PUBLIC Silo Trail: Merredin Silo Art — Attraction in Merredin

I recently stopped by the impressive Merredin CBH Group silos on the Great Eastern Highway, and I was thoroughly impressed. Located in the central wheatbelt region of Western Australia, about 260 km northeast of Perth, Merredin is a charming farming town with a rich history in grain production.

The silos themselves are a sight to behold, standing as apparently part of the largest grain storage bins in the southern hemisphere at 35 meters high. If you take a short stroll towards the silos, I’d advise keeping your eyes open for snakes.

What truly sets these silos apart is the stunning artwork created by artist Kyle Hughes-Odgers in August 2017. Four of the eight silo cells were transformed with vibrant designs inspired by the local landscape and community. Kyle's characteristic geometric style beautifully illustrates the significance of agriculture in Merredin and the surrounding wheatbelt region, using colors drawn directly from the natural environment burnt oranges, yellows, and blues that reflect the landscape and sky.

“The Merredin Silo Art is part of FORM WA's PUBLIC Silo Trail and took Kyle 14 days to complete, utilizing an impressive 200 liters of paint, 80 rollers, and 10 paint brushes. He worked tirelessly in challenging weather conditions to create what is undoubtedly his largest canvas to date“

It's worth noting that this is a fully operational site, with designated viewing areas on the Great Eastern Highway and pull-over spots on either side of the road, making it convenient for visitors to appreciate the artistry and scale of these remarkable silos. Overall, a must-visit for anyone traveling...

I feel these paintings on the silos do not depict the way of life in Merredin. To me it shows a undernourished family, it certainly does not show the blood sweat and tears that our farmers have had to endure to put food on their plate and the food on the plates of each and every Australian. Nor does it show the hardship that small businesses in town suffer when the farming community face droughts, floods etc. Having said that it also does not show the strong community spirit and all the wonderful things that happen to gives families lives a much happier place when living in the heart of the wheatbelt. Our beautiful native flaura and forna are just another unique inspiration to make our riches. Whilst I will give credit where credit is due as the artist did what CBH asked of him and yes it does turn ugly grey silos into an interesting topic of...

The silos all over Australia are a agricultural necessity but they make a great visual impact. This is because they often stand in isolated places away from urban areas. On my Australian Road trip 2019, I saw many silos and they are great subjects to photograph. The artwork on many of the silos I saw added to the visual impact, at the the same time, making you wonder who created the paintings and how long it took them. The Merredin silo is a fine example of engineering, architecture...