Photographing Devenish Silo Art

About the Artwork

Devenish Silo Art is a striking memorial artwork painted across the GrainCorp silos in the small north-east Victorian town of Devenish.

Created by Melbourne artist Cam Scale, the artwork was completed in two stages during 2018 and 2019.

Unlike many Australian silo artworks that concentrate on farming, wildlife or local landscapes, Devenish tells a story of Australian military service.

The first stage was officially unveiled for Anzac Day in 2018 and commemorated the centenary of the end of the First World War.

It depicts two women from very different periods of Australian military history:

• A First World War nurse.
• A modern Australian military medic.

Placed beside one another, the two portraits illustrate both continuity and change in the role of women within Australia's armed services and Australian society more broadly.

The subject has particular significance in Devenish.

Around fifty young men and women from the Devenish community enlisted for military service during the First World War, an extraordinary contribution from such a small rural district.

A second stage of the artwork was unveiled for Anzac Day in 2019.

This mural commemorates the Australian Light Horse, whose mounted troops served during the Second Boer War and the First World War.

Together, the two stages transform the Devenish silos into a large-scale public memorial connecting a small farming community with a much broader Australian story of service, sacrifice and remembrance.

Artwork / Subjects

First World War Nurse

One of the principal portraits depicts an Australian nurse from the First World War period.

The portrait uses the clothing and appearance of the period to create an immediate historical reference.

Rather than viewing the figure only as part of the complete silo mural, look carefully at:

• The face and expression.
• The eyes.
• The nurse's uniform.
• Headwear.
• Fabric folds and painted texture.
• The way the portrait follows the curved concrete surface.

A telephoto lens can turn these details into individual portraits that work independently from photographs of the complete silos.

Modern Australian Military Medic

Beside the historical nurse is a modern female medic serving with the Australian Defence Force.

The pairing is fundamental to the artwork.

Rather than treating the two figures as unrelated portraits, photograph them together to show the development of women's military service across approximately a century.

Then isolate the modern medic and record:

• Face and expression.
• Eyes.
• Modern uniform.
• Equipment and insignia where visible.
• Differences in clothing and presentation from the historical nurse.

The Two Women Together

One of the most important photographs at Devenish is not necessarily the complete silo complex, but a composition showing the two female figures together.

Their juxtaposition communicates the central idea of the first stage of the artwork:

continuity of service combined with changing roles across generations.

Try both a straightforward documentary composition and tighter images concentrating primarily on the two faces.

Australian Light Horse

The second stage of the artwork, completed in 2019, commemorates the Australian Light Horse.

The Australian Light Horse consisted of mounted troops whose mobility came from horses but who could also fight dismounted.

Light Horse units served during the Second Boer War and the First World War and became an important part of Australia's military history.

The Devenish mural adds this mounted military story to the earlier portraits of the two women.

Photograph both the complete Light Horse composition and individual details.

Look particularly for:

• The horse's head and eye.
• The rider.
• Uniform and equipment.
• Reins and tack.
• The relationship between horse and rider.
• Paint and concrete texture.

The Silos as a Memorial

It is worth making at least one photograph that shows the artwork within the broader town rather than filling the frame completely with painted figures.

Devenish is a very small rural community.

Showing the scale of the silos relative to the surrounding town helps explain why the memorial is so visually powerful.

The photograph then becomes not simply a record of public art but a portrait of a community remembering its own history.

Artist

Cam Scale is a Melbourne-based artist known for large-scale murals, portraiture and public art.

His work frequently combines realistic human figures with more expressive painted backgrounds and large architectural surfaces.

At Devenish, the realistic treatment of the human faces is particularly important because the emotional impact of the artwork depends heavily on expression.

The enormous scale of the silos allows small facial details to become major visual elements when viewed from the ground.

Scale completed the Devenish project in two stages:

• 2018 - First World War nurse and modern Australian military medic.
• 2019 - Australian Light Horse tribute.

Photographing the Artwork

Devenish rewards a more methodical approach than simply making one photograph of the complete silos.

The principal photographic story is:

place → memorial → people → expressions → Light Horse → details.

Complete Silo Complex

Begin with an establishing photograph showing the complete painted silos.

Include enough surrounding ground and sky to communicate their enormous scale.

Where possible, move farther away and use a moderate focal length rather than standing immediately beneath the artwork with an ultra-wide lens.

The Two Female Portraits

Photograph the First World War nurse and modern medic together before concentrating on either figure individually.

This pairing contains much of the meaning of the artwork.

Try several framing options:

• Complete figures.
• Upper-body portraits.
• Faces together.
• Eyes and expressions.
• Uniform details.

Individual Portraits

Change to a telephoto lens and treat each painted figure almost as though photographing a real portrait.

Concentrate on expression rather than merely recording the fact that the portrait exists.

Look carefully at how Cam Scale has used light, shadow and colour to model each face.

Australian Light Horse

Photograph the complete Light Horse mural first.

Then use longer focal lengths to separate the horse, rider and individual military details.

The horse's head and eye can make particularly strong compositions independent of the complete artwork.

People for Scale

A person standing at a safe and permitted position near the viewing area can provide an effective indication of scale.

Keep the person relatively small within the frame so that the silos remain dominant.

Paint and Concrete

Do not overlook the physical surface of the artwork.

Tight photographs can reveal:

• Concrete texture.
• Paint application.
• Weathering.
• Curved silo surfaces.
• Transitions between colours.

These provide useful visual breaks between the larger documentary photographs.

Map

Location

Devenish Silo Art
GrainCorp Silos
Main Street / Devenish Road
Devenish VIC 3726

Devenish is a small farming town in north-east Victoria, between Benalla and the Murray River plains.

GrainCorp lists the silo site as 28 Main Street, Devenish, while Victorian tourism listings use nearby Main Street / Devenish Road addresses for the public attraction.

For navigation, searching for Devenish Silo Art provides the clearest destination.

Google Maps: Devenish Silo Art

Access & Parking

Devenish Silo Art is a free outdoor attraction and is currently listed as open at all times.

The official visitor area includes parking, with coach parking also listed as available.

Picnic facilities are available, making Devenish an easy stopping point while travelling the North East Victoria Silo Art Trail.

The silos remain industrial structures.

Stay within public viewing areas and do not enter operational GrainCorp land, climb structures or cross barriers to obtain a different camera position.

Grain-handling sites can become considerably busier during harvest and out-loading periods.

Photographers should always give priority to operational vehicles and avoid obstructing gates, roads or truck movements.

Accessibility

Devenish is one of the easier silo-art locations to photograph because the principal artwork can be viewed from the public area close to parking.

No substantial bushwalk or steep approach is required to see the main murals.

Current Victorian tourism information identifies the attraction as welcoming visitors with access needs and lists accessible provision, although individual requirements should be confirmed with the operator where necessary.

From a photographer's perspective, the important advantage is that the principal subjects can be seen and photographed without walking a long distance from a vehicle.

Surface conditions around rural grain facilities can vary, so photographers using wheelchairs or mobility aids should remain on the established public viewing surfaces.

Best Light

Because the artwork wraps around large cylindrical surfaces, the apparent light can change significantly across the mural even within a single photograph.

Early Morning

Early morning provides softer light, fewer visitors and generally more comfortable conditions during warmer months.

Low-angle light can reveal the texture of the concrete and help model the painted faces.

Middle of the Day

Midday light can be harsh, particularly during summer, but it can still be useful for straightforward documentary photographs where the priority is recording detail throughout the artwork.

Watch carefully for strong highlights on pale areas of the nurse's uniform and deep shadows across the curved silo surfaces.

Late Afternoon

Lower afternoon light can produce stronger modelling across the faces, horse and silo structure.

It can also warm the surrounding rural landscape and provide a stronger sense of place.

Bright Overcast

Bright overcast conditions can be excellent at Devenish.

Soft, even illumination reduces the problems caused by the curved silo surfaces and allows subtle facial detail to be recorded across the portraits.

If the purpose is a detailed photographic record of the artwork rather than a dramatic landscape photograph, bright overcast conditions may be preferable to strong direct sunlight.

Blue Hour

If travelling through Devenish near sunset, consider remaining into blue hour.

The deepening blue sky can provide a clean background behind the pale concrete structures and produce a very different interpretation from the normal daylight record.

Nearby

Devenish sits conveniently within the North East Victoria Silo Art Trail, making it particularly easy to combine with several other major public-art locations.

Goorambat Silo Art

Goorambat is one of the most important nearby photographic stops.

Jimmy Dvate's silo artwork includes the endangered Barking Owl Milli and three Clydesdale horses.

A companion Nankeen Kestrel artwork can also be found nearby.

Goorambat is particularly useful as a contrast with Devenish because its subject matter concentrates on wildlife, habitat and rural life rather than military remembrance.

Sophia of Goorambat

While visiting Goorambat, do not overlook Sophia inside the Goorambat Uniting Church.

Painted by Adnate, the large female portrait is one of the most distinctive artworks on the North East Victoria art route.

It also creates an interesting photographic comparison with Cam Scale's enormous female portraits at Devenish.

St James Silo Art

St James contains a large silo-art installation by Tim Bowtell.

The artwork explores local agricultural and community history, including Clydesdales, early grain transport, the Coles family connection and figures associated with wheat handling.

It is another strong example of silo art being used to tell a highly specific local story.

Tungamah Silo Art

Tungamah's silo artwork adds another very different style to the regional trail and can be incorporated into a longer photographic loop.

Benalla

Benalla is an excellent photographic base as well as a destination in its own right.

Subjects include:

• Benalla Street Art.
• Benalla Art Gallery.
• Lake Benalla.
• Botanical Gardens.
• Historic architecture.
• Reflections and birdlife.

Winton Wetlands

Winton Wetlands combines landscape, wetland, wildlife and public art photography.

Of particular interest is Guido van Helten's large artwork painted on a CFA water tank, depicting local volunteer firefighters.

This provides another interesting comparison with the human portraiture at Devenish.

How to Get There

From Melbourne

Devenish is approximately 230 kilometres north-east of Melbourne.

Travel north via the Hume Freeway towards Benalla, then leave the freeway and follow the local road network north towards Goorambat and Devenish.

Allow approximately three hours from Melbourne, depending on traffic and stops.

From Benalla

Benalla is the most convenient larger base for Devenish.

Travel north from Benalla through Goorambat towards Devenish.

This route makes it particularly easy to combine:

Benalla → Goorambat → Devenish

in a single photographic outing.

From Wangaratta

Wangaratta is another useful regional base, particularly for visitors combining the silo-art trail with Glenrowan, wineries and other north-east Victorian locations.

Allow roughly an hour by road, depending on the chosen route and stops.

North East Victoria Silo Art Trail

Devenish can form part of a larger loop incorporating:

Benalla → Goorambat → Devenish → St James → Tungamah → Katamatite → Dookie.

The complete route is approximately 150-180 kilometres, depending on the exact itinerary.

Caravans, Motorhomes and Large Rigs

Devenish is reached by sealed rural roads and is straightforward to include in a caravan or motorhome itinerary.

Coach parking is listed at the silo attraction, indicating that larger vehicles are routinely accommodated.

Nevertheless, drivers towing long combinations should avoid confined areas around operational grain infrastructure and ensure that turning and parking space is adequate before entering.

Establishing a caravan base in Benalla or Wangaratta and exploring the silo trail without the caravan is a convenient alternative.

Where to Stay

Devenish itself has limited accommodation.

Benalla is the most convenient larger photographic base, while Wangaratta provides an even broader range of accommodation and services.

Benalla

Benalla Tourist Park

Address: 115 Sydney Road, Benalla VIC 3672
Telephone: (03) 5760 2000
Website: Benalla Tourist Park

Provides motel rooms, cabins and villas together with powered, unpowered and ensuite caravan sites.

Drive-through sites are currently listed as available, making this a particularly useful base for visitors travelling with larger caravans or motorhomes.

Glider City Motel

Address: 2 Witt Street, Benalla VIC 3672
Telephone: (03) 5762 3399
Website: Glider City Motel

Ground-floor motel accommodation in Benalla, including an accessible room.

Top of the Town Motel

Address: 136 Bridge Street East, Benalla VIC 3672
Telephone: (03) 5762 4866
Website: Top of the Town Motel

Centrally located motel accommodation within walking distance of Benalla's shops, restaurants and other town facilities.

Wangaratta

Wangaratta Caravan Park

Address: 79 Parfitt Road, Wangaratta VIC 3677
Telephone: (03) 5721 3368
Website: Wangaratta Caravan Park

Offers cabins and spacious powered caravan and camping sites.

The park currently advertises large grass and gravel sites together with drive-through sites capable of accommodating large vans.

Parkview Motor Inn

Address: 56 Ryley Street, Wangaratta VIC 3677
Telephone: (03) 5721 5655
Website: Parkview Motor Inn

Centrally located accommodation beside Merriwa Park and within walking distance of central Wangaratta.

Photography Recommendations

Wide-Angle Lens - e.g. 16-35mm

Useful for showing the complete silo complex and its relationship with the surrounding town.

Be cautious when using very short focal lengths close to the artwork. Extreme perspective can distort both the silo and the human figures.

Standard Zoom - e.g. 24-70mm

A standard zoom is likely to be the most useful general-purpose lens at Devenish.

Where sufficient working distance is available, focal lengths in the middle of this range can produce much more natural-looking proportions than an ultra-wide lens used close to the silos.

Use it for:

• Complete silo photographs.
• The two female portraits together.
• Australian Light Horse compositions.
• Environmental photographs showing the town.

Telephoto Lens - e.g. 70-200mm

A telephoto lens is strongly recommended.

The enormous painted portraits contain enough detail to support much tighter compositions.

Use a telephoto lens for:

• Faces.
• Eyes.
• Uniform details.
• Horse head and eye.
• Rider details.
• Paint and concrete textures.

Tilt-Shift Lens

A tilt-shift lens is genuinely useful at Devenish where a technically controlled architectural record of the silos is required.

Keep the camera body and sensor plane level and use upward shift to include the top of the silos.

This preserves vertical lines and, importantly, avoids distorting the proportions of the painted human figures.

Tripod

A tripod is useful for carefully aligned architectural photographs, panoramas, exposure bracketing and photography around sunset and blue hour.

Circular Polarising Filter

A polarising filter may help control glare and strengthen sky colour, although the effect should be checked carefully across a wide field of view.

Uneven polarisation can become obvious in a broad blue sky photographed with an ultra-wide lens.

Drone Photography

An aerial photograph could show the relationship between the silo, Devenish township and surrounding agricultural landscape.

However, the site includes operational grain infrastructure, roads and public areas.

Before flying, check current CASA airspace and operating requirements and obtain any necessary landowner or site-operator permission for take-off and landing.

Do not fly over people or interfere with grain-handling operations.

Controlling Perspective

Perspective control is particularly important at Devenish because the artwork contains realistic human figures.

If the camera is placed close to the silo and pointed steeply upwards, the lower part of a painted figure can appear disproportionately large while the head becomes smaller and appears to lean away.

This can significantly change the appearance of Cam Scale's portraits.

Wherever possible:

1. Move farther away.
   Increasing camera-to-silo distance is usually the simplest way to improve proportions.
2. Use a moderate focal length.
   Try approximately 35-70mm before resorting to an ultra-wide lens.
3. Keep the camera level where practical.
4. Check the human proportions.
   Do not judge perspective correction only by whether the silo sides appear vertical.
5. Use a tilt-shift lens where appropriate.
   Keep the camera body level and use upward shift rather than tilting the camera.

The same principle applies to the Australian Light Horse.

Excessive upward perspective can make the horse's lower body appear unnaturally large relative to its head and rider.

Some convergence can nevertheless be useful.

A deliberately low viewpoint and converging verticals can communicate the enormous scale of the silos, provided that the effect is intentional rather than accidental.

Suggested Photographic Sequence

1. Walk around the public viewing area before unpacking all the equipment.
   Check the light, background, vehicle activity and best working distance.
2. Make the establishing photograph.
   Show the complete Devenish silo artwork within the rural town.
3. Make a technically controlled version.
   Move farther away, use a moderate focal length and minimise perspective distortion.
4. Photograph the First World War nurse and modern medic together.
5. Photograph the First World War nurse individually.
6. Use the telephoto lens for her face, eyes, uniform and details.
7. Photograph the modern military medic individually.
8. Use the telephoto lens for her face, expression, uniform and equipment.
9. Make a tight composition containing both faces.
   Use the visual comparison to reinforce the century separating the two women.
10. Photograph the complete Australian Light Horse artwork.
11. Isolate the horse and rider.
12. Photograph the horse's head and eye.
13. Record military equipment and painted details.
14. Look for abstract details.
    Concentrate on paint, concrete, colour and curved surfaces.
15. Include a person for scale.
    Do this only from a safe public position.
16. Photograph interpretive information and memorial context.
17. Make one final environmental photograph.
    Step back and show the artwork as part of the small town of Devenish rather than simply as an isolated mural.

How Long Should a Photographer Stay?

A casual visitor can see Devenish Silo Art in approximately 15-20 minutes.

A photographer should allow longer.

Allow approximately 45-60 minutes for a good conventional photographic record of the complete artwork and principal subjects.

Allow approximately 1.5-2 hours for a comprehensive session using several focal lengths and including portraits, Light Horse details, perspective-controlled photographs and town context.

If the light is particularly good, or if sunset and blue-hour photography are planned, 2-3 hours can easily be justified.

Devenish itself does not normally require an overnight stay solely for the silo artwork.

However, two nights in Benalla make an excellent photographic base for Devenish, Goorambat, Winton Wetlands, Benalla and other locations on the North East Victoria Silo Art Trail.

Three nights provide considerably more flexibility if St James, Tungamah, Katamatite and Dookie are also included.

My Priority Photographs

1. Complete Devenish silo-art installation within the surrounding rural landscape.
2. Perspective-controlled photograph of the complete silos.
3. First World War nurse and modern military medic together.
4. Tight composition of the two women's faces together.
5. Complete First World War nurse portrait.
6. Nurse's face and expression.
7. Nurse's eyes.
8. Historical uniform details.
9. Complete modern Australian military medic.
10. Modern medic's face and expression.
11. Modern medic's eyes.
12. Modern uniform and equipment details.
13. Composition contrasting historical and modern uniforms.
14. Complete Australian Light Horse mural.
15. Horse and rider together.
16. Horse's head.
17. Horse's eye.
18. Rider and uniform detail.
19. Reins, tack and equipment.
20. Paint and concrete texture.
21. Curved silo surface showing how the portrait wraps around the structure.
22. Person included for scale.
23. Interpretive or memorial information.
24. Artwork shown within Devenish township.
25. Blue-hour photograph if conditions and timing permit.

Artwork Information