Artist Elise Gow has turned her attention to capturing the essence of Shepparton.
After spending more than 25 years capturing moments behind the camera, eight of those here at The News, photographer Elise Gow has turned her creative focus to the vibrant personalities and places of regional Victoria — this time, through illustration.
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“I needed a change,” Elise said.
In 2018, she made the switch from photography to illustration, a decision that’s seen her thrive in a new and exciting creative field.
What started with a quiet winter afternoon last year in her home town of Gisborne soon sparked a larger passion project.
“It was wintertime and things were pretty quiet, so I decided to draw my own town. I was surprised by the amount of interest it got,” she said.
Encouraged by the response, Elise began sketching her way through other towns across the Macedon Ranges, guided by locals that she connected with through Facebook community groups.
“It was a really wholesome interaction. People would share insights, local legends and even inside jokes — all these Easter eggs that found their way into the art,” she said.
Her illustrations struck a chord. Elise released a calendar featuring 12 town artworks and ended up selling 900 copies.
“I was hoping to sell 100. The response was huge,” she said.
Among the towns on her list was one especially close to her heart: Shepparton.
“Shepp was always going to be one of them — it was a no-brainer, considering I spent the first half of my life there,” she said.
“Shepp will always have a special place in my heart.
“I had so many memories and so much local knowledge of the area, which was both a gift and a bit of a burden — I had to separate my personal biases and try to be objective.”
Her Shepparton artwork captures some of the region’s most iconic landmarks.
“My parents and I always used to go to Lutfiyes for lunch, so it felt right to include Azem and everything he does for the community,” Elise said.
Another nostalgic addition is The Careful Cobber car.
“I remember being in Year 6 and heading out to DECA — getting to go on The Careful Cobber was the best day of my life,” she said with a laugh.
Other featured favourites include SPC peaches and pears, a fruit picker among local orchards, Moooving Art cows, Fred’s Trucks, Ducat’s Mr D Colas, and even a hotted-up car doing laps.
And while Shepparton is well represented, Elise says the story isn’t finished yet.
“I left out Kialla and Mooroopna because they each deserve their own illustration — they have their own iconic landmarks and stories that should be told separately,” she said.
Elise has drawn a total of 19 towns, and plans to continue expanding her collection, with hopes of launching a full Goulburn Valley series next year.
Her Shepparton artwork is available to purchase on her website as art prints, tea towels and magnets.
It will also feature in her 2026 Towns of Victoria calendar, set to be released in October.
Locals will also soon be able to find her Shepparton collection stocked at the Shepparton Visitor Information Centre at SAM in the coming weeks.
