CBH grain receival points

CBH grain receival points (also known as the bins or wheat bins in local popular usage) are grain silos spread around Western Australia, primarily in the wheatbelt region. Historically they have been linked with the wheatbelt railway lines, and the transport of grain to ports for export.

Tammin wheat bins - older style storage on left, larger on right
An open topped wheat bin (with covers attached) at Calingiri

Public Art

The range of available bins or grain silos have taken on identity as large public art works in the 2010s in the Public Silo Trail, with three sections to the trail identified:[1][2]

The Northern Trail
Northam
Merredin
The 'Central Heart' Trail - involving
Katanning
Pingrup
Newdegate
The 'Wave to wave' Trail - involving
Ravensthorpe
Albany

Beginnings

The earlier bins were made at the time of the change from wheat transport in bags, to bulk operations - and at the time of the creation of the CBH Group in 1933.[3]

The first five bins or grain receival points were located at Western Australian Government Railways sidings at:[4]

Due to their size, many of the storage bins were significant landmarks on the landscape in the agricultural communities of Western Australia.[5][6][7]

Deregulation and competition

In 2012, the Australian federal government deregulated the grain market in Australia.[8]

In 2013, after 80 years of operation without competition, grain storage and transport in the Great Southern region has another operator due to a separate grain operation at Albany.[9][10][11][12]

Hierarchy

In the 1970s the 10 districts in the CBH system were known as "Directors" Districts.

By 2011, the Western Australian wheatbelt operations of CBH was split up into 12 management zone areas, with a set of locations in each zone with management offices, port terminals, and transfer depots identified.

Geraldton Port zone

The Geraldton Port zone is served by two areas - one based in Geraldton, and the second based in Morawa.

Area 1
  • Geraldton as the main office, and Port Terminal

The primary receival sites for this zone are:

The secondary receival sites for this zone are:

The closed receival sites for this zone are:-

  • Pindar - east of Mullewa
  • Sullivan - south of Mullewa

Historically, in this area there were also 1933[13] installation receival points at:

  • Balla
  • Ogilvie
  • Naraling
  • Wilroy
  • Tardun

Area 2

Kwinana Port zone

Area 3

Area 4

Area 5

Area 6

Area 7

Albany Port zone

Area 8

Area 9

Area 10
  • Albany office

Esperance Port zone

Area 11
  • Esperance office

Area 12
  • Esperance office

Grain storage types
Main article: Grain storage structures in Western Australia

Most grain receival points in the wheatbelt have combinations of historic structures that are still utilised, and new structures. Where the older structures tend to be next to, or aligned with the railway lines where they were built, many sites have extended grounds. As a consequence, identifying the types of silo/containers at some sites may uncover up to three or four different structures at the one location. Brookton for example has at least three different types present on the CBH property.

Grain receival points

Total numbers of receival points in the system from the founding in 1932 to 1999 - the peak number occurring in 1965-1967:[15]

  • 1932/33 5
  • 1933/34 53
  • 1936/37 103
  • 1937/38 136
  • 1938/39 174
  • 1953/54 267
  • 1954/55 271
  • 1955/56 273
  • 1956/57 278
  • 1957/58 276
  • 1965/66 305
  • 1966/67 305
  • 1967/68 305
  • 1968/69 300
  • 1969/70 300
  • 1978/79 214
  • 1979/80 212
  • 1980/81 210
  • 1981/82 206
  • 1982/83 196
  • 1994/95 196
  • 1995/96 196
  • 1996/97 197
  • 1997/98 198
  • 1998/99 198

Notes
  1. https://www.publicsilotrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PUBLIC-SILO-TRAIL-MAP-1.pdf Public Silo Trail Map
  2. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6410005/silo-trail-full-of-wonders/?cs=14325 Silo Trail Full of Wonders
  3. Trustees of the Wheat Pool of Western Australia (1932), Report to Trustees of the Wheat Pool of Western Australia on feasibility of bulk handling of wheat, the various types of storage bins considered, needed alterations to railway tracks, sidings etc proposed by Westralian Farmers Ltd, retrieved 29 March 2013
  4. WAGR Annual report 1932
  5. Aerial Surveys Australia; HRRC (1963), Aerial photographs of Morawa wheat bins, 30 Sept. 1963, retrieved 29 March 2013
  6. Aerial Surveys Australia; HRRC (1965), Aerial photographs of the wheat bins, Wagin, 23 March 1965, retrieved 29 March 2013
  7. Western Australia. Government Photographer (1900), Loading wheat into rail trucks from storage bins at Three Springs, retrieved 29 March 2013
  8. A. Vidot and B Varischetti (30 November 2012). "Greens amend wheat deregulation bill". Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  9. Owen Grieve (26 March 2013). "Second grain exporter moves to Albany port". Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  10. Brad Thompson (10 November 2012). "Chinese giant to break WA grain grip". West Australian Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  11. "Second grain handler to operate out of Albany/4597434". Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  12. Brad Thompson (27 March 2013). "Chinese in WA grain grab". West Australian Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  13. Co-operative Bulk Handling Limited (1948), Annual report and accounts, Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd, retrieved 31 March 2013 - 1933 was the year of the commencement of the CBH operations, the 1973 Annual Report and Accounts rear cover of the report identified 1933 Type Installations
  14. Co-operative Bulk Handling Limited (1976), Arrino - Yandanooka, Bowgada - Koolanooka, C.B.H, retrieved 19 April 2013
  15. page 175 Ayris, Cyril; Cooperative Bulk Handling Ltd (1999), A Heritage ingrained : a history of Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd. 1933-2000, Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd, ISBN 978-0-646-38283-8
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