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.[a]
Historically they have been linked with the Wheatbelt railway lines of Western Australia, and the transport of grain to the ports of Western Australia[b] for export by the CBH Group.
In 2003, CBH published a document "Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd's grain storage system in Western Australia".[1]
Historically there were major structures found at Midland/Bellevue,[2] it was a rail based storage while at Fremantle and Bunbury[3] there were grain storage silos that were part of the port loading facilities.[c]
The identification of the types of installations was made as follows:
Name of design | Constructed | Design | Capacity in tonnes | Number in operation 2003 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Horizontal 'A' Type | 1960–1983 | Horizontal storage | 10,900 to 34,000 | 85 |
Horizontal 'B' Type | 1962–1982 | Horizontal storage | 8,200 to 21,800 | 31 |
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 opened in March 1998 and can store 200,000 tonnes of grain.[4][5]
Grain silos built at Bunbury in 1937, were decommissioned in the 1980s, and have been re-styled as accommodation since 1994.[6][7][8]
Built on the North Quay in 1948, the Fremantle grain silos were demolished in 2000 after a heritage application was rejected by the Minister for Planning.[9]