It was on the drive between Melbourne and Adelaide that I first saw silo art. I had heard about it but not actually seen it until we arrived in the small town of Kniva in western Victoria. And boy was I impressed. So I thought it was high time I went and discovered the silo art movement for myself. And what I have discovered is there is not only silo art but there is water tank art, street art and murals in towns and also colourful painted animal statues. So come with me as I discover some of the best art in Victoria.
Table of Contents
What is Silo Art
Silo art is art on silos. It has gained momentum over the past decade with artists being commissioned to create epic art that is relevant to the area the silo is in. And water tanks, walls and animals are getting in on the act.
Why Have Silo Art
Silo art is more than a visual spectacle. Every mural painted shows the history of, and the connection to the area the silo, water tank, wall or animals is located in. The art is also driving tourism to these local communities and invigoratng their local economies. This is because people who have come to see the art will more than likely spend a few dollars in the coffee shop, bakery, pub or local stores. And don’t forget the accommodation.
How to See Silo Art
Silo art is found in many towns in Victoria and they aren’t always close together. In fact, you will do a lot of driving between them to see them. And as there are no organised tours to see them, the best way to get to them is to drive. Now if you don’t have a car, you will to rent one to see the silo art. When I need a car I check out the models, pricing and availability at DiscoverCars. And you will be driving on many country roads so perfect your ‘Aussie wave’.
Where to Find Silo Art in Victoria
You can find silo art and other art on water tanks and walls all around Victoria. But they are mostly found in the North East and North West of Victoria as this is where many of the silos and water tanks are located. They are so popular there are specific silo art trails you can follow. I have picked up a number of maps from various information centres as I have been travelling around Victoria showing different trails. For details on many of the silos in Victoria and the rest of Australia I recommend checking out the Australian Silo Art Trail website. It has a great map showing you locations of silo art, water tank art and murals. Knowing where they are will help you plan your visit to see the silo art. It definitely helped me.
Here is some of the best silo art, water tank art, murals, street art and animal art I have found while travelling around Victoria, I’m hoping to visit more silo art trails in other states too.
Silo Art
Rochester Silo Art
Silos reflecting threatened animal and species of the area. In this case the Azure King Fisher and the Squirrel Glider.
St James Silo Art
Silo art in St James depict amongst a few things George Coles who grew up in the area and bought his first store there – and today it is the Coles Group. And I love how this was explained in an info board.
Colbinabbin Silo Art
silos show the significance of trains to Colbinabbin
Kniva Silo Art
The silo artwork celebrates the diverse flora and fauna of the nearby Little Desert National Park.
Devenish Silo Art
Fifty young people from the Devenish Community enlisted in the military services in WW1 and the silo art represents them and celebrates 100 years since the war finished.
Goorambat Silo Art
One of my favourite silos – the Clydesdale Horses of Gooroombat
Dookie Silo Art
I met this cute portable grain silo on the edge of Dookie
Water Tank Art
Kyabram Water Tank Art
gorgeous pink galah on Kyabram water tank
Moama Water Tank Art
Not in Victoria, but NSW – the twin city to Echuca is Moama with this gorgeous water tank art reflecting the birds in this Murray River area
Mural and Street Art
Melbourne Street Art
Melbourne has some of the best street art in the world – though at times it looks more like graffiti to me.
Rochester Murals
next to the Rochester silo art I saw this mural with a little graffiti. Rochester have a mural art competition every year.
Hastings Wall Art, Mornington Peninsula
the jetty is a big feature in Hastings and loved by locals who visit to walk around and fish
Animal Art
Mooroopna Cows
Cows in Mooroopna near Shepparton
Kniva Sheep
As well as the silo art, Kniva is brightening up this farming town with painted sheep
Are You Ready to Discover the Silo Art Trail?
There are so many more silos, water tanks, murals and animals that are painted and I am looking forward to seeing them. How about you? Have you seen any silo art?
The silo art looks amazing! I especially like the local animals displayed on the silos.
Me too. I love the clydesdale horses – this silo is one of my favourites.
Great post. I remember reading about this before but had forgotten all about it. Our time in Vic is running out but maybe we can find a silo?? There is always next time as I am sure we will be back again. We love it here.
I hope you can return and spend more time discovering Victoria. There are so many great country towns with interesting history and throw in silo art and you won’t regret touring around this part of Australia.
What beautiful art in public spaces. I love this idea for a trip to Australia
I agree, the art is beautiful. Going on a silo art trail is a great way to see parts of Australia you might not normally see. Many of the country towns are cute and have a lot of history.
Interesting!! I didn’t know that silo art is a thing! I remember seeing a mural on a silo many years ago in Vermont, I didn’t realize it’s an art movement. Super cool, and great info!
Yes, silo art is a thing and becoming more popular as people are looking for ways to keep their small farming town alive. Definitely add it to your list of things to see and do when in Australia.
What a fantastic guide to silo art in Victoria! I love how these massive structures have been transformed into stunning murals. Definitely adding this to my must-visit list!Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome. I hope you get to see some of them as they are very impressive.
Wooah honestly you can’t get much more of an epic canvas than a GIANT Silo! These are incredible! I have seen things like the animals and water tank art before around the world – but the Silo Art is really special for Victoria! Very cool.
Silo art is really cool. I love how the art represents the area. There are so many stories on the silos.
I’ve actually never heard of silo art and the way they’ve transformed these massive structures into large murals/masterpieces is impressive. Now, I want to hunt for them and see if they exist where I live.
You should do that because they are very beautiful.
Wow. This art work is amazing! These seems like the prefect trip to dive around and check out the different art to see their impact on the areas.
The art is amazing and well worth driving around the different areas and towns to see them.