mmg.com.au

Ploughing the shape of a giant long-neck turtle into his paddock was the easy bit — the real challenge for Dookie winegrower Richard Tallis was sorting out the GPS software.

‘‘The actual ploughing took about an hour. But it took a couple of days fiddling with the software,’’ Mr Tallis said.

He said GPS experts eventually put him in touch with a company that supplies software used by American farmers who cut mazes into corn crops.

‘‘People enjoy walking around the mazes apparently — the farmers get a bit of income from that and from the corn as well,’’ he said.

Dookie’s 4km-long turtle is ploughed into a paddock just below Tallis Winery’s cellar door, which overlooks the spectacular rolling hills of the district.

It will form the centrepiece of this Saturday’s Emerging Voices community event as part of the 2013 SheppARTon Festival.

Hundreds of Goulburn Valley primary school students have been busy making lanterns, which they will parade around the turtle at dusk to the accompaniment of a multicultural choir.

Mr Tallis said festival artistic director John Head approached him with the idea in September last year.

‘‘When he first put the idea to me, there was canola everywhere. But we said it was possible — it sounded exciting. And here it is. We think it looks magnificent,’’ he said.

Mr Tallis’ wife Alice said Saturday night would be a great night out for families.

‘‘Bring a picnic and a blanket, and some sturdy footwear. It’s a performance in a paddock — you’ll get the real feel of the landscape,’’ she said.

Mrs Tallis said food would be sold by Friars Cafe, Lutfiyes and local primary schools.

There will also be coffee, ice-cream, popcorn and, of course, Tallis wines available.

‘‘We opened this cellar door here exactly a year ago this weekend. So it’s a real celebration for us,’’ she said.

‘‘We love this place — the landscape and the community.’’

She said the turtle could remain a landscape feature for at least another year.

‘‘We’ll give anything a go. It’s a really exciting concept,’’ she said.

Buses will leave from Shepparton Library on Marungi St between 5.15pm and 6pm for Saturday night’s free performance. They will return about 10pm. Car parking will also be available.