Having taken delivery of a new caravan during Melbourne’s seemingly never-ending COVID-19 lockdown, we were itching to hit the road as soon as the restrictions were lifted. But where to go? With state borders still closed, something nearer to home was called for.
My wife had been keen to see Victoria’s painted grain silos for some time and, while not ticking my usual ‘remote destination’ checkbox, in the interest of preserving domestic bliss and harmony, we agreed the silos would make a good maiden shakedown voyage for the van.
The countryside north-west of Melbourne was lush and verdant in late spring and after the world’s longest lockdown it was a breath of fresh air (literally) as we crested the Great Dividing Range and headed towards Victoria’s Western Districts.
“The countryside north-west of Melbourne was lush and verdant”
ST ARNAUD
We picked up the Silo Art Trail at St Arnaud, some 250km from Melbourne. Painted by local artist Kyle Torney in 2020, the work is titled Hope and tells the story of three pioneers in this former gold mining district. It’s the hope by a prospector looking for the glint of gold in his pan; the hope of a wife that she will be able to feed her family; and hope that their young child will prosper.
As we followed the
