Telling the Molong story via painted images

By Rozzi Smith.
Reg. would say that Government of the day – even back then – stopped rural Australia from growing. “Then again, we are pretty damn good at stopping good ideas ourselves. It’s easier to sit and whinge rather than hopping in and making it happen!”

The ‘Silos Art Trail’ has been steadily growing throughout rural Australia – with local community people working positively together to design fabulous images – which tell the story of where they live.

No longer used wheat silos, like those in Molong, provide a perfect ‘canvas’ for artists to paint the chosen images.
Well, not only a perfect ‘canvas’. These tall grey concrete structures tower above the surrounding landscape – fascinating buildings which if the ‘walls could talk’ would be able to tell many a great story.

With the Molong silos no longer needed – they stand in a rather forlorn sense – bringing forth annoyance from some in memory of the ‘city based decision making’ forcing their closure, the loss of seasonal jobs, and the extra travel required by wheat farmers, now, to travel further distances to remaining silo storage.
For others, the sight of the silos overlooking the virtual closed Molong railway line, railway station, and removed goods shed is of further annoyance. Why did we let this happen? – still remains the comment of today.

In some ways – the Molong silos stand as a failure. Failure of the decision-makers to see and plan for the future. Failure of the local people who could not prevent the closure from happening. Failure is a word most of us are uncomfortable with – hardly a word or a feeling that will take us forward, as a town and community to a vibrant and new future.

The painting of rural town silos is indeed, invigorating communities who are now able to experience the positives which come from such a project.
Take a look at P.8 where the Express has placed David and Irene Bloomfields travel photo of one town’s painted silos. (There are more photos the Bloomfields sent to Express from their recent caravaning holiday to W.A. which we will show at a later date). Painted silos are popping up everywhere.

Les and Julie Dean, two long-time and dedicated locals have a design (also on P.8) of how they see Molong – a place of nature and beauty.
Others have come forward. One with a photo of the long-line of farmers wheat trucks waiting to unload their new season’s grain.

An image which could provide a fabulous story to paint onto the walls of the Molong Silos. A story of our town’s farming history- and one of the reasons why Molong was settled.

Many a local will remember the trucks and the farmers who once drove their wheat trucks into town. All helping each other to move their vehicles forward when the time came to unload and weigh their new season’s grain.

And the other story of how this was also the time when farmers could sit for awhile – either at the pub with their neighbours in the cool on the traditionally hot summer days. Or sitting against their trucks sharing a cold drink and a sandwich from their cool Eskys.

Take a look at the photos on Page 8 and the explanations about the art – think about the painting of Molong’s tallest building – the images you/your family would like to see – and please, please provide answers to the survey questions on this page.