Silo Art Trail

Painted by artist Tim Bowtell, the silos pay tribute to St James rich history.

Not many people know that St James is the home the first Coles store! Sir George Coles grew up in the St James township and took over the St James General Store from his father, expanding it to the empire it is today. See Sir Coles and the original general store portrayed on one of the murals.

The other murals depict St James’ grain transporting history. Before the railway extension in 1886, St James was the drop off point for all the wheat from Tungamah in the North, Warby Range to the East and Yabba to the West. In the 1915-16 season, a record of 405,000 bushels (135,000 bags) of wheat was transported to St James by horse and wagon, a motif that is displayed in the artwork.

The GrainCorp Silos art project at Katamatite, painted by Tim Bowtell in July 2023, holds significant importance to the Lions Club and the entire community.

The silo artwork showcases a Wedge Tailed eagle, symbolizing the connection to the metal eagle in the Lions Park and paying homage to the traditional owners, the Kwat Kwat/Bangerang people. The left silo portrays indigenous figures camped along the Boosey Creek, and a Scar Tree runs down the center, connecting the two silos. The design also features local plants and rare wildflowers. The top right showcases the first passenger train engine that serviced Katamatite in its early settlement days. The bottom of both silos features a depiction of horses pulling a scoop to create irrigation channels, which played a crucial role in opening up the region to farming.

Rochester is a small country town in Victoria approximately 180 km north of Melbourne. The Campaspe River runs right through the town which forms part of the Murray-Darling basin, a vital waterway and ecosystem to many wildlife and to the town which is experiencing a resurgence in activity thanks to the tourism brought by the silo art completed in 2018 and 2021 by renowned mural artist Jimmy D'Vate.

On the tall silo is a wrist-winged Squirrel Glider. This species was once thought to be extinct in South Australia since 1939 until a genetic test confirmed their continued inhabitant in our region.

On the shorter silo is the Azure Kingfisher. With its combination of royal blue plumage on its upperparts contrasting with its orange underparts, makes it one of the smallest and most dazzling kingfishers in Australia. It inhabits the vegetation beside waterways and other wetlands. It is pictured perched on a branch alongside the Campaspe River.

The Platypus mural is on the same silo site but around the back of the current two. The unique-looking creature is often seen swimming at the surface of the Campaspe River. The question is - is the painted silo Platypus looking at you? Come and see for yourself.