I had a look through the now disused grain silo at Belfrayden in April 2023. Passenger services ceased operation on the Uranquinty to Kywong line in 1975 during a time of widespread closure of New South Wales branch-line passenger services.

Abandoned Grain Silos At Belfrayden NSW

After this the line was as a seasonal wheat line. The line was completely closed in 1988. The now disused grain silos at Belfrayden were likely in use up until about that time. They are now in a fairly overgrown state having closed over 30 years ago.

Old Railway Siding At Belfrayden Grain Silos

There is also a grain storage shed of typical construction on the site and it looks as if it might still be in use by a local pastoral company.

Outside Grain Storage Shed Abandoned Grain Silos At Belfrayden 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 S024 [2400 tonnes capacity] was built at Belfrayden in 1931 on the now abandoned Uranquinty to Kywong railway line.

Inside Abandoned Grain Silos At Belfrayden NSW

The Grain Silo Weighbridge At Belfrayden

The grain silo weighbridge at Belfrayden is 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 Hawke & Co. Pty. Ltd in Kapunda SA. It has a label on it with sales and service information from Mettler Toledo.

Belfrayden Grain Silos Weighbridge

About Belfrayden

Belfrayden is a small New South Wales Rural Location within the local government area of Wagga Wagga, it is located approximately 405kms from the capital Sydney covering an area of 4.046 square kilometres. Belfrayden has a recorded population of 30 residents and is within the Australian Eastern Daylight Time zone Australia/Sydney.

Grain Silos Australia Gallery – Belfrayden

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.

Grain Silos Australia Gallery – Buddigower

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 Marinna in February 2023.

On the wall inside the weighbridge hut there was a blackboard that still had writing on it. There were dates marked on the blackboard that indicated the last time grain was received at the Marinna grain silos was in 1998. There was also an old “Yellow Pages” telephone book inside the weighbridge hut with the year 1991 on the cover.

Blackboard Inside Weighbridge Hut At Marinna NSW Grain Silos Australia

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 S014 Metcalf [1400 tonnes capacity] was built at Marinna in 1925 on the Main South railway line.

Disused Grain Silos Australia Marinna NSW

The Grain Silo Weighbridge At Marinna

The grain silo weighbridge at Marinna appears to be fully intact. I’m no expert on old weighbridges but this one looks as if with a bit of a clean-up and a service it’d be good to go. It has a maximum weight capacity of only 20 tonnes which is low by todays standards but it would have been plenty big enough back in 1925 when I am guessing it was installed at Marinna grain silos. Trucks by the later part of the twentieth century were a lot heavier than in 1925 so I am guessing they must have weighed the individual axle groups for the heavier, more modern trucks then in use.

Grain Silos Australia Weighbridge At Marinna NSW

The platform of the weighbridge is clearly marked as having been made by W&T Avery LD London & Birmingham. The inside part of the grain silo weighbridge scales is similarly marked AVERY B’HAM. I was really tempted to see if I could remove the padlock on the inside part of the weighbridge scales and roll the ute on to the bridge and check it’s accuracy. I didn’t do it but I was really tempted to.

Grain Silo Weighbridge Platform WT Avery LD London Birmingham

About Marinna NSW

Marinna is a locality in Junee Shire in southern New South Wales, Australia on the Olympic Highway. It’s main feature is a grain silo on the Main Southern railway line. A station was opened in the locality between 1897 and 1975. Marinna Post Office opened on 7 December 1925 and closed in 1968.

Main Southern Railway Line Marinna NSW

Grain Silos Australia Gallery – Marinna