I’ve been seeing photos of artwork on wheat silos for ages and decided it was time I saw the real thing, and so I headed for Benalla in Victoria’s north-east, and to the three little towns of Goorambat, Devenish and St. James.
The Goorambat community commissioned artist, Jimmy DVate, because of his passion for highlighting the plight of endangered species. He chose the Barking Owl, the most threatened owl in Victoria, with Northeast Victoria a remaining stronghold for the wild populations. Iron Bark tree hollows are important nesting sights for the owl, along with gliders, possums, rosellas and bats.
Clydesdale horses have always been the backbone of the Goorambat farming community. These are three of the local favourites: Clem on the left and Banjo on the right, both bred at Lavereen Stud, and Sam in the middle, grandson of Banjo.
Somehow I missed the Uniting Church, and so this beautiful mural of ‘Sophia’, by street artist Adnate. She is a depiction of the female aspect of the Holy Spirit.
Every little town in Australia seems to have a local pub.
The silos at Devenish were painted by Cam Scale. Stage one of the work depicts a WW1 nurse and a modern military medic, and represents the changing role of women in the military. It was unveiled on Anzac Day in 2018.
Stage two is a tribute to the Australian Light Horse, who served in the Boer War and WW1. It was unveiled on Anzac Day in 2019.
I continued to St. James. This mural, by Tim Bowtell, is of Sir George ‘G.J.’ Coles. Born in 1885, he was an Australian entrepreneur, who founded what was to become the Coles Group retail shopping empire.
He spent a large part of his childhood in St. James, and continued to return through his lifetime to catch up with friends. Through his generosity, he helped establish many of the town’s facilities.
Early forms of wheat transportation.
The Australian Silo Art movement began in Western Australia in 2015. There are currently 35 painted silos, along with around 60 water towers and a growing number of street art towns, one being Benalla.
My favourite of this group is the beautiful portrait of Clem, Sam and Banjo.
Planning to the Nth 
They all look fabulous, I haven’t seen the Victorian silos yet but they are on the list. I’m amazed at how murals like these are painted on such a huge scale.
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Really amazing, Glenys, that they can do them in the first place and then have them looking so beautiful as well. I can manage a few stick figures, that’s about it.
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Thank you for an interesting series of graphics. Banksy would be in heaven in these towns.
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Yep, for sure. Thanks for reading.
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It is really something special. Never seen such a unique Art.
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It certainly is, Alexander. We’re pretty proud of the idea.
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Those are fabulous.
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They are, Anabel. Can’t wait for a chance to check out some more.
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Fabulous stuff.
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Fantastic works of art. G.J.Coles moved to Wilmot here in northwest Tassie in 1910 and operated the first Coles retail store until 1921. Sadly, the old store burned down in 2014 and the history is lost. Nice to see him remembered in St. James.
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We love to look at murals, but even the largest we have seen have been on ordinary commercial buildings. These are amazing.
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Yep, they’re pretty terrific.
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The people who paint these are just so clever and they ALWAYS capture the spirit of the place. Thanks for sharing. Mel
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They certainly are, Mel. It’s such a great thing.
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What amazing artwork! The detail is incredible – such a wonderful idea 🙂
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It’s a fabulous idea, isn’t it, Rosemary. The artists are so amazing.
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Coral put a stop in at Coonalpyn on the road from Melbourne to Adelaide to see their silos. They are on the main road so good place to stop and stretch your legs and have a look. The subject matter is quite different.
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Thanks for that, Louise. I definitely will do that, the minute I’m let out.
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Wonderful idea to turn the eyesore that silos and water towers into artwork. Something that people would travel to see and that has both an aesthetic and educational value. Thanks for sharing this really interesting article and location.
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It’s a great idea, Leighton. They’re doing it all over the place now, and the artwork is amazing. It’s not hurting tourism at all, either. Thanks for reading.
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Wow these are just fabulous, I’ve not seen many painted silos, next time I visit Melbourne to see my son I think we will have to go and see them ..it’s nice to see that they are painted with something meaningful
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They’re pretty special, aren’t they, Alison?
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