Disused Grain Silos Buddigower NSW

Disused grain silos Australia is a really interesting subject and a favourite of mine. I had a look through the now disused grain silo at Buddigower in March 2022.

The now disused grain silos at Buddigower were in almost constant use up until 2002. They are now in a fairly overgrown state having closed over 20 years ago. There isn’t very much left of the once thriving village of Buddigower NSW Riverina except for the grain silos and some footings in the old village precinct.

Disused Grain Silos At Buddigower NSW

Grain Silos Australia – Why Do we have Them?

An Australian Wheat Board was formed under the War Precautions Act 1914. After formation of the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) the federal government began building grain silos across the wheat-producing regions. A concrete silo type S041 [4100 tonnes capacity] was built at Buddigower in 1928 on the Barmedman to Rankins Springs railway line.

Buddigower Grain Silo Weighbridge

The Grain Silo Weighbridge At Buddigower

The grain silo weighbridge at Buddigower appears to be fully intact. With a clean-up and a service I think it would be ready to use. The scale section of the weighbridge is clearly marked as having been made by Asco and it has a label on it with the last calibration date of the 6^th of July 2000.

Weighbridge Scales At Abandoned Buddigower Silos

About Buddigower

The village of Buddigower was first surveyed in 1922 by Councillor Holland and declared before Mr H.R Helyar JP at West Wyalong in 1925. The lease of “Buddigower Run” was first gazetted on September 29, 1862 and was held by William Marshall. The native name means “Smoke in a hollow tree”.

Buddigower Information Board

At it’s peak Buddigower village consisted of the following buildings,

Rail workers cottages
Shop and Post Office
School teachers residence
Boarding house
Public hall
Tennis courts
Public school
Train passenger platform
Train goods platform
Silos and sample stand

Important Events Of Buddigower Village

Rail Siding: Opened January 8, 1923 and closed July 19, 1975
Buddigower School: Opened 1923 and closed 1972
Telephone Exchange: Opened 1925
Buddigower Post Office (un-official): Opened 1926 and closed 1966
Buddigower Silos: Erected 1928 opened December 1929 and closed 2002
Public Hall: Built 1923

Buddigower Nature Reserve

Buddigower Nature Reserve was created in November 1963. It covers an area of 327ha. Grey box, mugga iron bark and white cypress are found growing on lower slopes. Areas of blue mallee, bull mallee, green mallee and congoo mallee are found on low gravelly ridges. The reserve provides typical habitat for the endangered malleefowl, shy heathwren and southern scrub robin. Buddigower Nature Reserve is designed to protect mallee and woodland habitat by minimising disturbance and visitation.