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    TOWN ICON: Nhill silo, the subject of a community development plan, provides an imposing backdrop to cricket action at Nhill’s Davis Park. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

Nhill community sparks silo development plan

Wimmera grain silos continue to provide a melting pot of creative ideas, with a towering landmark at Nhill the latest subject of a community project.

A Nhill group has launched a Nhill Silo Heritage Project to buy the town’s former Noske Brothers Silo and transform into some form of unique attraction.

The group, in the process of raising $150,000 to buy and clean up the structure and adjacent Davis Avenue buildings, has already placed a deposit on the property.

It has given itself until June 30 to raise the balance and after a meeting last week has planned a community presentation at Nhill RSL Hall at 7.30pm on May 26.



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Project spokesman John Deckert said the silo, which had claims as one of the largest reinforced single-cell concrete silos on the planet, was an historic and physical icon of the west Wimmera town.

“My aim at this stage would be that we look to raise $150,000. That would give us enough money to get through the first year and time to do some planning and put in some applications for grants,” he said.

“One of the things we feared was that the structure was at a price where someone could come in and buy it and remove anything valuable such as the timber and then walk away, leaving the community with clean-up bills and so on.

“The group believes the silo is an important part of the town and should be preserved in some way. But we can’t consider what we might want to do with it until we own it.

“It would really be up to the community or committee to come up with a concept that would have international appeal. We’ve an architect helping us and a couple of others with international experience coming up with ideas.

“It could be home to vertical gardens, an art gallery or something, perhaps with glass floors or special walkways that lead to a lookout. Perhaps as an alternative to providing space for a giant mural similar to other structures in the region, it might provide a massive screen for visual  projections. It’s mind-blowing what it could become.”

Structurally sound

Mr Deckert said an engineering report had confirmed the silo as structurally sound, noting only a few cosmetic and other minor issues.

He said the Nhill silo had the same specifications as a Horsham silo, except that it was about three metres taller.

“The Horsham silo was built in 1918 and Nhill’s in 1919 to take grain from the 1919-20 harvest. It’s been taking grain every year since – 102 years,” he said.

“Another point of interest is that when the flour mill at the site was completed in 1892, it generated electricity and opened the door for Nhill to become the first Victorian settlement to have electricity across the whole town. 

“It involved 160 houses and businesses and came only 10 years after Edison had developed a workable light globe.”

Mr Deckert said the project so far involved about a dozen enthusiasts, with more than half keen to be on a management board and others willing to provide help and skills.

“We’re keen to get as broad a range of people and volunteers of all ages and skills involved in the project as possible,” he said.

He said anyone seeking more information about the project could call him on 0437 351 753.