The map was created with money from the Victoria State Government Bushfire Fund and the support of Horsham Rural City Council.

Project co-ordinator Robin Lambert said the group effort had resulted in a beautiful and educational artist’s interpretation of the Valley in the form of an illustrated map.

“The true aim of the map is to promote the region, increase tourist visitation and to raise the profile of the Valley,” Ms Lambert said.

“The map is designed in the tradition of those lovely old illustrated maps that we may have collected on our travels and brought back home because they were too beautiful to throw away.

“So once again, something beautiful has come out of the ashes. We now have a guide of what the Wartook Valley and Grampians region has to offer and we can proudly make available to both national and international travelers,” she said.

The illustrated map‘s front gives a sense of the entire Wartook Valley and the reverse side of the map provides suggested itineraries, background information, accommodation, dining and attractions within the Valley and surrounding area.

The map is also available in poster size.

 Artist and designer Jenny Bowman was brought in to create the map.

“She endeared herself to locals and has travelled to the Valley twice on research trips, visiting areas of interest, doing drawings, taking photos and staying with Wartook Valley residents,” Ms Lambert said.

“This project will live on into the future and may well be tacked onto a wall in Holland or Germany to remind the travellers who bought it, of a wonderful few days in a very beautiful part of Victoria.”

The illustrated map and guide of Wartook Valley will be officially launched on November 14 at 11am at Deirdre’s Laharum Grove, 1603 Winfields Road, Laharum.

On November 15, Ms Bowman will give a talk to students at Laharum Primary School about how she created the map and the Wartook Promotions Group will give a map to each student.