North East Tourist News

Australian Silo Art Trail - Goorambat

- WITH ANNETTE GREEN, AUSTRALIAN SILO ART TRAIL

THE Goorambat silo complex has three painted silos, two short ones sitting back to back and one tall concrete one standing on its own.

They were painted in two stages one year apart by renowned Australian artist, Jimmy DVate.

During the first stage, Jimmy chose to feature an endemic threatened Barking Owl species, of which there is said to be only 50 breeding pairs currently living in the wild.

Jimmy is said to have had a friend take over 300 photos of Milli (who lives at the Healesvill­e Sanctuary) in a bid to get the right image for the silo.

In 2019, Jimmy returned to paint another short silo - this one a magnificen­t tribute to three Clydesdale horses Clem, Sam and Banjo.

He has captured the motion of these horses in gallop, feathers flying on their feet as they travel side by side in harness.

Banjo began his life at the Lavereen Stud in Goorambat where he was raised by Graeme, Bev and Matt Trewin.

He is from a family of horses that date back over 100 years.

He moved from Goorambat to Toowoomba to live with the Martins where he was a Queensland Ploughing Champion and even did well in the show ring.

The Martins were chasing a working pair, so Banjo’s brother Clem went to Toowoomba to join him there.

He was a bit difficult to break in, but once he got the hang of it, the pair turned out to be highly trusted work horses and would work displays at the local museum.

Sam was bred by Dave and Nicola Martin at Coolibah Ridge in Toowoomba.

They gave him to their son, who broke him in and worked him at just age four.

Sam is the grandson of Banjo.

 ?? PHOTO: KDog Photograph­y ?? ENDANGERED: This mural of Milli the endangered Barking Owl was created after the artist studied more that 300 photograph­s of the bird.
PHOTO: KDog Photograph­y ENDANGERED: This mural of Milli the endangered Barking Owl was created after the artist studied more that 300 photograph­s of the bird.
 ?? PHOTO: Delta Charli ?? HARD WORKERS: Banjo, Clem and Sam the Clydesdale­s were hard working horses.
PHOTO: Delta Charli HARD WORKERS: Banjo, Clem and Sam the Clydesdale­s were hard working horses.

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