The silo art in Murrumburrah was completed in 2021 by the popular street artist Heesco. As the eastern end of the old flour mill building received the mural facelift, it is best photographed in the morning when the sun illuminates the colours of the mural.
About Murrumburrah
Murrumburrah is also known as Harden-Murrumburrah, because it is a twin township and community. It is located in the Hilltops Region of NSW. Murrumburrah was the original village established in 1840, and later Harden was established as a major railway station a short distance to the north in 1877. We visited the silo art in Murrumburrah as part of a day trip out on the NSW country roads. The plan was to set off early and spend some time and some dollars out in the country towns of NSW.
Silo Art in Murrumburrah
First stop of the day was the silo art in Murrumburrah. The sun was shining on the mills in the morning, showcasing the vibrant colours in the mural. Unfortunately, there is a private property adjacent to the mural.
Constant foot traffic of eager photographers appears to be eroding the land at the boundary fence of the property. The owners have planted pine trees on their side of the boundary fences and these trees will end up obscuring the view of the mural from the street as they grow.
Originally intended to create a destination stop for road trippers, the artwork on the silos is not clearly visible from the street because of the pine trees. This leads people to climb up to the boundary fence and position the camera between the pine tree branches. The mill buildings were the site chosen for the mural because they hold historical significance for the town. However, it feels like it won’t be possible for this to be a permanent attraction. If you were planning on a trip out to see the silo art in Murrumburrah, I wouldn’t leave it too long.
Black Dog Ride
We saw the mural on the third Sunday in March 2022. This day just so happened to also be the annual national one day ride organised by Black Dog Ride Australia. It also, just so happened, that the Black Dog Ride stopped in at the silo art in Murrumburrah, just as I was taking my photographs.
It was amazing to see what looked like hundreds of riders pull up in front of the mural. The riders’ aim is to raise awareness of depression and suicide prevention across Australia.
You can read more about ride days and events here.
We jumped in our car and took off to make some more room for the motorcycles to pull up, and headed over to the Barnes Store Emporium and Café for some brunch.
The Barnes Store Emporium and Café
The homemade food is delicious and made using the produce from local farmers and community gardens. The original floor boards feature in the building, adding to the country store atmosphere.
When you order a pot of tea, you get to choose your own tea-pot from their eclectic selection of pots. Then you get a table place marker that tells the story of an infamous Australian bushranger. Our table was the story of Henry Manns.
The store also sells a selection of spreads, spices and lollies made in-house by the owners. We took home some jam and some relish.
Catch up with them on Facebook, or visit their website here. Check the opening hours before you go.
Bill the Bastard
Harden-Murrumburrah also pays tribute to the War Heroes of the region, memorialised in statues and plaques on the main street.
One statue particularly caught my attention.
This is the famous war horse affectionately known as “Bill The Bastard”. Bill was a 17.1 hands high, cranky Australian war horse who gained the reputation of being un-rideable. Yet in the 50 degree heat of the desert at Gallipoli, Major General Michael Shanahan rode Bill into the thick of battle to rescue four Tasmanian troopers who had become surrounded by their enemies. Standing his ground, Bill allowed the four men to quickly scramble up on him. With three men on his back, and one man standing on each stirrup, he carried them at a gallop for over a kilometre through gunfire, and delivered them all back to safety. What an incredible story! It brings tears to my eyes. There’s more detail about the battle, the men, the horse, and the memorial here.
Australian country towns are full of history and charm. What will you see on your trip to view the Silo Art in Murrumburrah?
Accommodation options in Murrumburrah
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Related Posts.
- Street Art in Western Australia
- Silo Art in Wilton
- Street Art in Melbourne
- Silo Art in Gunnedah
- Street Art in Devonport NZ
- Exeter CA, Outdoor Art Gallery
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What a great read! Thanks so much for the insights of about the silo mural and the story of Bill the Bastard, really fascinating. As an Australian, I really enjoyed the article and have now added Murrumburrah to the To Visit List 👍 It’s a shame that the property owners have planted the pine trees to block the view, and I can completely appreciate that it must be frustrating to have so many people visit for photos but it feels like there was an opportunity to lean into the increased footfall and potentially benefit from it rather than blocking it. I’m glad that you visited when you did so that you could share with the rest of us 😊
Hi Russell! So good to hear from a fellow Aussie 😁.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts on the silo art. I was really impressed with the story about “Bill the Bastard”. Just incredible!
I’m enjoying visiting the Australian country towns to see the silo art, and discover their interesting stories to boot. There’s another post coming soon with another great mural I found out in the sticks. 😁