Return to Country is the festival theme for 2014 and organisers are proud to exhibit the work of a world renowned wildlife painter who has travelled extensively, but lives locally. Weatherly still resides where he grew up at Connewarran, a sheep and cattle property near Mortlake.

An active environmentalist, he has chaired an award winning biolink project, helping to establish a habitat corridor extending from the Otways to the Grampians.

While studying at Cambridge, Weatherly pursued his interest in wildlife art, holding two solo exhibitions in London. He has honed his drawing and painting skills while working in the field and travelling extensively in Africa, Papua New Guinea, Australia, United States, Mexico, Thailand and Antarctica.

From his Grampians studio, Weatherly develops sketches from his travels into larger oil, gouache and watercolor paintings. Much of his work is commissioned.

"I like to share with others a personal vision of some elusive moment in the wild and to communicate an understanding of man's relationship with his environment," he said.

The Art Exhibition will open for preview on Friday March 21 from 6-8pm, Saturday March 22 from 11am - 5pm and Sunday March 23 from 11am - 4pm.

Entries are also invited for the Lake Bolac Eel Festival Recycled Sculpture Competition to be held at Memorial Hall, Montgomery Street, Lake Bolac from 11am - 5pm on March 22. The theme is Return to Country