Grain silos are not just critical bulk storage units, they are catalysts for tourism, community pride, and regional renewal.
Silos are critical for the the bulk handling industry. These tall, impressive structures are designed to manage large quantities of loose materials, protecting them from environmental elements like moisture and pests while allowing for controlled discharge into production or transport systems.
In South Australia, silos are used primarily for the bulk storage of grain, but throughout the country they are typically located in regional areas central to farming communities.
In a means to rejuvenate rural areas, talented artists have been redesigning the surface of silos with impressive and modern artwork to boost tourism in regional areas and preserve local heritage through large-scale, accessible public art.
GrainCorp, an integrated grain and edible oils business is a large grain storage and handling business operating in Australia and New Zealand. The company has recently celebrated 10 years since it revealed its first silo mural on Australia’s east coast.
The mural was unveiled at GrainCorp’s Brim site in western Vicotria in 2016, and what began as a single artwork painted during a period of drought has since inspired close to 80 silo artworks across the country.
Community engagement manager Kyle Docherty said the anniversary is an ode to the towns, artists, and locals who helped bring the artworks to life.
“Grain silos have always been places of connection and economic activity for growers,” Docherty said. “Over the past decade silo art has breathed new life and purpose into disused sites, turning them into landmarks that symbolise resilience, creativity, and regional pride. Silo art has helped shine a spotlight on towns that might otherwise be passed by, encouraging people to stop, explore, and experience Australia’s largest outdoor gallery.”
According to the Australian Silo Art Trail, the beginning of the silo art movement traces back to March 2015 where the first art mural was a pilot project by a cultural non-profit known as FORM.
With the help of the CBH grain handler two internationally renowned street artists Phlegm & HENSE decorated the grain silos in Northam, in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt.
Following this, six trail silos were planned. And in 2016, in Victoria’s Wimmera Malle region, GrainCorp would launch its Brim silo art.
The Brim mural, painted across four GrainCorp silos built in 1939, was created by Australian artist Guido van Helten. The mural depicts an anonymous, multi-generational farming family.
Brim community active group president Shane Wardle said the impact the silo art had on the town was immediate and tremendous.
“To be the catalyst for other communities getting on board the silo art movement is extremely special,” Wardle said. “The general store sold more ice creams in two weeks than it had in 10 years. Wherever I go and mention where I’m from, people instantly talk about the mural.”
Further along the trail is the Quirindi silo mural in northern New South Wales, a project combining large-scale artwork with a light and sound show every night.
Led by the Quirindi Silo Art Committee, the project has driven visitation across the Liverpool Plains and earned national recognition, including ‘Best of the Best’ at the Australian Street Art Awards.
Committee Chair and local grower Ian Carter said the mural has become a uniting force for the town.
“The silo art has created a real sense of ownership and pride in Quirindi,” Carter said. “Local businesses saw turnover rise by 20 per cent within months of the launch, and there’s rarely a day or night when someone isn’t visiting the silos.”
The mural is designed by Western Australian artist Peter Ryan, and pays tribute to Quirindi’s Indigenous heritage, agricultural, and grain-growing history, recognising the role silos played in transporting wheat from the Liverpool Plains to Sydney and Newcastle.
The Australian Silo Art Trail continues to act as a major tourist attraction, bringing revenue to small regional towns. In the small regional settlement of Thallon in southern Queensland, home to an incredible 60 people, GrainCorp’s ‘Watering Hole’ mural is a prime example.
Painted by artists Joel Fergie (The Zookeeper) and Travis Vinson (Drapl), the artwork features the local Moonie River and the area’s wildlife and agriculture scenery, set against a Queensland sunset. The artwork also recognised members of Thallon’s Indigenous community with the inclusion of a scarred tree.
Thallon Progress Association member Leanne Brosnan said the mural represented a turning point for the community, having played a central role in the project.
“Before the mural, the town was in decline,” Brosnan said. “Today, it’s a community revived, with visitors brining life, optimism, and new opportunities. The mural didn’t just brighten the silos; it transformed our local economy.”
According to GrainCorp, tourism now accounts for 40 per cent of turnover at the nearby Thallon Hotel, with over 10500 caravans visiting the town since the mural was completed. It also inspired a broader cultural revival, inspiring pioneer sculptures, the Rogues Gallery, and hosting major events such as Grazing at the Watering Hole and Pub Choir.
“Most of all, it has given Thallon something priceless,” Brosnan said. “A renewed sense of pride and the confidence to imagine a brighter future.”
To celebrate 10-years since GrainCorp unveiled the Brim mural, the company will host community events, storytelling, activations in towns that have helped shape the silo art movement throughout the course of 2026.