge of the town and stretches through farmland for cyclists and walkers alike. Or visitors might prefer the Mjlana nin iyoga walking trail up Mount Major to the town’s south. Wineries and olive groves are also part of the district, most selling produce at the door.
There are fewer than 300 residents in the town and surrounding district, which make-up a welcoming and creative community for your visit.
Watch the video “With Love and Art from Dookie” here.
Find our more information on Dookie by clicking the links below:
- Dookie Rail Trail – cycling or walking
- Interpretative Walks
- Rye at Tallis
- Flowering Gum Tree
- Dookie Artists Tree and Dookie Arts
- Dookie Agricultural Show
- Gladstone Hotel History
- Dookie Emporium
- Pop-up Art Displays
- CWA Gardens
- Dookie Quarry
- Dookie Shop
- Dookie Native Art Garden
Map of Dookie, North East Victoria