GrainCorp is celebrating ten years since it helped ignite Australia’s iconic silo art movement on the east coast – transforming grain silos into national recognised artworks, and driving tourism and promoting local businesses across regional communities.

Since the first mural was unveiled at GrainCorp’s now-famous Brim site in western Victoria in 2016, the program has grown into one of the country’s most recognisable and celebrated regional public art movements spanning Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

What began as a single artwork painted during a period of drought and hardship has since inspired close to 80 silo artworks across Australia. GrainCorp owns the largest number of silo art sites of any single organisation, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to rural towns.

GrainCorp Community Engagement Manager Kyle Docherty said the 10-year anniversary was ultimately a celebration of the towns, artists and local champions who brought the artworks to life.

“Grain silos have always been places of connection and economic activity for growers,” he 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.”

Each GrainCorp artwork is developed in close partnership with local communities and artists, with designs often reflecting a town’s history, agriculture, landscapes and people.

The result is a collection of larger-than-life public artworks that, for many towns, have become catalysts for broader social and economic growth – from increased visitation and tourism spend to renewed confidence, pride and investment.

“Ten years on, silo art is about more than what’s painted on the silos,” Mr Docherty said.

“It’s about the conversations it sparks, the pride it builds and the way it helps regional communities tell their stories on a national scale.”

From Brim to a national phenomenon

The Brim mural – painted across four GrainCorp silos built in 1939 – was unveiled in January 2016 and marked the first silo artwork on Australia’s east coast.

Created by Australian artist Guido van Helten, the mural depicts an anonymous, multi-generational farming family, capturing the strength and resilience of the local agricultural community.

Shane Wardle, Brim Community Active Group President, says the impact on the town was immediate.

“The general store sold more ice creams in two weeks than it had in 10 years,” Mr Wardle said. “Wherever I go and mention where I’m from, people instantly talk about the mural.”

The Brim mural went on to inspire the creation of the Wimmera-Mallee Silo Art Trail, now one of Victoria’s most well-travelled regional tourism routes.

 “To be the catalyst for other communities getting on board the silo art movement is extremely special,” Mr Wardle said.

GrainCorp is proud to host five murals in the Wimmera-Mallee region, including Patchewollock, Lascelles, Brim, Sheep Hills and Rosebery, as well as 10 more across Victoria, two in NSW and two in Queensland.

Innovation and impact in Quirindi, NSW

One of the most awarded projects on the Australian silo art trail is the Quirindi silo mural in northern New South Wales – a landmark project combining large-scale artwork with a first-of-its-kind 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,” he 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.”

Designed by Western Australian artist Peter Ryan, the mural celebrates Quirindi’s Indigenous heritage, agricultural and grain-growing history, recognising the role the silos played in transporting wheat from the Liverpool Plains to Sydney and Newcastle.

Revival and tourism in Thallon, Queensland

In the small town of Thallon in southern Queensland, home to around 60 people, GrainCorp’s ‘Watering Hole’ mural has transformed the community into a vibrant regional destination.

Painted by artists Joel Fergie (The Zookeeper) and Travis Vinson (Drapl), the artwork features the local Moonie River, and the area’s wildlife and agricultural scenes, set against a typical Queensland sunset. It also recognises members of Thallon’s indigenous community with the inclusion of a scarred tree. 

Leanne Brosnan from the Thallon Progress Association, who plays a central role in the project’s ongoing success, said the mural marked a turning point for the town.

“Before the mural, Thallon was a town in decline,” she said.

“Today, it’s a community revived, with visitors bringing life, optimism and new opportunities. The mural didn’t just brighten the silos – it transformed our local economy.”

Tourism reportedly now accounts for 40 per cent of turnover at the nearby Thallon Hotel, with more than 10,500 caravans visiting the town since the mural’s completion.

The mural 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,” Ms Brosnan said. “A renewed sense of pride and the confidence to imagine a brighter future.”

Does your community want to join the movement?

To mark the ten-year milestone, GrainCorp will celebrate throughout 2026 with community events, storytelling and activations in towns that have helped shape the silo art movement.

Eligible communities interested in participating in future silo art projects are encouraged to apply via the GrainCorp website, as part of the next chapter of this uniquely Australian regional success story.

To find out more about the milestone year, visit: https://www.graincorp.com.au/silo-art/10-years/.

About GrainCorp

GrainCorp is an integrated grain and edible oils business with a market leading presence as the largest grain storage and handling business in ECA and the number one edible oil processor and oilseed crusher in Australia and New Zealand. Over its 100+ year history, GrainCorp has created a global supply chain with high quality infrastructure assets that store, process and facilitate the transportation of grains and edible oils. For future details, please visit the Investors & Media section of our website at www.graincorp.com.au