Things We Found On The Trail

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL

THING S W E FO UN D ON THE TRAIL

SILOS PEOPLE TRAVEL STORIES LIFE

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

T HINGS W E FO U N D ON THE TRAIL

~ Northam ~ Merredin ~ Katanning ~ Pingrup ~ Newdegate ~ Ravensthorpe ~ Albany ~

Six Stages of Banksia baxteri by Amok Island for the PUBLIC Silo Trail, Ravensthorpe, 2016. Photoraph by Bewley Shaylor.

ake art out of galleries. Daub it thrillingly

T

high and deliciously differently. Make it far flung. Monumental. Visible from remote highways and over treetops.

Emblazon it in unexpected places. On CBH Group grain silos. Farming infrastructure. Make it art that tells a story- about a people or a place.

About the budding cycle of its wildflowers, the beautiful species of seadragon found only off the coast. Create a trail that invites people to explore Western Australia and you have the PUBLIC Silo

Things We Found On The Trail is designed to let you in on the special things that are happening in the towns along

Trail. A creative project transforming country

the PUBLIC Silo Trail. We hope these stories will help you

infrastructure into sites of world class mural

connect with the amazing communities that make the

art. Over the past three years the PUBLIC Silo Trail project has created murals on grain silos in Northam, Ravensthorpe, Merredin, Albany,

towns on the trail what they are, and enjoy discovering a little more about each one, each time you visit.

Newdegate and Pingrup, and on public walls and transformer boxes throughout Katanning.

Here are some of the best things we’ve found along the way.

FOLLOW US

#publicsilotrail | @formwa Visit publicsilotrail.com

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PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

NORTHAM HENSE and Phlegm Toodyay Road, Northam

MERREDIN

Kyle Hughes-Odgers Great Eastern Highway, Merredin

K A TA N N I N G

Various mural artists Various locations within the townsite

PINGRUP Evoca1

Jolley Road, Pingrup

NEWDEGATE Brenton See

Maley Street, Newdegate

RAVENSTHORPE Amok Island

Dance Street, (off South Coast Highway) Ravensthorpe

ALBANY

The Yok and Sheryo Viewing from - Boatshed Carpark & Old Town Jetty, Princess Royal Drive, Albany

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In March 2015 internationally renowned artists HENSE (USA) and Phlegm (UK) transformed eight , 38 metre silos (an area of roughly 5500 square feet) over 16 days and using around 740 litres of paint, creating Australia’s first ever silo mural. The mural translates the landscapes of Northam through a vibrant colour pallete combining Phlegm’s signature whimsical characters in impossible flying machines, with HENSE’s abstract patterns in explosive blocks of patterned fluoro colour.

200 litres of paint, 14 days, 168 hours, two lifts, 80 rollers and 10 brushes. That’s what it took for Western Australian street artist Kyle HughesOdgers to complete artworks across four 35-metre high silos outside the Wheatbelt town of Merredin in August 2017. The carefully researched artwork concept tells a story about Merredin, its natural environment in the colours, its diverse community in the artwork’s abstract forms and figures, its landforms and agricultural history in the symbols.

In November 2017, FORM’s PUBLIC Silo Trail stopped off at Katanning, lighting up a series of Western Power electrical transformer boxes and walls in the city centre with murals by Karim Jabbari, Brenton See, Chris Nixon, Darren Hutchens and Mel McVee.

Due to be completed in September 2018. Find out more at publicsilotrail.com or watch it unfold by following @FORMWA on Instagram or Facebook.

Native Western Australian wildlife took centre stage in sky-high silo art at Newdegate in June 2018 as Perth muralist Brenton See took just under a fortnight to paint the region’s western bearded lizard, mallee fowl, thigh spotted tree frog and red-tailed phascogale on four towering CBH Group silos over 13 days.

In August 2016 Fremantle artist Amok Island created Six Stages of Banksia baxteri, a 25 metre high wildflower inspired mural painted across three CBH Group silos in Ravensthorpe. The project entailed 31 days, 338 litres of paint and countless trips up and down the silos in a knuckle boom.

In March 2018 acclaimed Brooklyn-based street art duo the Yok & Sheryo spent 17 days and more than 180 litres of paint on silos in Albany. Taking inspiration from two species of seahorse found in the coastal waters off South-Western Australia, the Ruby Seadragon and its Leafy Seadragon cousin, the 35 metre high and 50 metre wide mural now sits proudly across the giant silos at CBH Group’s Albany Grain Terminal.

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

NO R T HA M ortham lies at the heart of Perth's

N

picturesque Avon Valley. It's the perfect spot for a riverside picnic, whether you're admiring the State’s only colony

of white swans or catching Western Australia's own unique white water event - the Avon Descent, which takes place each August. World champions and novices from around Australia and overseas take to the water by power and paddle craft in this thrilling two-day time trial.

Those favouring a more leisurely pace can stroll across Northam's pedestrian suspension bridge, the longest of its kind in Australia.

The town

Phlegm for PUBLIC Silo Trail, Northam. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2015.

also invites you to step into its past by visiting the permanent exhibition of post-war migrant history at the visitor centre or following the Northam Heritage Trail on foot or by car to explore its pioneering era. Among the highlights

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL NORTHAM

is Morby Cottage, the home of one of Northam's first families, standing as a tribute to the tenacity of the early settlers since it was built in 1836. For a taste of rural country life today, book into a farm stay nearby, or sample some country town charm with a stay at Northam's hotels, motels and bed and breakfast accommodation.

A new initiative by two Wheatbelt sisters, Rural WA Lady Startup is a showcasing of talented rural women’s startup businesses that’s all about women empowering women. Follow @ruralwaladystartup

to

get

the

latest on what the region’s creative and entrepreneurial ladies are up to, and find some amazing food, art and

In March 2015 internationally renowned artists HENSE (USA) and Phlegm (UK) transformed eight CBH Group grain silos into iconic works of art dramatically responding to the unique landscape of the Wheatbelt town of Northam. The silos were painted each at a height of 35 metres (an area of roughly 5500 square feet) over 16 days and using around 740 litres of paint, creating Australia’s first silo mural.

HENSE for PUBLIC Silo Trail, Northam. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2015.

design along the way.

Image courtesy of Rural WA Lady Startup.

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PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

Home of the epic Avon Descent whitewater challenge and the annual Flying 50’s vintage car race, Northam is a low-key adventure capital for the regions. Ballooning is big in Northam. Just ask Heather Meiklem from Northam’s Windward Balloon Adventures what it’s like taking in the region’s rolling patchwork of farmland and wildflowers by balloon.

“Our balloon season is from April to

to stay low for the first 10 minutes of the

of colours; beautiful green paddocks, the

mid-November. The flights take place at

flight to allow all passengers to relax and

Avon River winding through Northam

sunrise - the most beautiful time of the

see how gentle ballooning really is. There

and golden canola crops as they burst into

day and also when the weather conditions

is an aura of calmness that seems to come

flower. It is a truly magical experience!”

are most favourable for ballooning. From

over everyone on board including the most

our experience, any time during our

nervous of passengers. We are proud to be

season is a good time to go ballooning - we

Western Australia’s only locally owned

cancel less than 10 per cent of our flights

and operated ballooning business so our

due to weather conditions, but we do think

profits stay right here in our beautiful

winter scenery is the most spectacular and

State. We aim to make our customers feel

the Avon Valley is certainly at its finest

like they are part of our family.

during winter time.

- Windward Balloon Adventures’s Heather Meiklem

Check out ballooning.net.au Northam Nationals Ballooning Championships, 2015. Photograph by Michelle Blackhurst.

Most of our landings are quite gentle

We meet at the Northam Airfield just

and nine times out of 10 we will float

before sunrise - (as the sunrise changes

the

so do our meeting times, which can be as

Once landed, the ground crew take our

late as 6.30am midwinter and as early as

passengers to our breakfast venue for

FIND OUT MORE

4.15am in late spring). After coffee and a

chilled champagne and sumptuous cooked

flight briefing, passengers are taken to the

breakfast, celebrated with the pilot who

ABOUT NORTHAM AT

launch site, where the balloon is inflated.

will then present certificates of flight. The

A flight will last 45 minutes to an hour.

morning’s experience will take around

Ballooning is one of the most natural and

four to five hours.

safest feelings you will ever experience. It is very different to looking over the edge of a tall building or a cliff. Your pilot will aim

baskets

up

onto

their

trailers.

Northam Visitor Centre 2 Grey Street Northam, WA 6401

Floating peacefully over the Avon Valley, you fly over the landscape’s patchwork

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(08) 9622 2100

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

FIVE OF NORTHAM’S MOST BEAUTIFUL

H E R I TA G E B U I L D I N G S

At 185 – Northam has the most heritage listed buildings in Western Australia.

Here are five we think are the loveliest:

The Old Mill (1870) Avon River, Northam. Courtesy of Tourism Western Australia

1.

Feel the pioneer vibes in the

3. The first mill in the town, Northam’s four

restored glory of heritage hotel The

storey Flour Mill and grain storage silos

Dukes Inn, complete with luxury

are a major landmark on the banks of the

accommodation in the restored

Avon River.

and converted stables building.

4. The Northam Town Hall was built during

5. The Old Northam Post Office was used

2. 1896 railway hotel The Grand,

the gold rush of the late 1800s. This

by the Department of Defence and

Northam is undergoing extensive

magnificent building has housed a council

the army during World War II. Prince

landscaping,

and

chamber, a Mayor’s parlour and offices

Charles has visited the building, and

old

for the council officials. It has also been

planted a tree there.

building up to 'code' ahead of a

the venue for many drama performances,

grand opening this year.

and the town’s weekly moving picture

decorating

renovating to

bring

this

show used to be held there.

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PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

Cranmore Home is a curated collection

THE BEST COFFEE STOPS ON THE PUBLIC SILO TRAIL

of Australian-designed and ethicallysourced homewares, art and fashion.

The online store is complemented by a brick and mortar store located in regional creative Tracy Lefroy’s hometown of Moora, just two hours from Northam.

Check out cranmorehome.com.au

Rolling paddocks, salt lakes, the open road... And great coffee? We know what fuels a good road trip. We’ve done the research and we’ve got tthe skinny on where to find the best black stuff along the PUBLIC Silo Trail.

THE STORE CAFÉ | 6343

RIVERSIDE ROADHOUSE

Pingrup

Bannister

The Store Café | 6343 offers

This

homemade food and great coffee.

roadhouse you’ll find en route to

Located in the main street of

the Albany silos hides a heaving

Pingrup, and purchased by the

bakery and hot coffee behind it’s

Community Resource Centre in

doors. Check it out - and make sure

August 2018, this little hub provides

to say hello to their cute little crew

the perfect backdrop to view the

of alpacas.

unassuming

Bannister

new painted CBH grain silos.

Just

half

an

hour

from

Northam,

Botanicalia is a new cafe and gallery shop within a beautifully restored heritage building at 152 Avon Terrace, York.

Featuring artists and makers from around Australia, Botanicalia has some of the best coffee York has to offer and unique gifts

T H E D A I LY G R I N D Katanning

CAFE 56 Merredin

Run by Imam and AFL fan Alep

This main street café in Merredin does sweet potato fries and top notch turmeric lattes. Enough said.

and creations by local artists in Gallery 152 next door.

Check out botanicalia.com.au

Alep Mydie at his cafe The Daily Grind, Katanning. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2017.

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Mydie, The Daily Grind on Clive Street does everything from a fine cup of joe to delicate Malaysian rendang.

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

MERREDIN Three hours on the Great Eastern Highway will bring you to Merredin, the largest

Kyle Hughes-Odgers for PUBLIC Silo Trail, Merredin. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2017.

regional centre in the central Wheatbelt.

The town boasts the longest grain storage facilities in the southern hemisphere, as well as a good selection of eating houses and accommodation options, making it the ideal base for exploring the central Wheatbelt. If you're on the trail to discover some of Western Australia's 12,000 plus flowering species making up the largest collection on Earth, make a beeline for the delicate orchids of Tamma Parkland or the vast granite outcrops of Merredin Peak and Totadgin Conservation Park.

The Merredin Peak Heritage Trail will also lead you through native bushland to the remains of a former army fieldhospital.

This is one of many historic military installations dotted throughout the region as reminders of Merredin's role as the second line of defence during World War II. A good place to start your lesson in local WWI and WWII history is to head for the Military Museum. If trains and railways are more to your taste, The Merredin Railway Museum pays tribute to the

In the town, Cummins Theatre oozes

Don’t miss a look at the infamous Rabbit

yesteryear charm from every classic 1920s

Proof

feature. Built from bricks salvaged from

Pilkington Garimara’s book about her

Coolgardie hotels and the original pressed

mother’s epic nine-week walk back along

metal ceiling from Coolgardie's Tivoli

the fence to the desert home she had been

Theatre, it also houses one of the best

taken from, this barrier was originally

collections of Australian theatre archives

constructed in the early 1900s in an

in the State.

attempt to keep the rabbits out. You can

Fence.

Immortalised

see a section of it in Merredin.

original steam trains before the transfer to standard gauge for locomotives took place.

Built in 1913, with much of the original memorabilia still in place, the museum offers a range of displays including a G117 class steam locomotive circa 1897.

Cummins Theatre, Merredin, 2017. Photograph by Kim Kirkman. 2017.

7

by

Doris

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL MERREDIN

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n August 2017 Western Australian street artist Kyle Hughes-Odgers created PUBLIC Silo Trail Merredin’s 35-metre high silo mural in the Wheatbelt town. Entailing 200 litres of paint, 14 days, 168 hours, two lifts, 80 rollers and 10 brushes, the artwork was the third instalment in the Trail.

Creating the artwork was a labour of love, requiring the artist to work around the clock atop boom lifts across the facade of four individual silos at Merredin wheat storage and transfer depot.

Kyle Hughes - Odgers for the PUBLIC Silo Trail Merredin. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2017.

“I took on the Merredin silos to contribute something to the Western Australian landscape and the State I grew up in,” HughesOdgers said. “This was an amazing opportunity to work at a gigantic scale.”

PUBLIC Silo Trail, Merredin, Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2017.

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PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

THE MERREDIN MEN’S SHED.

PUBLIC Silo Trail, Merredin, Photograph by Jean-Paul Horre, 2018.

we decided to go ahead with it. It

By and large, members of sheds are

took us about three years. It’s a bit of

not interested in the politics of sheds.

a success story I suppose. We’ve got

They just want to enjoy the company

quite a lot of members by general

of others, have a chat or a laugh, tell

and furniture. The purpose-built Merredin

Men’s Shed standards, because a lot

stories and jokes and be happy. They

Community Men’s Shed took almost four

of the Men’s Sheds are only as big

want to work on projects, either their

as a garage and they’ve got three,

own or the sheds’. They usually like

five, eight members maybe. We have

to work in pairs or groups.”

n any given day in Merredin, a

O

large proportion of the town’s men can be found in a roomy shed on the town’s recreation precinct

restoring beautiful old farming machinery

years of planning and fundraising, and now provides a way for men to get out of the house and do something social and hands on. Wheatbelt farmer Jim Flockart

about 50 members, on our regular

headed up the initiative.

Thursday meeting day we get 20 – 25 members and on any other day

“I knew about Men’s Sheds and their influence on men’s health and I thought ‘well, you’ve got to do something!’ So I built a shed up the other end of town where I’ve got a workshop and then we set about setting up the Men’s Shed. I suppose that was a pretty big challenge when we started. We had a meeting and we got 30 or so old guys along and

of the week you will find blokes working on either their own project or an ongoing shed project. Some of them work in the workshops and some of them come down every day and do projects or make and fix things. It’s a real social outlet. We don’t have alcohol or anything like that at the Men’s Shed and never have done.

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- Jim Flockart.

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

J

oin Njaki Njaki Traditional Owner and Aboriginal tour guide Mick for a cultural walking tour of Merredin

Peak and the surrounding reserve. You’ll learn the rich Aboriginal history of the region via a walk along the trail and up the rock and you’ll be rewarded with delightful views of the town and reserve land to the East.

Find out more at njakinjaki.com.au.

TH E MAN Y MEN OF MER REDI N According to celebrity demographer Bernard Salt, Merredin has the biggest single young men (in the 20 – 24 age demographic to single women ratio in the entire nation). In the town, there are nearly 400 single men for every 100 single women.

Kyle Hughes-Odgers, Merredin, by Bewley Shaylor, 2017.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MERREDIN AT Central Wheatbelt Visitor Centre 85 Barrack Street Merredin, WA 6415 (08) 9041 1666

Kukerin. Courtesy of Tourism Western Australia

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PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

SILO TRAIL LOCATIONS

MERREDIN

NEWDEGATE

Great Eastern Highway, Merredin

Maley Street, Newdegate

K A TA N N I N G

RAVENSTHORPE

Various locations within the

Dance Street, (off South Coast

townsite

Highway) Ravensthorpe

PINGRUP

ALBANY

Jolley Road, Pingrup

Viewing from - Boatshed

Kyle Hughes-Odgers

Various mural artists

NORTHAM HENSE and Phlegm Toodyay Road, Northam

Evoca1

Brenton See

Amok Island

The Yok and Sheryo Carpark & Old Town Jetty, Princess Royal Drive, Albany

9 6 K M FR OM P E R TH 1 . 22HR 1 6 3 K M FR OM N O RT HAM 1 . 45 HR

7 9 K M FR OM P INGRUP 1 . 04HR

3 3 2K M FR OM M E R R E DIN 3 . 3 9 HR

9 9 . 3 K M FR OM K A TA NNING 1 . 20HR

29 5 K M FR OM R AV E NS THOR P E 3 . 21 HR

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1 3 4 KM FRO M NEW D EGAT E 1 . 23HR

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

SUGGESTED ROUTES

T

he PUBLIC Silo Trail taverses 1000km of unique landscapes across Western Australia, from green hilly pastures to salt lake country, wide open plains to awe-inspiring rock formations and granite outcrops.

The PUBLIC Silo Trail offers a wealth of diverse experiences for visitors who can either drive the complete trail from start to finish, or as three smaller, distinct drives. Three suggested routes have been identified around silo clusters in close proximity to each other.

These routes will allow ease of access given the shorter travel distances, while still allowing travellers to experience the distinctiveness of each region.

THE GOLDEN EDGE

THE CENTRAL HEART

WAVE TO WAVE

Northam - MerrEdIn

Katanning - Pingrup -Newdegate

Newdegate - Ravensthorpe - Albany

Hailed as one of Australia’s extraordinary

Discover Western Australia’s agricultural

With striking silo art, rugged coastlines,

heart where golden fields of wheat give way

biodiversity hotspots, wide open roads

to expansive sheep country. Kicking off in

and endless horizons, this expansive

colourful Katanning, follow the salmon

drive via Western Australia’s wild South

gums and salt lakes slightly south-west to

Coast beckons the true roving adventurer.

the next silo mural along the trail in the tiny

Follow the wildflower colour trail in

town of Pingrup, where the work of Evoca1

Spring through a picturesque backdrop

(USA), internationally celebrated for his

of wheat fields, bush reserves and wild

photorealistic style will wow you with his

seas as you discover a trail dotted with

life size mural depicting the agricultural

world class art! From Brenton See’s native

heritage of the town. Next head an hour

fauna inspired creation to Amok Island’s

north-east towards the self-sufficient

soaring 25-metre Six Stages of Banksia

farming community of Newdegate, and to

baxteri and 30m high ruby sea dragon

Western Australian artist Brenton See’s

by urban art duo The Yok & Sheryo in

delightful murals of mallee fowl, western

Western Australia’s southernmost port

bearded lizard, thigh spotted tree frog,

Albany. Plus along the way don’t miss

and

Although,

mother natures own piece of natural art

with these creatures spread across four

Wave Rock, a granite cliff sculpted over

towering silos, we can guarantee you will

millennia by weather and water into a

never have seen such massive specimens.

spectacular 15-metre high curve.

engineering feats, stretching from Perth to Kalgoorlie, the iconic Golden Pipeline, with its original roadside pump houses, are one the first landmarks you’ll meet on an epic drive taking you deep into Western Australia’s Wheatbelt region. Meander through a patchwork of spectacular silo murals, bright canola fields, green farming pastures, ancient granite outcrops, rural wineries and endless horizons. Encounter towering silos along this drive, painted by three of the world’s leading urban artists Phlegm (UK) with his whimsical flying machines and Hense’s (USA) bold, abstract patterns, and Western Australian Kyle Hughes-Odgers’ splash of giant figures and geometric patterns, that celebrate agricultural roots.

red-tailed

phascogale.

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PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

THE HOTTEST EVENTS ON AND AROUND

THE PUBLIC SILO TRAIL

PORONGURUP WINE FESTIVAL -

March Porongurups

A family-friendly festival involving live music, food, craft, children’s activities and showcasing Porongurup wine labels.

I G A TA S T E G R E A T S O U T H E R N March Great Southern

A celebration of the unique and award-winning food and wine of the Great Southern region.

FESTIVAL OF THE SEA March Albany

Truffle Hunting, Manjimup. Courtesy of Tourism Western Australia

MOUNT BARKER GRAPES AND GALLOPS FESTIVAL -

January Mount Barker The richest sprint race in the Great Southern region, the $100,000 Mungrup Stud Sprint.

BOYUP BROOK COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL -

February Boyup Brook

Celebrating Albany’s proud maritime history, highlighting fresh fish, produce and wines alongside family activities and entertainment.

K A TA N N I N G H A R M O N Y F E S T I VA L -

March Katanning

NORTHAM MOTORSPORT FESTIVAL

Experience something different, learn something new and taste something delicious at the Katanning Harmony Festival.

April Northam

This two-day classic motoring event attracts more than 100 cars to compete in up to 20 timed heats.

NANNUP MUSIC FESTIVAL -

March Nannup

T O O D YA Y M O O N D Y N E F E S T I VA L

International musical talent, stalls and activities on the banks of the Blackwood River.

One of Western Australia’s most popular music and camping festivals. A family friendly celebration of country music, in a relaxed and natural bushland setting.

May Toodyay

This colonial heritage festival celebrates the 1800s pioneer bushranger Moondyne Joe.

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PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

DENMARK FESTIVAL OF THE VOICE

RAVENSTHORPE WILDFLOWER SHOW

Celebrating the human voice, the festival features community concerts and workshops.

Bringing together local, national and international artists performing acapella and accompanied by choirs, ensembles and groups.

Featuring a street parade, country carnival, guided walks and art and craft exhibitions alongside one of the most extensive wildflower exhibits in Western Australia.

June Denmark

TRUFFLE KERFUFFLE June Manjimup

A celebration of Manjimup’s famous black truffles and local produce.

SOUTHERN MTB September Albany

September Ravensthorpe

NEWDEGATE MACHINERY FIELD DAYS September Newdegate

On the first Wednesday and Thursday of September each year, the town of Newdegate hosts one of the State’s premier agricultural events, the Newdegate Machinery Field Days.

The iconic event has grown to become one of the most renowned and recognised in the Wheatbelt. Machinery, technology and research, animals and livestock, outdoor and camping exhibits, plus art, photography and fashion.

A mountain bike festival with a professional and amateur program incorporating cross-country, downhill, jump competition and kids’ events.

HIDDEN TREASURES BLOOM FESTIVAL September – October Great Southern

Bloom Festival features more than 40 events including wildflower displays, guided tours, open gardens, workshops, long table lunches, train rides, art exhibitions, wine tasting, craft activities and more.

Field of Light, Hermitage Museum and Garden. Image courtesy of Bruce Munro Studio. Photograph by Mark Pickthall.

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FIELD OF LIGHT

October - April 2019 Albany

A light installation by renowned English artist Bruce Munro forms part of Albany’s commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War in 2018.

MARGARET RIVER GOURMET ESCAPE November Margaret River

A star studded line up of Australian and international chefs, culinary personalities and wine critics, the Gourmet Escape offers an extensive program of world-class events showcasing WA’s best wine and produce.

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

KATANNING ome to large Malay, Afghan and

H

Chinese populations and the local Indigenous Noongar people as well as farm folk, Katanning is a

rural cultural hotspot, offering many art exhibitions and the Multicultural Festival held in March each year, celebrating the food, art, music, dance and culture of Katanning's residents.

All year round you can enjoy local produce and crafts at the monthly farmers market, or wander the streets and admire the Federation architecture and brick-built buildings; the local brickworks helped make the town a regional hub.

The town also boasts a rich colonial

PUBLIC Silo Trail, Katanning, Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2018.

heritage dating back to its establishment at the end of the 19th century, when the arrival of the railway line made Katanning a focus for the region's agricultural industry. n

Visit

the

Kodja

Place

Visitor

and

Interpretive Centre nearby at Kojonup a significant site for the local Indigenous people. Here, you can discover one of the

I

November

FORM’s Trail

2017

PUBLIC

stopped

off

Silo in

Katanning, lighting up

a series of Western Power

oldest surviving cultures on Earth, as well

electrical transformer boxes

as the stories of life during early European

and walls in the city centre

settlement.

with murals by Western Australian artists Brenton

Don’t miss Wednesday morning at the

See, Chris Nixon, Darren

sheep selling yards - the largest country

Hutchens and McVee, and

sheep selling centre in Western Australia.

International Karim Jabbari.

If Merredin has the longest grain storage facilities in the southern hemisphere, then Katanning operates the largest undercover sheep selling complex. Housing 1008 pens equalling more than 44,000m² these yards

Ever checked out Wheatbelt Boys on

are capable of trading up to 1.5 million

Instagram? Run by a West Aussie farm boy,

sheep annually.

social media consultant and agribusiness advisor, Wheatbelt Boys aims to bring

Lake Ewlyamartup is a great place for a

farming to life. Educating people about

lovely walk or picnic. If the water level is

where their food and clothes come from

high enough, there are opportunities to

and why farmers are great. Follow

swim in the lake or even water ski.

@wheatbeltboys on Instagram for a daily dose of the Wheatbelt at its most beautiful and compelling.

Chris Nixon for PUBLIC Silo Trail, Katanning, Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2017.

15

Image courtesy of Wheatbelt Boys.

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

Just two years ago the 127-year-old Katanning flour mill was famously sold by the local Shire for just $1 after years of disuse and neglect. Newspapers are calling it the best dollar ever spent in the

protection

of

and

industrial

heritage.

multimillion-dollar

WA’s

architectural Following

restoration,

a the

More than 50 different language

building has been transformed to five star

groups call Katanning home.

luxury standard and opened this year as

The town, which is the most

the new Premier Mill Hotel.

ethnically

owes its unique identity to

original infrastructure has been retained

this rich heritage and a culture

and each room has been filled with

where diversity is embraced.

bespoke furniture.

WILD PICKED FARM FRESH

regional

centre in Western Australia,

Much of the three-storey old mill’s

Check out premiermillhotel.com.

diverse

The town even has its own Harmony Festival, headed up by Image courtesy of Premier Mill Hotel

Zee Sultani.

ne Wheatbelt farmer is using the

O

salt-affected, unproductive land on his Badgebup sheep farm to turn a thriving business supplying

native Australian ingredients to high end Western Australian restaurants. David Thompson’s Moojepin Bushfoods began as a way to rehabilitate low-lying salty land the mutton producer couldn’t put his sheep on. To combat salinity, David planted trees like salt bush, wild samphire and purslane. Then he began harvesting it. Today, restaurants like Young George and Strange Company are using Moojepin saltbush in signature dishes and plump, juicy Karkalla leaves – (or Baby Pigface) – winning David a gold in the national Delicious Produce Awards. These awards celebrate producers

the

farmers,

crafting

fisheries

edible

and

treasures

that stun the taste buds of foodies and chefs across the country. Check out @moojepinfarm on Instagram to see what they’re up to.

“The first Harmony Festival was held back in 2007 – 2008 at the Shire office. I actually volunteered then.

I performed on stage.

We dance our traditional dance and then after a few years of volunteering I was employed to run it. That’s my favourite story of the town. How I was on stage and then I volunteered and now I run it. The Harmony Festival is very close to my heart. I think its made an impact on the town. It’s opened new doors. It’s a festive and peaceful day when people just come together, learn about each other’s culture and food and share what they have in common” - Zee Sultani

Katanning has a free RV 24 hour Rest Area on Albion Street.

Park up for the night and enjoy a meal at one of the local spots.

Zee Sultani, Katanning, Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2017.

16

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

PINGRUP rom every direction, the silos are

F

visible as you approach Pingrup, a

small

community

nestled

between salt lakes. There is also

an abundance of wildlife in the area. The Kwobrup Dam is known to be a good place to spot the western grey kangaroo, brush wallaby echidna, blue tongue lizard and a huge variety of birds.

In 1983, Pioneer John Holland carved the track which linked Broomehill with Coolgardie,

stretching

700km

as

a

shortcut to the Goldfields. Today, you can follow this same track by car, however some sections require four wheel driving.

The Store Cafe, Pingrup. Photograph by Kim Kirkman. 2018.

The Store CafĂŠ | 6343 offers homemade food and great coffee. Located in the main street of Pingrup, and purchased by the Community Resource Centre in August 2018, this little hub provides the perfect backdrop to view the newly painted CBH group grain silos.

BLOOM FESTIVAL Hidden Treasures of the Great Southern’s

Bloom

Festival

attracts thousands of people to experience

the

extraordinary

landscapes and natural beauty of the Great Southern region

HIDDEN TREASURES OF THE GREAT SOUTHERN

H

idden Treasures of the Great Southern is a visitor's guide to the Great Southern Region of Western Australia featuring wildlife, heritage, wildflowers and genuine country hospitality. With the realisation that what the 'locals' knew and loved could be of interest to the

wider community and travellers, the Hidden Treasures of the Great Southern was born. Think grand old homesteads, from an era when the country relied on

each year. Enjoy events like

the 'sheep's back', to huge grain operations that showcase modern agriculture

wildflower

guided

alongside boutique produce, great scenery and warm country charm. Hidden

tours, open gardens, workshops,

displays,

Treasures of the Great Southern covers a collection of nine hinterland Shires of

long table meals created from

the Great Southern Region. These communities are predominantly recognised

local produce, art exhibitions and

for the primary industry of agriculture from broad acre cropping, sheep for

craft activities. Bloom Festival

wool and meat production, viticulture, silviculture and horticulture. Find it at

is a colloboration between nine

hiddentreasures.com.au

Shires in the Great Southern and provides an opportunity for community groups and local businesses to get involved. Find the 2018 Bloom Festival Program at hiddentreasures.com.au/bloom/

Dampiera wildflowers in the Fitzgerald River National Park, near Quoin Head. Courtesy of Tourism Western Australia

17

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

ach mural in FORM and the CBH

E

Group’s PUBLIC Silo Trail, from international

street

art

Evoca1’s Boy on the Red Bike in Subico, painted last year as part of Paint Subi.

star

HENSE’s eye catching abstract

mural

and

world-admired

Phlegm’s

impossible flying machines at Northam to

Western

Island’s

Australian

artist

banksia-inspired

Amok

creation

at

Ravensthorpe, is surprising, distinctive and unique.

A new location marker on

Australia’s cultural map. A beacon to visitors and the community writ large in the widest possible range of artistic styles, from Kyle Hughes-Odgers’ geometric forms and figures to the Yok and Sheryo’s larger-than-life cartooning.

Paint Subi, Subiaco, Photograph by Jean-Paul Horre, 2018.

As the last silo to be painted in the trail, Evoca1’s artwork for Pingrup is a giant tip of the hat to the tenacious, resourceful farming communities that have embraced the PUBLIC Silo Trail throughout. A scene drawing threads from the fabric of everyday life in Pingrup and crafted in Evoca1’s matchless photorealistic style an homage to the traditional, and a final point of further distinction for the PUBLIC Silo Trail’s joyous collection of artistic styles.

Each

brushstroke

in

this

carefully

researched artwork will tell a story about the character of the community in

DON’T MISS

which it will be painted. About its natural environment in the colour palette, its diverse community in the lifelike figures, its rich and agricultural heritage in its symbols and representations.

This mural is a final act artwork for the PUBLIC Silo Trail and a message to Australia and the world - and it’s talking about Pingrup. Celebrating a unique Great Southern community, the artwork is a way for a distinguished Cooperative to give back to its grower community. Something

The Pink Lakes.

These are a unique

attraction situated in the shallow valley that runs between Pingrup and Nyabing. The area is covered by salt lakes which are home to a salt-loving bacteria called Halo bacteris, which produce a red pigment, giving the lake its distinctive pink colour.

The Pingrup Races, a lively country meet which takes place each March.

that asks visitors to linger, to question and to wonder.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PINGRUP AT: Pingrup CRC, 2 Burston Street, Pingrup, WA 6343 | (08) 9820 1101

18

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

NEWDEGATE Newdegate is small, however despite its size, it is a self-sufficient farming community and hosts one of the State’s major agricultural events, the Newdegate Machinery Field Days. Held each year since 1979 in early September, the event boasts 300-plus exhibitors over two days.

The town has a rich agricultural history, which can be traced in the Hainsworth Building, which houses the Newdegate Pioneer Museum. Originally built as a general store and dining room in the early 1930s, it also functioned as a boarding house for railway workers and travellers.

Salt lakes surround Newdegate, offering stunning photo opportunities despite the

Brenton See for PUBLIC Silo Trail, Newdegate. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2018.

fact they are usually dry for most of the year. The area also offers many walking trails such as the John Holland Track and Lake King Heritage Trail. These trails are

The Hainsworth Building is a gorgeous old 1930s store that serviced the

especially pretty during wildflower season

Newdegate community. Its been recently restored to it’s former glory

which typically occurs from late August

as a general store and tearoom and now houses the Newdegate Pioneer

through to late October.

Museum. Drop by on Thursdays between 11 and 4am and you can meet the Hainsworth Building Committee (the Hainsworth Ladies!) responsible for this beautiful transformation.

ative Western Australian wildlife

N

took centre stage in sky-high silo art for the PUBLIC Silo Trail’s

mural

at

Newdegate.

Perth muralist Brenton See translated the region’s western bearded lizard, mallee fowl, thigh spotted tree frog and red-tailed phascogale to canvas in four towering murals on the Newdegate CBH Group silos over 13 days in June 2018. The final mural in the series is an emblematic depiction of the region. It features a droplet shaped form, half-white, half-teal. The white and teal droplet represents both the rain; essential to growth: and the surrounding lake systems which support many insects

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT NEWDEGATE AT:

and animals at different times of the year.

In the background are coloured squares illustrating the land, and how it appears

Newdegate CRC, 1 Collier Street,

from above: green for the green bushland

Newdegate, WA 6355 | (08) 9871 1791

areas and brown, orange and red for the red dirt and rocky areas.

19

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

ne Wheatbelt family has turned a hobby catching yabbies in their

O

farm dam into a thriving business supplying the freshwater minilobsters to high end restaurants across the country. Michael and

ANNE BISHOP’S NEWDEGATE YABBIES

Mary Nenke are former wheat and sheep farmers in Kukerin

who operate Cambinata Yabbies, sustainably farmed and supplied live from their state-of-the-art export kitchen to top Perth restaurants like Print Hall and No 4 Blake Street. Check out cambinatayabbies.com.au

Chill live freshly caught yabbies in the freezer for an hour or so in a covered container to put them to sleep.

The PUBLIC Silo Trail team were introduced to this wonderful Wheatbelt delicacy while painting the Newdegate mural by local Anne Bishop, who

Place yabbies in a large pot of rapidly

left a cooler full of yabbies on our doorstep. Here is one of Anne’s yabby

boiling salty water with the lid on. Don’t

recipes.

overcrowd the pot and take care it does not over boil onto the stove. If cooking inside the house, adding a teaspoon of vanilla essence to the water stops the

THE NEWDEGATE SKATE PARK

smell permeating through the house.

When cooking has finished, replace cooking pot lid (or remove it to a safe place outside).

Remove the cooked yabbies as they rise to the top of boiling water. The larger ones will take a little longer.

TO SERVE: Place large platter of yabbies into the middle of the table, with dishes It’s amazing what a group of regional women who won’t take no for an answer can achieve when they join forces. Over several years and entailing numerous council meetings, fundraising efforts and planning hurdles, a small group of Newdegate women has made the Newdegate Skate Park happen. A concrete skate park with a mini ramp and extension, an adventure playground and a world class mural was launched in the heart of Newdegate in June of 2018.

for shells and bowls of water for finger washing. Peel the fresh, warm yabbies and dip into one of the following: •

Salt & pepper

•

Vinegar

•

Easy Yabby Cocktail Sauce

•

Curried Yabby Dip

Newdegate Skate Park, Newdegate, Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2018.

EASY YABBY COCKTAIL SAUCE

DON’T MISS A visit to the White Cliffs: 12 km south of Lake

•

4 tablespoons mayonnaise.

•

2 tablespoons tomato sauce.

•

2-3 drops tabasco sauce.

•

Mix and alter to taste.

Grace, these are an unusual combination of weathered granite, quartz and soft

CURRIED YABBY DIP

white kaolin. You need a four-wheel drive,

•

and as the cliffs are on private land, an

Seriously good aioli and mayonnaise - equal amounts

appointment for access.

•

2 teaspoons of curry powder (to taste)

•

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Lake Grace: home of the award-winning

•

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Walkers Hill Winery, which is a lovely

•

Mix and alter to taste.

place to relax and sample some of the area’s finest wines. The cellar door offers wine tastings, and various wines, produce, arts and crafts for sale.

20

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

RAVENSTHORPE n the ancient ranges and rugged river

I

valleys

around

the

settlement

of

Ravensthorpe, wildflower season is every season.

Just over six hours' drive south east of Perth and two hours west of Esperance, Ravensthorpe was once mined for gold, copper, silver, nickel and other minerals.

Now a sheep and wheat centre, the town also offers walks and drives just outside the centre that are too beautiful to miss.

The Fitzgerald River National Park covers 297, 244 ha of coastline and is home to a vast array of local fauna and flora. It is recognized at one of the largest and most significant

national

parks

nationwide

- it is home to nearly 20% of our floral species. Wildflowers are at their best between August and November. You can time your visit to coincide with the town’s annual wildflower show in September, and identify over 800 local wildflower species.

Banksias, Ravensthorpe, 2018. Photograph by Sue Leighton.

They’re not 100 per cent sure, but

and we’re not even halfway. There are

Some of our significant wildflowers

Ravensthorpe’s Wildflower Show could

still so many unnamed species.

are the Qualup bell, the Hakea victoria

actually be the biggest in the world. It happens every September and features

– that’s the Royal Hakea – Guardian There are several orchids rare to the

of the Fitzgerald River National Park.

area and 40-90 species of different

They look like something out of Jurassic

biosphere

plants that only grow in this region,

Park, and line up like soldiers guarding

where these exquisite wildflowers thrive,

as well as the most eucalypt species

the hill. Then there are the Banksias,

has become a part of her soul.

per square kilometer in Australia. Just

with the New Holland honeyeaters

this year Fitzgerald Biosphere was

feeding off them. People come for the

“The Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show

reinstated

Biosphere

wildflowers but there’s also a gift store,

features up to 700 species of flowering

Network, which puts us on par with the

small artworks, an exhibition of bush

plants- all flowering at one time. Last

Galapagos and the Amazon in terms

bizzo and a geological display showing

year, we had 717. We’re not sure, but it

of biodiversity significance. We live in

the correlation between the minerals

could be the biggest wildflower show in

a biosphere hotspot within a hotspot

and the wildflowers.”

the world. We fall within the Fitzgerald

within a hotspot. This region is just

Biosphere so we have this combination

embedded in me. It’s part of my soul. I’m

of minerals, soil type and isolation

a horticulturalist and garden designer,

that results in this immense diversity

so I guess I’m a nurturer and just belong

of wildflowers from the region. There

in this world. It’s so invigorating, going

have been 3,000 species collected here

out bush, it just brings you back to earth.

around 700 specimens. For Wildflower Show

coordinator

internationally

Sue

Leighton

significant

the

in

the

21

World

- Sue Leighton

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL RAVENSTHORPE n August 2016 acclaimed Fremantle-

I

based artist Amok Island created Ravensthorpe’s Six Stages of Banksia

WA’S IC O NIC RAVENS THO RP E S ILO S GE T THE S TAMP O F AP P ROVAL

baxteri, a 25 metre high wildflower

inspired mural painted across three CBH

Australia

Group silos in Ravensthorpe, Western

Post

has

just

released a commemorative

Australia. The project, entailed 31 days,

issue

338 litres of paint and countless trips up

of

celebrating

and down the silos in a knuckle boom.

four

stamps

iconic

art

on silos across regional Australia. The PUBLIC Silo Trail’s Six Stages of Banksia

Six Stages of Banksia baxteri by Amok Island,

baxteri by Amok Island in

Ravensthorpe. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2016.

Ravensthorpe is one of four stamps issued. You can find these special edition stamps at any Australia Post store.

DON’T MISS Whale-watching in the Fitzgerald River National Park. It’s one of only three places in Australia where southern right whales come to calve in large numbers. You can watch these gentle giants July to October from the cliffs at Point Ann or from Cave Point.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RAVENSTHORPE AT: Fitzgerald Coast Visitor Centre South Coast Highway & Andre Street Ravensthorpe, WA 6346 | 0400 499 267

22

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

ALBANY or tens of thousands of years Albany was known as

F

Kinjarling, the ‘Place of Rain’, home to the Menang Noongar peoples. Albany also marks the spot where the

There’s a new princess of Princess Royal Harbour.

first European settlers set foot in Western Australia, and

Drifting high above the city and standing sentry

much of their legacy remains today, with over 50 colonial buildings

over the sound, she’s a stately, whimsical

standing proudly as museums, galleries and restaurants. From

seadragon. A soaring, subaqueous mural which

convict prisons, whaling ships and taverns, to quaint cottages and

has taken form across the giant silos at CBH

grand National Trust residences, Albany offers almost two centuries of settler history – and an abundance of good places to eat.

Group’s Albany Grain Terminal. A secret of the

The city is located on a wild and dramatic coast. The surrounding

myth-like creature rendered 35 metres high

region boasts a number of reserves and national parks from which

by street artists The Yok and Sheryo marks

to spot the abundant wildlife and take in the stunningly ragged

the south-westernmost edge of Australia and

granite coastline that over time has been carved and sculpted by

celebrates what’s beyond it. She’s inspired by

the wild Southern Ocean.

the wild coast of Western Australia, where a new

sea, literally invisible to the untrained eye, this

species of seadragon has just been discovered, stunning

the

scientific

community

and

conservationists across the world. Morphing two of the most extraordinary creatures of the ocean, both rare and exclusive to the coastal waters of south - Western Australia, Albany’s seadragon has the bright red hue of the ruby seadragon and the gossamer tendrils of its leafy cousin.

The Yok and Sheryo for PUBLIC Silo Trail, Albany. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2018.

23

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

SEVEN OF THE BEST ALBANY

EATS AND DRINKS Albany has an up and coming food and beverage scene that’s making waves across the State. Here are our top picks for everything from wine flights to whiskey:

1. Local microbrewery Wilson Brewing Company uses seasonal ingredients like mandarins and honey to craft nautically themed brews with

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL ALBANY

names like Rough Seas, Dirty Oar and Stiff Mast. wilsonbrewing.com.au

In March 2018 acclaimed Brooklyn-based street art duo the Yok &

2. Albany distillery Limeburners’ Heavily Peated

Sheryo created the fourth mural in FORM’s PUBLIC Silo Trail over 17 days of painting and after 180 litres of paint. The 35 metre high

Darkest Winter whisky was just named the best in

and 50 metre wide mural now sits proudly across the giant silos at

the world. distillery.com.au

CBH group’s Albany Grain Terminal.

3. Oranje Tractor does wine flights- matching

PUBLIC Silo Trail, Albany, Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2018.

morsels of cheese, trout and farm grown produce with a selection of organic wines. oranjetractor.com

DON’T MISS

4. Downtown restaurant-bar Liberte is raking up accolades on a national level with its Parisian

Image courtesy of The City of Albany

Vietnamese themed menu and a wine list celebrating up and coming local producers. libertealbany.com.au 5. European delicatessen and wood-fire bakery Gourmandise

&

Co

does

cracking

coffee

and French pastries to write home about. gourmandiseandco.com.au 6. Mountaintop eatery The Garrison is our pick for

The National Anzac Centre: Albany’s King George Sound marks

incredible sundowner views over the harbour.

the spot where the first convoy of Anzacs departed for the

garrison.net.au

battlegrounds of the First World War. Today, you can follow their extraordinary stories through the National Anzac Centre’s state-

7. Belt out some sea shanties with the regulars

of-the-art interactive displays, as well as contemplate their

at The Earl of Spencer every second Tuesday

sacrifices as you walk through Field of Light: Avenue of Honour,

evening. Hailing from a folk tradition with an

an immersive artwork of 16,000 lights by Bruce Munro.

unbroken line of heritage, the Albany Shantymen

The Gap, Natural Bridge, and The Albany Blow Holes: where the

sing working and drinking songs from the days of

wildness of ocean and coastline combine to make an unforgettable

sail. theearlbarandrestaurant.com

experience, and unmissable photo opportunities.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ALBANY AT: Albany Visitor Centre, 221 York Street Albany, WA 6330 | (08) 6820 3700

24

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

EXTEND YOUR TRAIL FOLLOW A PATH OF LIGHT TO ALBANY

Light – the ephemeral symbol of life.

Bright, wondrous, and often fleeting, but, like the stars that cloak the deep night sky, it serves as a point of reference and remembrance of what used to be.

From October 4 2018 until Anzac Day 2019, Albany will glow in collective memory of the Anzacs, as 16,000 lights line the Avenue of Honour in a spectacular art installation by artist Bruce Munro.

The Field of Light: Avenue of Honour is an art installation created by Bruce Munro, a British artist internationally celebrated for his inventive work with the medium of light. This year, Australia honours 100 years since the end of the First World War by reflecting upon the journeys of those who have come before. From October 2018, the spirit of the Anzac’s will illuminate the Avenue of Honour along Mount Clarence. 16,000 glass orbs will stay rooted in the soil once graced by Australian soldiers, connected by 153,000

Field of Light, Hermitage Museum and Garden. Image courtesy of Bruce Munro Studio. Photograph by Mark Pickthall.

hopes of this land and its people. The

Honour will represent an illuminated

courage and bravery of 1918 rustles softly

path towards a more peaceful existence.

in the treetops as daylight streams across

Marrying

a field of glass orbs, bound together in

stems of light, the installation celebrates

coloured unison. Every visitor who walks

Albany’s unique and diverse biodiversity.

the Field of Light: Avenue of Honour and makes their way to the top will carry the legacy of the Anzacs. As the sun sets over the horizon and bathes the shoreline in fiery orange hues, the wildflowers of Albany will come to life and shine with hope of a better and brighter future still to

forget the sacrifices that were made and

that ended one hundred years ago’

this collaborative memorial will channel themes of mateship and unity just as times of past.

not only offer a moving and memorable experience for visitors to Mount Clarence and the National Anzac Centre (one of the Lonely Planet top 10 ‘must sees’), but also

to spend time in Western Australia’s

enlightened path of honour and peace. The

kowhai. Planted by a team of volunteers,

that Field of Light: Avenue of Honour will

‘It is too easy for our generation to

that we take for granted today to a war

and New Zealand, the wattle and the

Munro, FORM and the City of Albany hope

from the rest of Australia and overseas

memory of their sacrifice along a new and

represent the national flowers of Australia

delicate

prove to be an extra drawcard for tourists

it is difficult to attribute the freedoms

has been carefully selected by the artist to

with

come.

metres of optic fibre, and carry the

colour palette of green, white, and yellow

wildflowers

says Munro.

southernmost port city and the Great Southern region.

‘I would love people to come and see the installation, but there are so many reasons to come to Albany anyway’

‘This whole space is a commemoration for people who have given their lives, but it’s also a message to us all that we

says Munro.

Not only is it one of 25 biodiversity hotspots worldwide, Albany is the gateway to

mustn’t do this again. If the Field of

a wild and dramatic coastline; an archive

Light stands for anything, let us live in

of Australian cosmogony, history, and

peace and not war.’ Bruce Munro

industry. Other parts of this southern

inspired to create an artwork that would

Coinciding with the centenary of the

exploration and settlement, conflict and

combine the past, present, and future

Armistice, the Field of Light: Avenue of

achievement. It is rare to have all these

Upon visiting Albany, Bruce Munro was

25

city resonate with the lived experience of

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

elements converge in one place, and yet they do: in Albany.

Capturing his responses to stimuli

Do not miss it this October. For more

from music, literature, science,

information visit fieldoflightalbany.com.au.

and the world around him for reflection, and subject matter,

To plan your journey to Albany for Anzac

Munro’s work is largely inspired

Day or for the end of the Anzac Centenary,

by his interest in the shared human

visit www.theamazingsouthcoast.com. For a

experience. When he travelled to

full list of Anzac commemorative services and events, visit www.anzacalbany.com.au.

Australia with his wife, it was also

The creative mind behind this installation

landscape that inspired his most

is the acclaimed British artist Bruce

significant work, the Field of Light;

Munro, who for over 30 years, has used light to make artworks and installations that have delighted audiences all over the world (including

Uluru).

Munro

this countries natural light and

an inspiration that would see him

BRUCE MUNRO

become a leading immersive light installation artist internationally.

Returning to England in 1992,

was commissioned to develop this latest

Munro spent the next 24 years

work specifically for Albany and the

Bruce Munro is an internationally

Anzac

by

acclaimed

cultural organisation FORM (which is also

producing

managing the installation) and the City of

scale,

Albany. The project is also being supported

worldwide. Born in London in

by the Australian Government through the

1959, Bruce Munro completed a

Building Better Regions Fund and the State

B.A. in Fine Arts at Bristol in 1982

Government through Tourism Western

and

Australia

to Sydney to work in design and

at night, like dormant desert

lighting.

seeds responding to rain”.

centenary

and

commemorations

Lotterywest,

with

the

support from Christine & Kerry Stokes AC.

artist

renown

immersive

light-based

shortly

Atlanta Forest of light, 2015. Photograph by Mark Pickthall. Courtesy of the Bruce Munro Studio.

26

for

large-

installations

thereafter

moved

wondering how best to show his appreciation for the awe he experienced visiting Uluru in 1992.

After much reflection the Field of Light concept was born to become

“an artwork that would bloom

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

HOMEGROWN STORIES

Hamish Thompson, Homegrown Stories, Katanning. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2017.

W

hile the mining and resources

Stories aims to capture and preserve a

industries often grab the

sense of the epic scale and remoteness

headlines

that characterises the regions.

for

and

Western

the

kudos

Australia’s

productivity, agriculture has shaped the State’s landscape and fortunes for much longer.

Yet by comparison, far less has been heard

Find out more at

PUBLICSILOTRAIL.COM

of its people and their voices. Homegrown Stories is a social documentary project highlighting

the

character,

creativity

and tenacity of Western Australia’s rural workers, offering an alluring reason to discover and explore the State’s farming areas, and to get to know its people and communities.

Sharing

unique

first

person

stories

through interviews, footage and imagery, the project aims to offer the human stories of these unique regions and elevate understanding of their significance to the

“I like knowing I produce things that go and feed the world. It’s pretty rewarding. But it’s pretty tough too because you’re working with old girl up there, mother nature. If she doesn’t look after you, that’s pretty tough. But it makes you more resilient.”

“I love the bush, and the wildflowers and the wide open spaces. I suppose from my viewpoint about living out here. It’s not too crowded. By and large, people are all sort of likeminded. Everyone out here is my brother really. It’s not quite like that in a big city.”

- Hamish Thompson, from Katanning.

- Jim Flockart

State. Publishing in late 2018, Homegrown

Jim Flockart, Homegrown Stories, Merredin. Photograph by JP Horre, 2017.

27

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

That’s the story of Albany, the friends that you make here that just doesn’t change. The place informs those friendships in a way I’m still trying to figure out.

- Katie McAllister, from Albany.

Kate McAllister, Homegrown Stories, Albany. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2018.

“Everyone’s pretty tight together out here, everyone knows one another. We all yak together and we all try to have a bit of a laugh together.”

- Spike Jones

Spike Jones, Homegrown Stories, Merredin. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2018.

“I’m not a farmer, I’m not a farmer’s wife; I’m a farming wife...

I think there’s a drive in this town to make where you are a better place - and you have a lot of fun doing that with other people.”

- Rochell Walker

Rochelle Walker, Homegrown Stories, Merredin. Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2018.

28

PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

VISIT PUBLICSILOTRAIL.COM

Visit our Website The PUBLIC Silo trail is now complete and ready to become an iconic West Australian trail

that

aspires

to

be

nationally

recognised.

The new publicsilotrail.com website will be a destination and information hub offering everything you need to know to plan your PUBLIC Silo Trail adventure. Alongside unique first-person stories celebrating the character and tenacity of the region articulated in interviews, footage and imagery, find news and updates about the trail and discover things you didn’t know about the region. Users will be able to download vital information, maps and self-drive routes and find details for accommodation options, visitor centres must-see attractions.

Visit publicsilotrail.com to plan your trip Follow @FORMWA and tag us in your trail photos.

#PUBLICSILOTRAIL

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PUBLIC SILO TRAIL - THINGS WE FOUND ON THE TRAIL

The PUBLIC Silo Trail has transformed six towering grain storage silos and a series of walls and transformer boxes into locations of world class mural art, creating an outdoor art gallery celebrating regional Western Australia.

ABOUT FORM AND THE CBH GROUP FORM is an independent, non-profit cultural organisation that develops and advocates excellence in creativity and artistic practice in Western Australia. FORM firmly believe creativity can be a catalyst for positive change, and the most vibrant places to live are the ones that nurture dynamic creativity, showcase cultural diversity, insist on quality, and are shaped with people in mind.

FORM’s activities span high-level artist development and exhibitions, place-making, social and multicultural engagement,

cultural

infrastructure

development,

Aboriginal cultural maintenance, research, and advocacy.

The CBH Group is Australia’s largest co-operative and a leader in the Australian grain industry, with operations extending along the value chain from grain storage, handling, transport, marketing and processing. Owned and controlled by around 4,200 Western Australian grain growers, the core purpose of the CBH Group is to create and return value to growers. Its storage and handling system currently receives and exports around 90 per cent of the Western Australian grain harvest and is regarded as one of the best in the world.The CBH Group owns a state-of-the-art rail fleet dedicated to the most efficient transfer of grain from country receival points to its four port terminals. The co-operative’s marketing and trading arm is the leading grain acquirer in Western Australia and has operations in eastern Australia, as well as offices in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Russia.

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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Share the best things about your region or tell us the impact the PUBLIC Silo Trail has had on your community. Either write to us at publicsilotrail. com or share your thoughts on social media. You’ll enter the running for an ipad - don’t forget to tag #publicsilotrail

Cover image: PUBLIC Silo Trail, Newdegate, Photograph by Bewley Shaylor, 2018.