THE story of the controversial hay art in Lake Charm has been picked up across the globe, with news outlets in the UK and US trying to make contact with the man behind it all.
Bruce Cook said he had been contacted by a number of national and international news organisations after The Weekly Times, The Guardian and Channel 7 reported the story of his hay art depicting a bull serving a cow last week.
It was reported local police requested Mr Cook to take the art work down after a local resident made a complaint about it, telling him he could be charged with “publishing pornographic images”.
Mr Cook has enjoyed his subsequent time in the limelight, saying it was “fantastic”.
“When Channel 7 came here, they said I might be nervous — I said ‘no nerves no nothing,’” he laughed.
“I’ve talked to about 15 radio stations already and the UK wants to talk to me tonight.”
He revealed he had an accomplice in his mischief, Lake Charm resident Melinda Davison, who “planted the seed” to make the structure and enter it into a hay art competition after showing him a photo of two of his cattle in a compromising position.
Ms Davison revealed she added to the artwork on Monday night, lighting it up with outdoor solar lights.
“The trucks are a-hooting and even one car that we know of came out from Kerang and stopped on the side of the road, took photos and turned around, and went back towards Kerang,” she told The Guardian.
“It’s awesome out here watching and listening to the traffic slow down or hoot.”
The pair now want to add hay bale calves to the duo to complete the hay art.
Mr Cook said he wanted to auction the artwork off and donate the proceeds to the Royal Children’s Hospital, but locals had begun an online petition and Facebook page to “save the bull hay bales”, with some even offering to buy it off of him.
“There’s a big banana, a big strawberry and big other things, they want the bull.”
