Grain storage structures in Western Australia

Grain storage structures - also known as bins or wheat bins in local popular usage - are grain silos spread around Western Australia, primarily in the wheatbelt region, at grain receival locations.[lower-alpha 1]

Jitarning grain receival point, 2014

Historically they have been linked with the Wheatbelt railway lines of Western Australia, and the transport of grain to the ports of Western Australia[lower-alpha 2] for export by the CBH Group.

Structure types
Cunderdin grain receival point, 2015
Wickepin grain receival point, 2014

In 2003, CBH published a document "Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd's grain storage system in Western Australia".[1]

Historically there were structures found at Midland/Bellevue, it was a rail based storage facility, and at Fremantle and Bunbury there were grain storage silos that were part of the port loading facilities - they are not included in this list.[lower-alpha 3]

The identification of the types of installations was made as follows:

  • Horizontal 'H' type (1933+) circular wall
  • Horizontal 'A' type (1960 - 1983) (85 in 2003)
  • Horizontal 'B' type (1962 - 1982) (31 in 2003)[lower-alpha 4]
  • Horizontal 'C' type (1966 - 1967) (5 in 2003)
  • Horizontal 'D' type (1967 - 1982) (48 in 2003)
  • Horizontal 'E' type (1969 - 1971) (20 in 2003)
  • Horizontal 'F' type (1990) ( 1 in 2003)
  • Horizontal 'G' type (1978 - 1982) (36 in 2003)
  • Silo 'K' type (1980 - 1981) (26 in 2003)
  • Silo 'L' type (1982) (19 in 2003)
  • Circular 'M' type (1973 - 1994) (11 in 2003)
  • Open Bulk Head 'O' type (1975 - 2003) (number unknown)
  • Roofed Bulk Head 'P' type (1986 - 1989) (3 in 2003)
  • Horizontal 'Q' type (1995 - 2000) (12 in 2003)
  • Silo 'S' type (2000 - 2003) (number unknown)
  • Circular 'X' type
  • Bulkwest CS2000 Series (102 in 2003)
  • Circular Domes (1994) (4 in 2003)

Table
Name of designConstructedDesignCapacity in tonnesNumber in operation 2003
Horizontal 'A' Type1960-1983Horizontal storage10,900 to 34,00085
Horizontal 'B' Type1962-1982Horizontal storage8,200 to 21,80031

Metro Grain Centre

The Perth based Metro Grain Centre is located on Abernethy Road in Forrestfield.

It is connected by road and rail with the port in Fremantle, for container shipping, and Kwinana port for bulk handling of grain.

It was built in 1998 at a cost of $120m, and can store 200,000 tonnes of grain.[2]

Port silos

At Fremantle and Bunbury, historically significant silos were constructed in the 1930s.

Fremantle

Built on the North Quay in 1948 and demolished in 2000 the North Quay, Port of Fremantle wheat silos were considered heritage.[3][4]

Bunbury

Bunbury grain silos were built in 1937, were decommissioned in the 1980s, and have been re-styled as accommodation since 1994.[5][6]

LocationConstructedDecommissioned
Bunbury19371992
Fremantle19482000

Notes
  1. CBH is an acronym for Co-operative Bulk Handling; the business has shortened usage to CBH.
  2. The ports of Western Australia that have grain loading facilities are: Geraldton, Kwinana, Bunbury and Esperance - historically the port of Fremantle was a grain loading port.
  3. Named structures no longer in use, demolished, or re-used.
  4. In 1973, 'B' Types were in York, Beverley and Pingelly, Western Australia.

References
  1. Co-operative Bulk Handling Limited (2003), Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd's grain storage system in Western Australia, Co-operative Bulk Handling, retrieved 31 March 2013
  2. https://www.cbh.com.au/our-business/operations/metro-grain-centre.aspx
  3. "CBH Grain Silos". InHerit. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  4. http://john.curtin.edu.au/fremantle/beazley3.html
  5. Aerial Surveys Australia; HRRC (1967), Aerial photograph of CBH grain silos, Bunbury [picture], retrieved 1 April 2013
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 March 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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