We've been chasing painted silos across Australia for a while now, and I have to say, Ravensthorpe's contribution to this growing gallery of rural art is something special. Pulling into this small Western Australian wheat-belt town, you can't miss the massive grain silos transformed into vibrant canvases celebrating the region's native flora.
The silos were painted in 2019 by renowned Western Australian artist Kyle Hughes-Odgers, who has made quite a name for himself in the street art scene. What sets this work apart is his distinctive geometric, contemporary style that somehow manages to be both boldly modern and deeply connected to the landscape. The murals feature native banksia flowers and other indigenous plants rendered in these striking abstract designs that catch the light differently throughout the day.
You can see the intricate detail in the banksia blooms, a testament to Hughes-Odgers' talent.
Lisa and I spent a good half hour just walking around the base of these silos, cameras in hand, trying to capture the scale and detail of the artwork. It's one thing to see street art on a building wall in the city, but there's something remarkable about seeing it out here in the wheat belt, towering over the surrounding farmland. These aren't small canvases – grain silos are massive industrial structures, and painting them requires serious skill, planning, and no small amount of courage working at those heights.
The Ravensthorpe silos are part of the growing PUBLIC Silo Trail, a project that's transforming rural Western Australia into an outdoor art gallery. It's giving travellers like us another reason to explore these regional towns that might otherwise be just a fuel stop on the way to somewhere else. Instead, they've become destinations in their own right.
We found a good spot to park the van nearby for photos, though the main street has plenty of room for larger rigs. The town itself is worth a wander too – there's a decent bakery and the locals are friendly, always happy to chat about their famous silos. For anyone travelling through this part of WA, it's definitely worth the small detour off the South Coast Highway. We can't wait to see what other artistic treasures this silo trail holds in store for us.