CBH Bin

Statement of Significance

The CBH grain receival point at Nungarin is important because it services the major industry in the Shire. The town owes its foundation to agriculture, and apart from the period of Australian Army influence and the presence of 5BOD, it has been the only significant occupation and industry in the district.

Physical Description

The Co-operative Bulk Handling "A Type" Bin at Nungarin has a capacity of 500,000 bushels, and measures 375 feet long and 75 feet wide. The walls are of reinforced concrete (16 feet) and corrugated iron (4 feet). The concrete section of the walls is 18 inches thick at the bottom, tapering to 8 inches at the top with the floor being of 5 inch reinforced concrete. The roof is a clear span steel truss and steel purlins on a 30 degree slope. The track shed is 60 feet long, and 34 feet wide, with a height of 15 feet rising to a peak of 19 feet. At the time of construction there were two self emptying hopped pits, each of 18 tons capacity, and a rail garner bin of 15 tons capacity. The elevator tower reached 84 feet, and the peak of the roof 42 feet 10 inches. The elevator had a 40 HP motor and worked at a rate of 200 tons an hour. Two belt conveyors, operating on a 10 HP motor, worked at a rate of 200 tons an hour, with outloading by an end loader at a rate of 150 tons an hour. The 'E' Type Bin measures 187 metres x 29 metres, and has timber struts and corrugated iron walls. The roof is constructed of steel purlins and trusses with a corrugated iron roof. The 'A' Type and the 'E' Type bins were not connected when built, and the 'E' Type was filled using throwers. The 'K' Type elevators and garner bins were erected in 1983. The weighbridge is a Toledo type, and originally had a capacity of 25 tonnes, which was later upgraded to 50 tonnes. In 1998 it was upgraded to 100 tonnes (2 x 50 tonnes) by the addition of a converted 25T Mech Hawke Add On ex Bruce Rock. The sampling platform is a Type 6 double sided High and Low, installed in 1986. The accommodation unit is a 6 berth Lysaght style installed in 1971, and connected to Western Power.

History

The opening of the new "A Type" grain bin on November 19th, 1964, was an indication of the importance of Nungarin as a grain centre. With a capacity of half a million bushels (18,600 cubic metres, holding 13,900 tonnes of wheat), it replaced the old 184,000 bushel bin. At the opening ceremony, Shire President Ron Herbert said it was a milestone in Nungarin's history. President of the Nungarin Farmers' Union, Mr H.J.Muhs, stated that increasing grain averages over the latter years had indicated the necessity of a larger bin, and he quoted grain receivals over the previous thirty years. 7,200,788 bushels of wheat had been received, 280,091 bushels of oats, and 79,544 bushels of barley. Five years later, in order to store increasing quantities of grain, a second bin was added to the existing storage. The 'E'Type Bin was erected in 1969, and sealed in 1990. It has a capacity of 27 300 cubic metres, and holds 20,400 tonnes of wheat, bringing the combined storage capacity in Nungarin to 34,300 tonnes. The 'A'Type Bin was sealed in 1993. Sealing was necessary so that the bins would be able to contain phosphene gas to kill grain pests without the use of chemicals. On 21st December 1993, the Nungarin Shire was presented with an award to commemorate the delivery of one million tonnes of grain to the Nungarin Receival Point. At the same time, the Clement family at Knungajin were recognised for having delivered the one millionth tonne. Bulk handling facilities in Nungarin were completed in 1933, and were among the first to be installed after the five experimental installations in the Wyalkatchem district in 1931.

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