Mar 19, 2021
Once you arrive in Monto – you’ve hit the outback art gold mine. There are several pieces to find across the township, with the most famous being the Three Moon Silo.
The best part about the Silo Art Trail is that you don’t have to be an art lover to appreciate the talent of the pieces; the details are simply incredible and they can easily be enjoyed from this aspect alone. However, it is the sheer size of the art that is the truly remarkable feature of these Monto attractions. They are also positioned on entirely unique canvases. Rather than a rectangle hanging on a gallery wall, this art is painted on enormous silos, water tanks, and building sides that range up to hundreds of metres!
Read on for the full list of the Silo Art Trail in Monto.
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Three Moon Silo
The Three Moon Silo is the most famous piece in the Silo Art Trail in all of Queensland. The work was completed by artists Joel Fergie aka The Zookeeper and Travis Vinson aka DRAPL as a tribute to the local legend.The story of Three Moon Creek is one of a local Aboriginal Stockman who was boiling his billy on the banks of the creek when he stopped and took notice of the huge moon that had seemingly magically duplicated itself. He saw one in the sky, one reflecting in the creek, and one in his billy.
There is a second story of how the name came to be. It was said that several Aboriginal men were employed to wash sheep at the farm, but the work was coming to an end shortly, putting the men out of work that was well-paying and in favourable conditions. It was no use telling the men to return in three months to continue work, so they told them to return when three moons had passed. From that time on the creek became known as Three Moon Creek.
Location: Corner Burnett Highway & Three Moon Road, Three Moon, Queensland
Artists: Joel Fergie and Travis Vinson
Art on the Monto Silos by @_thezookeeper and @DRAPL | Image by @rocko546 & @moggy99 via Instagram Monto Water Tank
This mural shows the settlement of Monto in 1920’s depicting horse drawn wagons and the locals living in slab and bark huts after clearing the scrub, building fences and planting their crops.The original art ‘Monto Midday Plains in the 1920’s was drawn by Ben Learmont winning a competition organised by the Monto RADF Committee. Debbie Wait was then given the opportunity to paint the mural from Ben’s drawing.
Location: 2 Burke Street, Monto, Queensland
Artist: Debbie Wait
Monto Water Tank art by Debbie Wait, Original ‘Monto Midday Plains in the 1920’s drawing by Ben LearmontMonto Water Tower
This larger-than-life artwork is another piece by the famed DRAPL and The Zookeeper, capturing the essence of ‘fun’ and ‘freedom’. The art captures three local children transforming them into 6 metre high figures playing in water ‘bursting’ from the concrete water tower.Location: Corner Bell and Huxley Streets, Monto, Queensland
Artists: Joel Fergie & Travis Vinson
Monto Water Tower by @_thezookeeper and @DRAPLNewton Street Shopfront Murals
The Newton Street shopfront murals are an art treasure cove with pieces by celebrated street artists Travis Vinson (DRAPL) and Joel Fergie (The Zookeeper) as well as local artists including Sue Lederhose and others.There are murals that depict shopfronts by eras gone by as well as agricultural imagery and sunsets from the township.
Location: Newton Street, Monto, Queensland
Royal Hotel
Built in 1924 and destroyed by fire in 1999, this art piece depicts the local watering hole with its longest owner at 44 years, Ethel Buckby, née Bambrick, who bought it from her father.Monto Family at Sunset
Artwork of a local family enjoying a magical Monto sunset.Monto Dairy Cow
This art piece is a tribute to the town's dairy heritage.Shopfront Murals of Yesteryear
Painted Cow Trail
Rounding off the art trail are the life-sized fibreglass cows dotted around the entrances to the town. Hunt down and tick off the uniquely painted cow sculptures placed around the streets! There are 9 in total, with only 6 of them erected thus far.Daisy Cow – Monto State School
Lions Park Cow – Monto Lions Park, Flinders St and Kennedy St, painted by Messy Church
St Therese State Primary School Cow – Rayleight St, painted by the students
Olave – Gladstone Monto Rd, just before the Macks Rd fork, painted by Monto Girl Guides
Jaycee – Jaycee Park, Lister St and Dalton St, painted by Monto Fire & Circus Performance Team
Susan – is a fabulous and proud LGBT+ bovine found near Town Bridge off Lister Street, painted by the Monto Youth Group
Monto Historical and Cultural Complex
Location: 20 Flinders St, Monto QLD 4630This historical and cultural complex is nestled in the heart of town and represents the heritage and rich history of Monto from the township to the people. The air-conditioned museum and art gallery include photography, textiles, art, history displays and exhibits.
The displays extend outside the complex walls to the pioneer buildings include a Cania Goldfields slab hut and the Goody family’s Birnam Homestead kitchen, which are original buildings that have been relocated and date from around 1910! There are also plenty of historical railway memorabilia and an array of horse-drawn carriages and vehicle replicas.
Silo Art Trail Map
Follow this Silo Art Trail map to find your way around to all the sights, courtesy of Monto Magic Tourism Action Group.Monto Silo Art Trail Map Courtesy of Monto Magic Tourism Action Group Monto is a beautiful small town, not lacking in charm, history – and certainly not in art! In fact, the entire project has been nominated for the Australian Street Art Awards. If we’ve convinced you to take a trip out to this Monto attraction, check out your nearby Bundaberg accommodation or Bargara holidays or give our Queensland Holiday experts a call on 1300 788 553 today!