Big Mallee Sky (continued)

In the heart of the Mallee is the small town of Sea Lake. It made the perfect base for exploring the silo trail and the magical-looking Lake Tyrrell, only seven kilometres away and one of the more unique natural attractions I’ve visited.

Lake Tyrell

Lake Tyrrell is on the edge of Sea Lake and is Victoria’s largest salt lake, covering a massive 20 860 hectares; and is dry most of the year. It is an ancient place, estimated to be 120,000 years old, and there is evidence that the Boorong people had a significant cultural and spiritual connection to the lake and sky. Lake Tyrell was a significant tourist destination for international visitors wanting to capture the spectacular night sky, sunset, or sunrise in the mirror-like reflections of the lake’s shallow waters. In my research of the area, I found mesmerising photos. Unfortunately, on our visit, we did not have any such luck. The lake was dry, and construction interfered with our view.

Sea Lake silo

I was awestruck by the beautiful colours and the artist’s representation of the vast Mallee sky; it is one of the most spectacular paintings on the art trail. I felt a sense of stillness and silence, a demand to slowly take in the immensity of this painting and its details. Painted by Drapl and The Zookeeper, the silo depicts a young girl swinging over Lake Tyrrell and reflects the rich colours of the environment. The young girl’s perspective opens up a portal for the audience to step through and connect with elements of the landscape perhaps ordinarily overlooked.

Coffee House Writers/Jo Curtain

Lascelles Silo

Painted by Rone, these silos depict the portraits of local farming couple Geoff and Merrilyn Horman, who have a deep connection to the town and surrounding area. Sadly, visitors are unable to view them together. The first silo we saw from the car park was of Geoff, and to see the portrait of Merrilyn; we had to walk around the other side. Rone created a monochrome palette integrating the surface of the silo into the portraits. Their faded images had an almost translucent ghostly appearance, and they reminded me of old photographs. Unfortunately, although the portraits looked amazing against the clay-coloured earth and overcast sky, the weather was not favourable for capturing a clear image.

Nearby the quirky Drovers Hut Gallery caught my attention. It featured animated corrugated iron sculptures throughout the property. 

Coffee House Writers/Jo Curtain

Patchewollock Silo

The drive to Patchewollock silo was scary along the very narrow roads, gravel shoulders, and oncoming trucks. Arriving safely, we were welcomed by the magnificent silo painted by Fintan Magee, a Brisbane artist. He was keen to create a painting that captured a sense of the community spirit. Therefore, he stayed for an extended period meeting with community members until he eventually found his muse, Nick Hulland, at the local pub. Hulland denotes the archetypal Australian farmer. His rugged appearance and squinting contemplation of his surroundings portray his challenges as a farmer in the Mallee.

Magee said the silo project ‘was about making art more accessible; bringing art out of the galleries and making it part of people’s everyday lives.’

Not far from the fabulous Patchewollock silo, overlooking the old railway station, were two lovely, very big Malleefowls, created from painted corrugated iron. Artist Phil Rigg has brought much-needed attention to Malleefowls’ vulnerable status in Australia. Normally, Malleefowl are not easily spotted; their perfect camouflage and sweet rotund bodies are around the size of a large domesticated chicken, keeping them hidden.

Coffee House Writers/Jo Curtain

Nullawil Silo

Finally, the tiny town of Nullawil was the last stop on the silo trail; painted by Smug, aka Sam Bates, depicts a farmer and his working dog. The artist is keen to bring the viewer’s attention to the kelpie. Smug, a self-taught artist, is known for his photorealism street art using spray paint. It is incredible. In this project, he used a beautiful palette of earthy tones. I imagine standing there watching as, layer-by-layer, the familiar flannelette shirt is revealed and the bright, alert eyes of a kelpie. The painting captures the strong community spirit.

Coffee House Writers/Jo Curtain

Meanwhile, another three silos were added to the trail since our visit, and I hope to see them all!

In the next part of the series, we travel to Benalla in the northeastern region of Victoria.