Silos

Statement of Significance

Geraldton's grain silos are a prominent feature of the Geraldton cityscape and emphasise the city's role as the centre of a rich agricultural district as well as being an important export hub. The two distinctive vertical silo facilities, together with the nearby wheat bins, are evidence of how technological advances have impacted on the handling of bulk grain over time. As representative examples of their respective eras of grain handling technology, the silos have aesthetic value for their sheer bulk, impressive form and dominance of the Geraldton skyline.

Physical Description

Located at the Geraldton Port the wheat silos are a well known landmark of Geraldton and are visible from many vantage points around the city. Comprising of two facilities situated next to each other, the original 1962 silos are located adjacent to Marine Terrace. The 24 vertical concrete silos are painted white, and together with the associated framework and structures, dominate the skyline of Geraldton. Immediately behind is the 1993 silos, a larger and more modern structure with wider individual silos, also white, with a covered conveyor system above. The two silos are interconnected with sloping covered conveyors. Additional covered conveyors extend out to the wharf edge to facilitate grain loading.

History

The technology of grain handling has changed considerably over time. Originally bags of grain were loaded by hand onto ships off the Railway Jetty. With the development of the Geraldton port and the expansion of the grain industry, in 1935 Berth 1 was provided with a grain terminal and the first installations for the bulk loading of grain were initiated. Basically a storage shed located on the wharf, it held about 7,500 tons of grain, and required boosting with extra loads of grain by road and rail to cater for a full shipment. The terminal facilities included a travelling gantry at the east end of the wharf which, with a loading capacity of 300 tons per hour, made Geraldton one of the most efficient bulk handling centres in the State. The gantry, which included a 64ft tower with a 20ft wide lower structure, was in operation until 1961 when it was superseded. During the Second World War a silo with a capactiy of 30,000 tons was built immediately behind the wharf and the grain was trucked from there to the terminal for shipment. This remained until c1947 and was superseded by five large horizontal storage bins adjacent to the West End Beach which had a capacity of approximatley 250,000 tons. With annual harvests in the area increasing to approximately 300,000 tons by the late 1950s, and the shipments of grain from the port having expanded, modern grain-handling facilities became necessary. Under the old existing storage system it was not possible to fumigate the grain effectively and although the old terminal poured loads into freighters at a high rate, these facilities were outmoded. Construction of a new grain terminal commenced in October 1959. On 7 February 1962 the 2.25 million pound ($4.5 million) silo complex was opened which included overhead grain transfer galleries which extended across to No. 3 berth at the wharf. The construction was described in a local newspaper: "5,500 tons of cement, 2,300 tons of steel and 18,000 tons of sand and stone were used in the construction of the huge project. The piles on which the terminal and galleries rest, if placed end to end, would extend for nine miles. The total length of the belting used in the conveyors and elevators is more than two miles. In all there are twenty-four vertical concrete cells and forty interspace cells in the terminal. Grain can be fumigated in all of these. The cells are 120ft high and the working house towers to a height of 182ft. The twin rail receival hoppers each has a capacity of 400 tons per hour, and the twin road receiving points can each handle 200 tons per hour. Grain is shipped through twin gantries and each has a capacity of 400 tons per hour, being fed by endless conveyor belts running one above the other from the fourth floor of the silo to the shipping gallery. Two different grains can be shipped out at the same time." The new grain terminal facility included twin 84ft gantries at the west end of the wharf, each with a capacity of 400 tons per hour. Despite the enhanced facilities the wheat bins remained in use due to the large quantities of grain being produced. Co-Operative Bulk Handling Ltd undertook a huge upgrade of grain handling facilities in Geraldton in 1993 with a second vertical silo complex built alongside the existing one. A world leader in grain handling technology, CBH had by this stage evolved a design of vertical storage cells with conical self-emptying bottoms, a design far more efficient than the original flat bottomed storage cells built at Geraldton. This silo complex allows for the efficient handling of wheat, oats, barley, lupins, canola, chichpeas and faba beans produced in the region.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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