Victoria’s latest silo art unveiled near Rainbow in southern Mallee

A striking, quirky grain silo mural near Rainbow in the southern Mallee is the latest addition to Victoria’s silo art trail. SEE THE VIDEO.

Victoria’s latest silo art can be revealed — a striking, quirky mural on the side of the Albacutya grain silo, just outside Rainbow in the southern Mallee.

Melbourne artist Kitt Bennett is applying the final touches to his curved mural after more than three weeks’ work.

Artist Kitt Bennett and his work on Albacutya’s old grain silo in north western Victoria. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Artist Kitt Bennett wanted to do something ‘surreal’ and ‘a bit weird’ for his piece. Picture: Alex Coppel.

“I wanted to do something that was surreal and a bit weird, and also break away from what some of the other silo designs were,’’ Bennett told the Herald Sun.

“But I also wanted to acknowledge the local area too.’’

The design features a young boy riding a farm bike and a woman with a yabbie, a nod to the legend of monster yabbies in Lake Albacutya when it actually had water.

These days, the dry lake bed is an off-road motorbike destination.

“I want the design to appeal to kids too,’’ Bennett said.

“I grew up in a country town so I want to try to being some cool to country areas.’’

“The bike is like a modern-day horse and all kids ride them.

“I want the artwork to be super colourful and have plenty of energy.’’

The 90-year-old concrete silo is the first in the Hindmarsh Shire. The existing silo art trail running up the shire of Yarriambiack.

The design features a young boy riding a farm bike and a woman with a yabbie, a nod to the legend of monster yabbies in Lake Albacutya. Picture: Alex Coppel.

The silo is 10km north of Rainbow with the townsfolk hoping to get a tourism boost as visitors flock to the latest artistic creation.

Bennett has had a delayed start to the painting, stuck in a one-bedroom apartment in Melbourne last year during the lockdowns.

“That was tough so having this job here has been great and I’m super happy with it.’’

Bennett has been involved in many murals around Melbourne often on the ground, including the 300m-long “tumbling man” on a wharf at Port Melbourne.

Mural art company Juddy Roller originally conceived the silo art trail and is behind the Albacutya project, aiming to create a new section of the trail to the west and with a significant point of difference.

The project has state government tourism funding while work on the viewing site, now open just to the east of the silos, is being paid for by Hindmarsh Shire.

The paint is a heavy-duty, one-coat acrylic paint, and like every home renovator knows, the first week of Bennett’s artistic efforts was taken up with preparation.

Originally published as Victoria’s latest silo art unveiled near Rainbow in southern Mallee