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

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:https://www.publicsilotrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PUBLIC-SILO-TRAIL-MAP-1.pdf Public Silo Trail Maphttps://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6410005/silo-trail-full-of-wonders/?cs=14325 Silo Trail Full of Wonders 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.

The first five bins or grain receival points were located at Western Australian Government Railways sidings at:WAGR Annual report 1932 Benjaberring Korrelocking Nembudding Trayning Yelbeni

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

Deregulation and competition In 2012, the Australian federal government deregulated the grain market in Australia.

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.

Hierarchy In earlier years the 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: Northampton Mullewa Mingenew

The secondary receival sites for this zone are: Binnu Canna Moonyoonooka Wongoondy

The closed receival sites for this zone are:- Pindar – east of Mullewa Sullivan – south of Mullewa

Historically, in this area there were also 1933 Type – 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 installation receival points at: Balla Ogilvie Naraling Wilroy Tardun

Area 2 Morawa

Kwinana Port zone Kwinana

Area 3 Wongan Hills

Area 4 Koorda

Area 5 Merredin

Area 6 Avon ( Northam )

Area 7 Corrigin

Albany Port zone Albany

Area 8 Lake Grace

Area 9 Katanning

Area 10 Albany office

Esperance Port zone Esperance

Area 11 Esperance office

Area 12 Esperance office

Grain storage types

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:page 175

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