Silo art is well on the way to becoming a really big thing. It’s putting tiny little towns on the map—towns most of us have never heard of—and it's attracting thousands of visitors to these remote places to revel in the immensity and impact of these world-class art pieces. But that’s not all. Visitors are discovering Australia’s unique flora and fauna where it actually comes from, not in some zoos or public gardens.
On this road trip, you’ll be starting in Melbourne, a city of 5+ million, and then heading out into “the bush”, where a handful of tiny towns have become what’s now known as the Silo Art Trail.
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It’s often described as “Australia’s largest outdoor gallery” because these towering artworks are stretched out over 200 km. The Australian silo art story, where talented artists paint their huge murals on grain silos, began in Northam in Western Australia in 2015. Since then, Victoria has emerged as the “silo art capital of Australia”, and you’ll be marvelling at how these talented artists have transformed huge grain storage structures (27 meters/90 feet tall in some cases!) into world-class murals.
The Wimmera-Mallee region of Victoria’s west is home to over half of Victoria’s silo art destinations. This region is a must-visit, and not only for the agricultural murals. There’s also the people and the scenery that you’ll find nowhere else on earth! While there are spectacularly painted grain silos in every state of Australia, we’ll have to leave them for another road trip. Because by choosing this Wimmera-Mallee itinerary, you’ll get maximum exposure with minimum driving. Enjoy!
NOW, WHY 2-4 DAYS FOR THIS ROAD TRIP?
It depends on whether you want to “get it done as fast as we can” (in which case maybe 2 days could suffice) or whether you want to relax and imbibe a little of the rural lifestyle. My advice: don't rush, soak up some country atmosphere and see the real inland here. That’s why we’re leaving it to you to decide where to set up for the night and how long you stay. Options galore!
There’s so much to do in Melbourne, of course, but when you’re ready for a refreshing and novel dose of rural delight, hit the road towards Horsham, travel for three and half hours (about 300 km), and you’ll arrive at Rupanyup, where we start the Silo Art Trail.
BUT FIRST, 3 HANDY TIPs
All towns have caravan parks, and some of them are free
Some towns do not sell petrol
Detours off the trail will reward you with the natural wonders of the region, including Lake Albacores, where you can enjoy the wildflowers during the day and star gazing at night.
Rupanyup
By Siberian-born artist Julia Volchkova, rural youth culture is the theme she expressed in these two conjoined export grain steel silos. Love of sport, youthful strength and the camaraderie of the town’s youth are there for all to see in this monochromatic work. They’re wearing their sports gear—hers is netball, and his is Aussie Rules football.
And check out the old shire office for more street art celebrating the local fire service. The town also has a museum for more local knowledge.
Rupanyup - Sheep Hills (25 minutes)
Another eye-catcher, this one with an indigenous focus. This is a pictorial celebration of Aboriginal culture, with several First Nations elders and 2 young children from the area. One of the artist's goals was to highlight the passing on of wisdom and culture from one generation to the next.
Sheep Hills - Brim (25 minutes)
Victoria’s first silo art. Four silos were built here for GrainCorp in 1939. The artistic transformation was completed in 2016 by renowned artist Guido van Helten. He used a translucent aerosol technique to suggest the shifting notions of the community over time. Especially in the bush, where economic pressures and climate change have a big impact. These composite farmers (men & women of different generations) suggest the resilience of farming folk everywhere.
Reddas Park in Brim has a beautiful lake, but if a report by an earlier visitor is to be believed, you should stay well away from the lake as sunset approaches because of the massive mosquito problem there. A visit in the daytime is our advice.
Brim - Rosebery (20 minutes)
Living and working in the Mallee region of Australia is tough. It calls for deep-down strength to face the hardships of drought and fire while farming the land. The young woman has that grit—she is a sheep farmer, and she symbolises the future. On the other silo, quiet friendship and trust are depicted by the horseman in the Akubra—relaxed with his horse. So very Australian!
Rosebery has the Mallee Sunset Gallery.
TIP: Beulah ("Centre of the Barley Belt") is midway between Rosebery and Brim and has a caravan park beside picturesque Yarriambiack Creek.
Rosebery - Nullawil (60 minutes)
This is the biggest dog you've ever seen. He's a beautiful kelpie sheepdog like you'd see on thousands of farms all across this wide brown land. The farmer in his “flannie” (flannelette shirt with a check pattern) is absolutely spot-on. And see how the artist even captured his chest hairs that have now turned grey. The photo realism of this huge art piece is amazing, especially the lovable kelpie. It's the handiwork of street artist Smug, and not be missed. Classic Australiana!
Nullawil - Sea Lake (40 minutes)
A young girl swings from a branch of a Mallee Eucalyptus, looking over the world-famous Lake Tyrrell. With a big blue sky on one of the several silos here, this colourful artwork exudes feelings of freedom and relaxing and rejoicing in the beauty of the outback landscape. A truly magnificent mural.
Sea Lake - Lascelles (25 minutes)
Farm families feel a real connection to the land. This couple’s family has been on the land for generations. Four generations, in fact. The artist, Melbourne-based Rone, added water to his paints to blend his images into the raw concrete of the 2 original silos, giving a ghostly transient air to the work.
Victoria’s largest salt lake, Lake Tyrrell, is 7 miles north of town, and it’s one of the best places in the country for stargazing because there are no city lights out there to dim the southern hemisphere’s constellations.
Lascelles - Patchewollock (35 minutes)
A narrow silo that's 35 meters tall needed a lanky local farmer as the model. And the artist found one. Lean and hard working, his nickname is Noodle, and he's a sun-bleached tribute to the no-nonsense spirit of the place and to Aussie farmers generally.
Oh yes, the Big Mallee Fowl is there too.
Patchewollock - Albacutya (60 minutes)
A multi-faceted and extremely colourful creation. Bright and quirky is how this huge multi-silo artwork is described. Get the cameras ready for this one! It’s a real mix of images. See what you make of it.
Albacutya - Arkona (50 minutes)
Tennis, anyone? Arkona's silo art is a celebration of the importance of tennis in small rural communities. Of course, football is just as socially important, and that's highlighted on other silos on this tour. Brilliantly colourful and equally imaginative.
Arkona - Kaniva (55 minutes)
The artwork here brings to life the nearby Little Desert, which is no good for farming but is home to diverse flora and fauna. The Little Desert National Park is one of Victoria’s truly special places, with 600+ native plant species, 220 bird species and 60 native reptiles and mammals. (Now, there’s an idea for a side trip!)
But back to these 2 silos. They depict the Australian Hobby Bird (a small falcon) and 2 sun orchids (which flower from September to November).
Kaniva - Goroke (40 minutes)
Beautiful birds of the West Wimmera Shire, including the magpie, which in the local Aboriginal language is called Goroke. The magpie and the kookaburra (or laughing jackass, as it's also been called) are both over 10 meters tall. If you haven’t already, now's the time to fall in love with Australian birdlife, starting here.
Want somewhere peaceful before you head back to the big city tomorrow? 30 minutes south of Kaniva is Lake Charlegrark, a great favourite for water sports enthusiasts and fisher folk. It’s famous for a record size Murray Cod. Great yabbying there, too, we’ve been told. Much the same can be said for Lake Ratzcastle, so take your choice.
Goroke - Horsham (50 minutes)
The old Horsham flour mill is right next to the old grain silo, and together the artist brings to life an outstanding Aboriginal warrior and leader born in 1834 and his totem, the black cockatoo. A massively colour-filled work, not to be missed.
And from Horsham, it’s back to Melbourne.
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