The new brewery at Beachport has received $2550 in council funding towards an artwork.

Wattle Range Council approved the grant to decorate a refrigerated shipping container at its meeting in Millicent on Tuesday afternoon.

It followed a staff report which stated the Beachport Brewing Company had met the guidelines for funding under the new Public Art on Private Assets program.

The Ignition Fitness gymnasium in Millicent was granted a maximum $5000 grant under the same program for a mural on a rear wall fronting Davenport Street.

The gymnasium owners have worked closely with the Imagine Millicent public art enthusiasts’ group over many months and staged a successful fundraiser on the premises in October.

The Beachport and Millicent businesses were the first to receive monies under the Public Art on Private Assets grants program, where applicants must match the council contribution on a dollar-for-dollar basis and the art must have a wind-and-water theme.

Development services director Emma Clay said the Beachport Brewing Company obtained a 12-month temporary development approval for the refrigerated shipping container the art will be installed on.

Ms Clay said the temporary arrangement is for the new business owners to accommodate extra supplies while they experience their first summer season.

She said the shipping container may or may not remain in its current location at the end of the 12-month period.

“However, the owners have confirmed they would like to see the artwork available for the community elsewhere in Beachport should the container not be retained on site long term,” Ms Clay said.

“Council’s Planning department prefer shipping containers to be beautified when being used for development in populated areas.”