Silo Art, Salt, Sunsets & River Ports
Diamond Creek Probus Club
Our long awaited and twice postponed Silo Art tour commenced with an excited group of holiday hungry members. Morning tea at Seymour, with a quick visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Walk, then on to the first part of the Silo Art Trail.
After viewing the silos at Goorambat, we were invited to the Uniting Church to view the mural of Sophia, the female version of the Holy Spirit, followed by a delicious lunch home cooked by the ladies of the community.
Four silo sightings later we arrived in Echuca for the night. A pleasant morning was spent touring the area with a cruise along the Murray. On arriving in Swan Hill we enjoyed another river cruise and time at the Pioneer Settlement. After dinner we were amazed by the Laser spectacular at the Settlement.
Day three saw us travelling to Lake Boga to the Flying Boat Museum, a piece of wartime history many of us knew nothing about. A trip to the Art Gallery, lunch at the Swan Hill Club, followed by a guided tour and tastings at Andrew Peace Wines completed the day.
Another interesting day, travelling to Sea Lake, we worked our cameras and phones overtime, photographing 4 more silos and all the art work at Piccoli’s Spanner Sculptures. Our highlight today was the visit to Lake Tyrell. The lake is Victoria’s largest salt lake which offers spectacular sunset photo opportunities. Our enthusiastic guide, Julie Pringle helped with some quirky and beautiful photos.
Heading home on our last day, after two more silo viewings, we toured the Stick Shed at Murtoa. Another piece of Australia’s history unknown to many. Used for wheat storage during the war, it is built with 560 poles (56 rows of 10). The shed is 270 metres by 60 metres and about 19 metres high. It was built to last 10 years and is now 80 years old!
One more silo at Rupanyup and a quick cuppa in Ballarat saw us arrive home weary but so happy to have once again been able to travel.
The meals and accommodation were first class and, being one of the first coach tours to travel to these areas, we were made extremely welcome by all the people we met along the way. Thank you to Tracey at Trade Travel for a wonderful, well organised tour.
Robyn Allen
Diamond Creek Probus Club
Tour Leader
