They’re in almost every country town across Australia and many stand largely abandoned. In Southern New South Wales, Yerong Creek springs to mind, followed by the sweeping silos at Hopefield and edging further west there’s Brocklesby.
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Disused rail tracks are to blame, for others the closure of grain weighbridge stations meaning farmers have to haul their grain further to larger centres. In 2014, GrainCorp shut around 60 silos across New South Wales including Yerong Creek, The Rock, Lockhart and Pleasant Hills.
In Victoria's Wimmera-Mallee region the Silo Art Trail was completed in 2017. Already, it is big business. The trail has revitalised towns, bringing thousands of new visitors to the region.
The Silo Art Trail covers 200 kilometres, linking six small country towns in the Yarriambiack Shire. Known as the largest outdoor gallery in Australia, exquisite mural art towers across Brim, Lascelles, Patchewollock, Rosebery, Rupanyup and Sheep Hills. The project was funded by the federal, state and local governments via the Drought Communities program and all the silos were made available by GrainCorp.
The murals are the work of world-renowned Australian mural artists Adnate, Kaff-eine, Fintan Magee, Rone and Guido van Helten and Russian street artist, Julia Volchkova.
Can we revive our silos across the Border and Riverina and turn them into a tourist trail like they have in the Wimmera in Victoria?
This map proposes a suggested trail to link the Riverina and Border regions. Of course, this is just conceptual and more towns and villages could be added.
But it’s not as straightforward as some may think. People living close to silos complain of the dust and vermin. Others view them as an eyesore that should be knocked down. And then there’s the funding.
Would an art trail that links silos and connects communities work in our region? Have your say and vote in our poll:
It just might be the tourism injection and connection these smaller towns need.