EXCEED MAY 2017 May_Emag | Page 19

TRIP REPORT
Silo Art Trail
ANZAC DAY Long Weekend
22nd-25th April 2017
Participant’s Name
Colleen & Peter Catherall
Nancy & Peter Miller
Membership No;
1817
182
Vehicle
Challenger
Pajero
Saturday - 22nd April
Setting off from Melbourne the plan was to meet at the free camp area around 4pm at Lake Lascelles in Hopetoun
where the Wimmera becomes the Mallee. Peter & Nancy had planned to head up from their home in Heathcote
on the Friday so it was a pleasant surprise to find them pulling up alongside us at our lunch spot in Wedderburn.
Sporting their shiny new NX Pajero and towing their flash Vista camper, they had delayed their departure due to
heavy rain at home and spotted our rig turning off the highway in front of them.
After our early lunch break we decided to travel in tandem to our destination, making another stop in Birchip for
coffees. Mind you, being a Saturday afternoon there wasn’t much open so these were bought from the Birchip
Burger Bar and enjoyed in a local park.
Camp was made after circling the free camp around the lake and deciding on a location not too far from the
ablutions block. Given the muddy conditions (from recent heavy rain) and the number of vans, campers and swags
around we were fortunate to claim an area we could share and have a campfire. The latter was a cutdown 9kg gas
cylinder we carry on the bumper of our van and makes a nice contained fireplace for a small number to sit around.
This we did over a quiet drink or two before and after dinner making a very pleasant first night.
Sunday - 23rd April
The Silo Art Trail includes silos in 6 towns in the Yarriambiack Shire ranging from Patchewollock in the north to
Rupanyup in the south. The disused silos were once used for storage of grain and were a gathering point for local
communities at harvest time. They have now become giant canvases for portraits of people local to their locations.
Each has been chosen for maximum visual impact and safe viewing locations. 2 silos have yet to be painted (at
Lascelles and Rosebery) and are expected to be completed this year.
Having set our departure time last night for “half past” we did indeed head off at about half past 9. Keen as mustard
to see our first silo art we headed south to Brim for our first encounter. Painted by artist Guido Van Helten, the
work in sepia monotone covers 4 silos and features 3 generations of a local family including grandparents, son and
grandson. Although we viewed this in the morning, it may be best seen in the late afternoon with the sun low in the
western sky.
We spent a good half hour taking photos, admiring and wandering around the base of this massive structure before
then heading further south to Sheep Hills which was also a four silo structure. The artwork, by artist Adnate, on
these silos was much different, being portraits of local indigenous people in colour and with a dreamtime, starry
background. Another half hour spent viewing and we agreed there was a good opportunity for an enterprising local
to setup a mobile coffee cart given our own desire for a decent coffee and the number of visitors at the site!
Next to the southern most silos in Rupanyup. These were more modern, metal silos (or ‘storage bins’) and had just
been painted by a Russian artist, Julia Volchkovic , featuring a player each from the Rupanyup Panthers Football and
Netball club. These had just been completed in March and were the latest additions to the Silo Art Trail.
Off to lunch at the Creekside Hotel in Warracknabeal with some good grub finished off with coffees. We took
an exploratory walk through parkland and along the Yarriambiack Creek before we called it a day and headed in
separate directions to reconvene for fivesies and snacks back at Hopetoun camp.
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Vol 34 No. 4 - May 2017