I was fortunate to attend the Man From Snowy River Festival at Corryong this year. The Festival is inspired by Banjo Paterson’s poem, The Man From Snowy River and now the Festival has inspired me to write about my experience there. I’ve called it The Corryong Sound!
The Corryong Sound.
The sound of the whips as they flick and they crack,
The whinny of horses that are camped out the back,
The smoke from the campfires that light the campground
And line dancing music, it’s the Corryong sound.
The cooking of damper, each one its own taste
Some made with cheese, and others port laced.
The rain’s getting heavy and sogging the ground
And I’ve looked for a raincoat – there’s none to be found!
So it’s out with the brolly to view the events
And feel sorry for campers who are only in tents.
There’s a chill in the air, and the atmosphere’s damp
It’s not the best weather to enjoy a bush camp.
But the company’s friendly and the programme is good
And the truck comes around every day selling wood
And they’re re-enacting Jack Riley’s great ride
That chased the rogue colt down the steep mountainside
Where he ran with the brumbies, so wild and so free
But this kind of life was not meant to be
He was cut from the run and forced to the stockade
And this story was how Riley’s legend was made
Then Banjo related the story in rhyme
And the legend lives on long after the time
That the word went around that the young colt had gone
And the horsemen had gathered to chase him down.
Now each year in Corryong there’s a great celebration
Of the ride that has captured the heart of the nation.
It’s open for all, we’re all welcomed to town
And the campground’s abuzz with the Corryong sound
Of whip cracking, whinnying, country music and fun
So for four days we’ll party until the Festival’s done.
I’m still on the Victorian Silo Art Trail but this time I’m in North Eastern Victoria, roughly in the area from Benalla to Yarrawonga and bordering the High Country.
I based myself at Broken Creek Bush Camp, about 15 kms to the west of Benalla (more about that at the end of the blog).
GOORAMBAT
There’s double value at Goorambat because not only are the silos painted but the little Uniting Church has a beautiful mural behind the altar. As part of the 2018 Wall to Wall festival, Goorambat silos were painted by famed iconic Melbourne Street artist Dvate, and Sophia at the Uniting Church was painted by Adnate.
DEVENISH
Continuing along the Devenish Road we do in fact arrive at Devenish which features my favourite silos on this particular trail. The artwork is of both a First World War nurse and a modern day combat medic.
The Devenish Silosartwork was unveiled on Anzac Day Eve 2018 and coincides with the 100 year centenary of the end of the First World War. Fifty young men and women from the Devenish community enlisted in military service for the First World War.
ST JAMES
Well here is a bonus I didn’t expect! The little town of St James is in the process of joining the Silo Art Trail and I happened to pass through when artist, Tim Bowtell, was working on his massive painting of G.J Coles, who opened his first store in the area which grew into the huge Coles Supermarket chain.
I’m not sure what he has planned for the adjoining silos but he is working on them until the end of April so if you are in the area pop along and see him at work.
TUNGAMAH
Tungamah was the first of these north eastern Victorian towns to sponsor Silo Art and here it is the last on my trip along the Silo Art Trail.
I’m so sorry that Tungamah doesn’t promote itself apart from the silos because it was a pretty little town with some wonderful historical buildings, green parks and gardens and well maintained homes. It is nestled on the banks of Boosey Creek and you can camp there, only a short walk to the General Store and pub. It’s a place I’d like to go back to and explore further.
Happy Campers:
The Broken Creek Bush Camp is a fabulous place to base yourself to view this particular Silo Art Trail but personally I don’t need an excuse to go back there – the hosts, the facilities and the size of the place make it a winning combination for a few days camping. It’s $7.50 per person per night, $1 for a shower, there is a massive camp kitchen and water and toilets are available. There is no power for RVs but there is power in the camp kitchen if you need to charge up the phone or computer. Friday night is pizza night and Doc and Cathy, the hosts, will be selling their delicious wood fired pizzas for $10. Yum!
A couple of weeks before arriving in this area I went to Rochester, which also boasts Silo Art. This was very special to me because the Motorhoming Club I belong to (CMCA – Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia) has a chapter called the Kingfishers and it is my home chapter. The Azure Kingfisher is our symbol as depicted on this silo.
Well, I’ve seen the Silo Art of Victoria! There is so much more to look forward to in other parts of the country and I know they will become magnets that will draw me in their direction. I look forward to you joining me on that journey, too.
Throughout February this year I followed the Silo Art Trail in Western Victoria, an adventure that had been on my bucket list for some time. NOTE: If you follow my daily blog, The Daily Snail, you will have shared this journey with me as it happened.
RUPANYUP
I started from Rupanyup (Ruh-PAN-yup). These silos were painted by a Russian street artist Julia Volchkova and represent the youth of the area and their involvement in team sports.
Rupanyup Silo Art
What else is there to see in the area? 1. It’s only a two minute walk into town from the campground. Like many of these small towns there are many closed shops but there is a couple that cater to the tourist like the Teapot Cafe and the original Cust’s Store.
2. Next door to the campground there is the amazing Woods Museum. They say one person’s trash is another person’s treasure and Woods Museum …. well, you can make your own mind up about it.
3. It’s an absolute must to travel west a few kilometres to Murtoa to view the ‘stick shed’, built during the second world war using the only materials available at the time – timber. It was a grain storage facility until fairly recently and is the only one of its kind still standing in the world.
Happy Campers:
I made myself comfortable in the great little campground at Rupanyup managed by the locals. It was dry and dusty as most of the country is at the moment, but was nestled on the banks of Dunmunkle Creek and only a short walk into town and to the silos. $10 a night for power, $1 for a 5 minute shower and toilet block open 24 hours. There is also a dump point.
SHEEP HILLS
The land throughout this whole area is dry, so dry. Most of the dams have very little water in them, if any, and the photo on the left shows you what the drive to Sheep Hills was like. The Silos were like a burst of colour in a barren landscape. They were painted by Melbourne street artist Adnate and you can find out about him and his inspiration for this silo art here.
Unfortunately the tourism factor was not enough to keep the local pub open and this wonderful old building is no longer pulling beers – or pulling crowds. I bet there’s been a few good yarns around the bar here over the years.
BRIM
Guido van Helten would have to be one of my favourite silo artists. He captures the character of his subjects so well you feel like you’ve met them in the street, or at the bar, or over the fence. As an aside, the tree I parked under nearly stole the show – magnificent!
ROSEBERY
Although these silos dominate the local landscape they would be my least favourite on this Silo Art Trail – somehow they don’t seem quite so … momentous? The Rosebery Silos were painted by street artist Kaff-eine.
The silo on the left captures the grit, tenacity and character of the region’s young female farmers, who regularly face drought, fires and other hardships living and working in the Mallee. In her work shirt, jeans and turned-down cowboy boots, the strong young female sheep farmer symbolises the future.
Descriptions from siloarttrail.com
The silo on the right portrays a quiet moment between dear friends. The contemporary horseman appears in Akubra hat, Bogs boots and oilskin vest – common attire for Mallee farmers. Both man and horse are relaxed and facing downward, indicating their mutual trust, love and genuine connection.
LASCELLES
Love these silos! When I first saw them I was a little disappointed as I thought the paintings were fading into the background of the silos but the more I studied them the more natural it seemed that these ‘locals’ were part of the environment, not separated from it. The couple are painted on the end wall of each silo and you can read about the artist, Rone, and his vision for these silos here.
Happy Campers:
I had an ‘overnighter’ at Lascelles, staying in the community campground with power, showers, toilets and water available for $10 a night. The bonus was it was next door to the pub so I wandered in for dinner, met some fellow travellers, and feasted on a good old pub parmy! (served by the cook with bare feet!)
PATCHEWOLLOCK
Patchewollock is the northern most silo town in the Wimmera/Mallee area – the end of the trail ….
Completed in late 2016, the artist ……….. portrays an image of the archetypal Aussie farmer – faded blue “flanny” (flannelette shirt) and all. Hulland’s solemn expression, sun-bleached hair and squinting gaze speak to the harshness of the environment and the challenges of life in the Wimmera Mallee.
Description from siloarttrail.com
This whole Silo Art Trail is only about 200 kilometres from whoa to go and could easily be done in a day but if you are carrying your home with you, as I do, why not slow down and spend a little more time exploring the surrounding areas.
The Snail Trail 