After we had qualified the Rupanyup silo, Marija and I activated the Rupanyup 2 silo VK-RPU3. We didn’t have to move location as we were parked in the activation zone of both silos.
Above:- The activation zones of the two silos at Rupanyup. Image c/o SiOTA website.
The Rupanyup 2 silo is in fact the old Wimmera Flour Mill & wheat silo that is located at the end of Gibson Street, Rupanyup, opposite the oval. The silos are a rare example of a portable mill of galvanized iron construction and were designed by General Sir John Monash and erected in 1909. (Yarriambiack Shire 2024)
Above:- General Sir John Monash. Image c/o Wikipedia.
General Sir John Monash, GCMG, KCB, VD, was born in June 1865 in West Melbourne. He was an Australian civil engineer and a military commander in WWI. He died in October 1931. Monash features on the Australian $100 note, and his name endures in many places including Monash University, the City of Monash, and the Monash Freeway.
In 1906 the four-storey timber and iron Rupanyup flour mill on a brick base was constructed for the flour miller George Frayne (b. 1864. d. 1936).
Above:- The Wimmera Flour Mill Co site at Rupanyup. Image c/o Rupanyup & District Historical Society Facebook page.
In 1907 John Monash was commissioned to design three reinforced concrete silos for the mill. The silos were completed in April 1908 by contractors Schumacher Mill Furnishing Works Pty Ltd. The three reinforced concrete silos were the first of concrete construction for the bulk storage of grain in Victoria. At the time they were believed to be the largest grain stores in Australia. (Victorian Heritage Database 2024)
Above:- the construction of the Rupanyup silo. Image c/o
The site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Database and they are of Victorian State significance as the first reinforced concrete bulk wheat storage silos to be constructed and operated in Victoria. They are also significant as the first application of the Monier principle of concrete construction. (Victorian Heritage Database 2024)
Above:- The Wimmera Flour Mill Co site at Rupanyup, c. early 1900s. Image c/o Rupanyup & District Historical Society Facebook page.
Above:- Article from The Age, Melbourne, Tue 18 Jun 1907. Image c/o Trove
The silos had a capacity of 145,000 bushels. In 1920 the silos were taken over by R. Brunton and Co. In 1925 it was reported that the Rupanyup silos employed 20 men constantly and 40 during the height of the wheat season. The mill handled 120,000 bags of wheat each year, of which 85,000 bags were delivered by farmer’s teams. (Trove 2024)
Above:- Article from The Horsham Times, Tue 20 Jan 1920. Image c/o Trove
We operated from the 4WD, running the Icom IC-7000, 100 watts, and the Codan 9350 antenna with the 1.5-metre stainless steel whip.
Marija worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
- VK1AO
- VK2MET
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
- VK1AO
- VK2MET
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
Marija worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
- VK3PF
- ZL4NVW/p (Mount Aspiring National Park ZLFF-0006)
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3PF
- VK3UH
- VK3AHR
- VK3APJ
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
- VK5KKT
- VK2RK
- VK2ACR
- Vk2HAK
- VK3WAR
- VK7KT
- VK3ACZ
- VK2IO/p (Wereboldera State Conservation Area VKFF-1392)
- VK2YAK
- VK4YAK
- VK3EJ
- VK7ZA
- ZL4NVW/p (Mount Aspiring National Park ZLFF-0006)
References.
- vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au. (n.d.). VHD. [online] Available at: https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/70074 [Accessed 15 Feb. 2024].
- Wheat, Wool and Livestock in the Shite of Dunmunkle. (1925). Weekly Times. [online] 4 Jul. Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223297514?searchTerm=george%20frayne%20rupanyup [Accessed 15 Feb. 2024].
- www.yarriambiack.vic.gov.au. (n.d.). Rupanyup. [online] Available at: https://www.yarriambiack.vic.gov.au/Engage-With-Us/Discover-Yarriambiack/Townships-To-Visit/Rupanyup#:~:text=First%20surveyed%20in%201873%2C%20the [Accessed 15 Feb. 2024].
VK5PAS 