Forest Hill Silos Mural Project

Project Overview

Lockyer Valley Regional Council is working with Forest Hill Community Development Association (FHCDA) to prepare designs and a project plan for a potential art project on the GrainCorp silos adjacent to the rail line in Forest Hill.

Discussions with GrainCorp and Queensland Rail have been positive with conditional approvals now in place. Formal approvals will be required prior to any artwork installation.

Council and FHCDA are seeking feedback from the Forest Hill community, the wider Lockyer Valley Region, as well as potential visitors, on design themes which have been shortlisted based on their alignment with local community history, culture and values.

Community feedback will be collated and reviewed and used to prepare a design brief for prospective artists to submit a design and competence portfolio.

This is a long-term project intended to be undertaken in stages subject to obtaining funding from a range of sources including government, arts, tourism, corporate sponsorship and the community.

You are encouraged to review the various sections of this project engagement portal and interact in meaningful ways and, in particular, please complete THE SURVEY below by 30 June.

Background

The Forest Hill silos were constructed to meet the increase in production of wheat and barley on the Lockyer Valley and surrounding districts in the 1970s. It location between Toowoomba and Brisbane and accessibility to the rail line made it the ideal location.

Construction commenced on the first two silos on 13 January 1975 in a non-stop concreting process that last two days and involved 45 men for each 12-hour shift. Holding 2,200 tonnes each, the cost of this project was $200,000. These are the two central silos.

The two outside silos were constructed in 1979 to respond to the high demand and traffic congestion caused by waiting trucks. The work took 20 men four days to complete, taking the total capacity of the four silos to 8,800 tonnes.

Grain production and storage has decreased since the boom years of the 1970s and 80s and the silos transitioned to holding sites for companies including Uncle Tobys and GrainCorp.

The silos are managed by GrainCorp and continue to be a significant landmark in the region, being visible from parts of the Warrego Highway to the north.

Survey

Silos Mural Benefits and Themes

This survey seeks community views on the value and benefits of a proposal to have large scale murals painted on the Forest Hill silos, and explores the preferred styles and themes of possible images.

The results of the survey will be used by Council and FHCDA to develop an Artist's Brief which will be used during the Expression of Interest (EOI) process to gather draft designs and quotes.

It is important to note that images used in the photo gallery are not specific designs that will be painted on the silos. The survey is designed to gather information on themes and community support, not specific designs.

The project team understands there are many more possible design styles and themes that could go on the silos however the images being used have been shortlisted based on what is considered to be most appropriate to the history and culture of the Forest Hill community.

Various concepts of lighting the silos at night have been considered but do not form part of this current project.

The survey and consultation will close 30 June 2021.

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FAQS

Forest Hill town is a vibrant village, rich in history, with an unspoilt boutique feel which is reflected in quality eateries, gift shops and tastefully renovated buildings.

Forest Hill attracts visitors from across the region and south east Queensland. Being located approximately 85 km from Brisbane city and 50 km from Toowoomba it is ideally located to attract day trippers and those wanting to enjoy country hospitality.

The Ugarapul people were the original inhabitants of the Lockyer Valley, as well as Ipswich to the east and Fassifern to the south. The terms Yuggera, Ugarapul, Yuggarapul, and Yuggarabul are generally considered synonymous.

Unfortunately, records of indigenous life in the Forest Hill area are limited.

Forest Hill was founded in the mid-1800s. Originally part of a rural ‘run’ the area around Forest Hill was subdivided into smaller farms in the 1800s. These farms focused on the production of lucerne, timber, grain, dairy, & vegetables.

By the 1900s, Forest Hill was thriving and growing more produce than the older Laidley and Gatton Settlements. Forest Hill was Australia’s largest railway produce distribution centre in the early 1900s due to close proximity of the railway to the farms which enabled produce to be distributed across Queensland.

The town quickly grew to accommodate the growing population and was serviced by a school, hotels, banks, doctor’s surgery, telephone exchange, grocery shops, and produce merchants.

The silos were constructed in two separate projects in 1975 and 1979 respectfully, to meet the demand for grain storage. These are the closest grain silos to Brisbane.

The addition of large scale silo murals could provide a new and additional location for local festivals which can provide local celebrations, fundraising opportunities for community groups and schools, and an increased market for local businesses.

Existing signature events such as Forest Hill Christmas Festivities could potentially expand onto the site or highlight the murals for the event using targeted lighting.

Silo art is now a notable tourist attraction phenomenon with many people travel considerable distances to see these awe-inspiring artworks.

This proposed project would result in being the closest silo art to Brisbane and South East Queensland which currently boasts a population of 3.6 million people and is expected to grow to 5 million in the next 10 years.

The tourism potential and benefits of this project would be considerable for the community and includes opportunities for cafes and hotels, boutique shops, accommodation services, farm-gate stalls, farm tours and more.

The Forest Hill community is proud of its heritage, resilience and friendly community. This project can provide a significant opportunity to showcase those factors through a large scale artwork that would become well known throughout South East Queensland and beyond.

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