Rupanyup Silo Art by Sam Bates (a.k.a. SMUG) (Image @vicgetaways)
Why be a hare that misses much of the scenery, when you can be a tortoise and see the lot?
We’re not quite done with travelling between Adelaide and Melbourne the back way. This is part three - the final piece of the puzzle - tracing a fresh line across western Victoria. Instead of the direct run, we follow the Wimmera Highway (B240) between St Arnaud and Horsham, rolling through Murtoa and Rupanyup before (or after, if you’re coming from Adelaide) meeting the Henty Highway (B200). After a worthwhile detour into Horsham for its silo art and a riverside picnic along the Wimmera River, we continue through Warracknabeal, Brim, Beulah and Rosebery.
Why battle major A-routes and B-doubles when quieter B and C roads offer characterful small towns and striking silo art? And why take the longer way? Simple - more to see.
This variation threads neatly through key highlights of the Silo Art Trail. Rupanyup and Murtoa boast towering murals, and Murtoa’s remarkable Stick Shed deserves time on foot. Further north, Brim, Beulah, Rosebery and Lascelles each add colour and personality to the wide Wimmera plains.
Tempted by Sea Lake and the shimmering expanse of Lake Tyrrell? From Lascelles, it’s just over 30km - an easy side trip rather than a fuel-heavy detour. Stand at the lake’s edge, soak up the silence, then rejoin your route with time and budget intact.
We’ll also point you towards offroad caravan-friendly bush camping in Ngarkat Conservation Park and Hattah-Kulkyne, Murray-Sunset and Wyperfeld national parks.
The route deviation
Instead of heading north from St Arnaud on the C271 to the A79 via Nullawil, take the Wimmera Highway (B240) to where it T-bones with the Henty Highway (B200), just under 10km outside Horsham, via Rupanyup and Murtoa. Or, the reverse order if coming from Adelaide.
Rupanyup
Rupanyup’s story began in the early 1870s under the name Lallat, when land selectors carved small parcels from vast squatter stations under the Crown Lands Alienation and Occupation Acts. These reforms aimed to break up large pastoral holdings and spread opportunity more fairly across Victoria’s wheat belt.
Not long after, the town was renamed Rupanyup, from the Aboriginal word ‘rubunyup’, meaning something like ‘an overhanging tree branch at a campsite by a swamp’. It’s a fitting description for a place shaped by creek lines, broadacre crops and steady country resolve.
For decades, high-yield wheat and cereal crops powered the local economy. Today, chickpeas, lentils and faba beans move through the district in huge volumes, bound for markets across Australia and overseas. Yet as farms expanded and the population declined from the 1960s onward, Rupanyup faced a choice: fade or adapt. The community chose the latter, turning its focus to tourism to help secure a sustainable future.
You sense that optimism as soon as you roll along the Wimmera Highway. A landscaped central plantation splits the road and invites travellers to pause, stretch their legs and explore. The roughly 3km Jack’s Track loop, beginning at the Rupanyup Post Office, is an easy way to start.
Heritage buildings frame the streetscape, while the reimagined Rupanyup silo - repainted by Sam Bates (SMUG) in March 2025 after Julia Volchkova’s 2017 artwork succumbed to rust and fading - signals a fresh chapter for the town.
Cust's Store (Image @vicgetaways)
Rupanyup Silo Art by Sam Bates (a.k.a. SMUG) (Image @vicgetaways)
Jack’s Track passes SMUG’s vibrant silo art, the old Wimmera Flour Mill and another trio of silos that, though unpainted, carry remarkable history. At the end of Gibson Street opposite the local oval, these three structures may appear modest, but they boast serious engineering pedigree.
Designed in the early 1900s under John Monash’s guidance and completed in 1908 by Schumacher Mill Furnishing Works Pty Ltd, the 1000-tonne reinforced concrete silos were groundbreaking. They were Victoria’s first bulk grain silos built from reinforced concrete, among the largest in Australia at the time, and the state’s first use of the Monier system. Today, they are listed on the Victorian Heritage Database for their state significance.
When war broke out in 1914, Monash rose from militia service to command at Gallipoli, later leading the 3rd Division in France. In 1918, as Lieutenant General, he directed the Australian Corps to decisive victories at Le Hamel, Amiens, Mont St Quentin and Péronne, earning a rare knighthood in the field. After overseeing troop repatriation, he became a leading national figure, guiding the development of Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance and serving in senior civic and academic roles.
The legacy of General Sir John Monash, GCMG, KCB, VD endures - in military history, Monash University and even on the Australian $100 note. So if you’re walking Jack’s Track with a ‘watermelon’ in your wallet, take a moment. Look at the face on the note and remember the engineer, the strategist and the men he led. For a small Wimmera town, Rupanyup carries a connection to one of Australia’s most revered First World War generals - and that link feels entirely fitting.
Murtoa
Murtoa lies about 80km west of St Arnaud, a classic Wimmera town that reveals its character slowly. The caravan park sits on the edge of Lake Marma - a wide, tranquil sheet of water that softens the summer heat and settles into a cool hush at dusk. The park itself is tidy and straightforward, but the lake is the true hero.
Grain built Murtoa and still defines it. The town is home to Australia’s largest inland grain receival facility - the GrainCorp Murtoa Grain Receival Centre - with a holding capacity of 400,000 tonnes. This is serious farming country, where harvest shapes the rhythm of life.
Its most striking landmark is the Stick Shed, originally known as Murtoa No. 1 Grain Store. Commissioned by the Grain Elevators Board, it was built between September 1941 and January 1942 to store wartime emergency reserves. Today, it stands as the only remaining wartime grain storage facility of its kind in Australia.
Murtoa Stick Shed (Image @vicgetaways)
From the road, it appears modest. Step inside and the scale is staggering. Timber poles rise in precise rows like a forest beneath a vast roof, covering almost 16,000sqm. It once held around 92,000 tonnes of grain. No photograph can truly capture its magnitude - you need to stand within it.
Murtoa Stick Shed (Image @vicgetaways)
Remarkably, this giant was completed in just four months during the early 1940s. Given modern planning delays, labour shortages and soaring costs, it’s hard to imagine such a structure rising so swiftly today.
Even Murtoa’s silo art by Sam Bates - SMUG - feels small beside it. The Stick Shed would dwarf almost anything on this horizon.
Where to stay
Horsham Silo Art
The Horsham silo mural by Sam Bates - SMUG - is titled Yangga Dyata, meaning ‘Walking on Country’. It honours Yanggendyinanyuk - ‘his walking feet’ in Wergaia language - a Wotjobaluk man born in the mid-1830s on Country.
Horsham Silo Art, Yangga Dyata by Sam Bates (a.k.a. SMUG) (Image Robert Crack)
Renowned for his tracking skills, he helped find three children lost in the Natimuk scrub in 1864, surviving eight days in rain-soaked bushland. He later toured England with Australia’s first cricket team, earning praise for his fielding and athleticism.
Despite hardship, including dispossession and loss of clan, he remained devoted to culture and community. He died in 1886 at Ebenezer Mission.
Developed with Barengi Gadjin Land Council, the mural also features his totem - the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo - on the adjacent flour mill, linking story, place and Country.
Horsham Silo Art, Yangga Dyata by Sam Bates (a.k.a. SMUG) (Image Robert Crack)
Warracknabeal
Warracknabeal’s heart beats along northern Scott Street, where handsome heritage buildings line the commercial strip. The 1907 Tudor-style Post Office still draws the eye, while the former State Savings Bank now houses the Historical Centre, charting the district’s story. At Federation Place, life-sized sheep and a loyal kelpie honour the town’s pastoral roots, echoed by a wool-themed sculpture at the Phillips Street roundabout.
History runs deep. The 1891 courthouse in Woolcock Street, the 1872 log lock-up in Devereux Street and the 1887 Anglican Church reflect a confident 19th-century settlement. An old brick water tower in Tarrant Street once serviced steam trains before supplying the town.
Yarriambiack Creek meanders through shaded parks and walking tracks, with footbridges, Anzac Park’s sporting grounds and a nearby flora and fauna reserve offering space to unwind.Founded after Major Thomas Mitchell’s 1836 reports, the district prospered under the Scott brothers’ vast sheep run before closer settlement reshaped it. Today, with about 2500 residents, Warracknabeal remains a proud grain hub on the Henty Highway.
There’s no silo art in town, yet it sits almost at the centre of the Silo Art Trail. Make it your base. The Warracknabeal Caravan Park is a reliable choice, and while we’re unsure if the retro Werrigar Motel is operating, its nostalgic charm is worth a look.
Blast from the past, Werrigar Motel, Warracknabeal (Image @vicgetaways)
Where to stay
Brim
Its story traces back to the mid-1800s, when pastoralists followed the winding Yarriambiack Creek north towards Lake Corrong near Hopetoun. The town’s name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘spring’ or ‘well of water’ - a fitting nod to the lifeline that shaped settlement.
Today the creek remains Brim’s natural playground. Locals and visitors gather along its banks to water ski, swim, fish or simply slow the pace and breathe in the open air.
In 2016, Brim stepped onto the world stage when muralist Guido van Helten painted a towering photorealistic artwork across its silos - the first silo mural in Victoria. The piece, depicting anonymous multi-generational farmers, honours the grit of country life. More than art, it sparked renewed optimism and helped launch the now-famous Silo Art Trail.
For caravanners, Brim Lakeside Park delivers relaxed bush camping beside the Yarriambiack Weir Pool. Powered and unpowered sites, barbecue facilities, walking tracks and simple amenities - including toilets and hot showers - make it an easy stop. At $10 a night, it’s exceptional value.
McPhersons General Store rounds out the experience with groceries, postal and banking services, local produce and a welcoming café. Small in size but strong in spirit, Brim carries itself with quiet determination.
Brim Silo Art by Guido van Helten (Image Robert Crack)
Beulah
Just off the Henty Highway, Beulah is a small farming town of about 200 people, 380km northwest of Melbourne. Film buffs may spot its main street from The Dry, but for caravanners the real highlight is Yarriambiack Creek. Kept flowing by the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline, it winds north toward Lake Corrong and creates a welcome oasis in dry country.
Beulah Creekview Caravan Park sits within the Recreation Reserve, right on the Yarriambiack Creek Weir Pool. The sites are compact, yet many enjoy sweeping water views - ideal for kayaking, canoeing or a lazy paddle. Powered and unpowered sites cater to caravans and motorhomes, with a quiet tent area by the bank and two simple four-berth cabins for lighter travellers.
Plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) artwork on a cabin in Beulah Creekview Caravan Park, by Jimmy Dvate (Image Robert Crack)
Yarriambiack Creek Weir Pool, Beulah Creekview Caravan Park (Image Robert Crack)
Facilities include barbecue facilities, a communal fire pit, modern amenities with free washing machines and wide grassy areas to relax. Boating, fishing, birdwatching and gentle walks are popular, with a track circling the water and the town pool and playground next door. Powered sites cost $20 per night, and free camping is available at Luna Park across the road. Don’t miss the Beulah Memorial Hall murals and Kaff-eine’s striking Horse Mural.
Horse Mural by Kaff-eine (Image Robert Crack)
Where to stay
Lascelles
Lascelles takes its name from Edward Harewood Lascelles - known as the ‘Father of the Mallee’ - and once served as a vital stop for settlers heading north to Mildura. Like many towns in this region, it grew from grit, grain and quiet determination.
Northwest of town, the Wathe Flora and Fauna Reserve protects a rare pocket of native bush. It’s one of the few places you might spot the endangered Malleefowl scratching through the scrub - a reminder of how delicate this landscape remains.
In 2017, artist Rone added a striking new layer to Lascelles’ story. After spending time with locals, he painted farmers Geoff and Merrilyn Horman, whose family has worked this land for four generations. The towering mural captures wisdom and steady resilience - qualities that continue to shape the district.
Nearby Hopetoun offers a relaxed base at Lake Lascelles Cabins and Camping, just 500m from town. Run by volunteers, the award-winning cabins reflect the farming heritage with corrugated iron and timber finishes. Choose from twin-share cabins, bunk rooms, powered lakeside caravan sites at $30 per night or unpowered bush and waterfront camps. Camping operates on an honesty system at $5 per adult.
Facilities include toilets, hot showers, accessible amenities, camp kitchens, barbecue facilities, laundry, fire pits and a boat ramp, plus an all-abilities jetty. The lake is regularly stocked with redfin and yellow belly, and walking and cycling tracks circle this terminal lake system.
Come for the art, the birdlife or a peaceful lakeside stay. After a long day on the road, green grass, clean amenities, hot showers and silo art glowing at sunset feel like pure Mallee magic - especially at just $10 a night for campers.
Where to stay
Lake Lascelles Cabins and Camping
Lascelles Silo Art by Rone (Image Robert Crack)
Caravan camping in the desert parks
Wyperfeld National Park
If you’re planning to camp in the northern section of Wyperfeld National Park, think carefully about your setup. You can book a site at Pine Plains Lodge - powered sites from $30 per night and unpowered from $25, with a maximum of four people per site - or leave your caravan secured in towns such as Hopetoun, Sea Lake, Lake Lascelles, Nullawil or Ouyen and continue in a 4WD with a tent. Soft sand and small campsites make this northern section unsuitable for caravans and even camper trailers.
Caravanners are better suited to Wonga Campground in the southern section. Book online through Parks Victoria. The 60 sites each have a fireplace - bring your own firewood - along with shared picnic tables, gas barbecue facilities and pit toilets.
At the time of writing, Wyperfeld National Park is closed due to bushfire. It won’t be forever, so start planning your return.
Wyperfeld National Park (Image Robert Crack)
Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
Tucked into semi-arid Mallee country north of the Hattah-Robinvale Road and the Calder Highway above Ouyen, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park blends classic outback scenery with a chain of shallow lakes and a sweeping reach of the Murray River, partly buffered by Murray-Kulkyne National Park. Compact yet diverse, it offers river views, sandy tracks and quiet bush camps.
Dogs and generators are permitted in Murray-Kulkyne but not in Hattah-Kulkyne.
Boaties and paddlers have easy access via launching ramps, while anglers target Murray Cod and Golden Perch. Yabbies and Murray Crayfish are seasonal bonuses, though European Carp are common. A Victorian recreational fishing licence is required.
Camp at Lake Hattah or Lake Mournpall camping areas, both with unpowered sites for tents, camper trailers and caravans, plus pit toilets, fireplaces and picnic tables. Bookings are essential year-round. Bush camping is also available at Firemans, Jinkers and Ki Bend along the Murray.
Walking options range from short nature trails to the 9.5km Mournpall Lake Loop. The Hattah Lakes Nature Discovery Trail and Kulkyne Loop Drive provide excellent overviews. Expect abundant birdlife, kangaroos and towering River Red Gums. Drive carefully and check conditions before you go.
Murray-Sunset National Park
Spanning 677,000ha, Murray-Sunset National Park stretches from Lindsay Island on the Murray River to the famed Pink Lakes in the south. These blush-toned lakes, coloured by algae, glow at sunrise and sunset when the sky burns with reflected light. Pioneer Drive offers easy 2WD access around Lake Crosbie, where free, well-spaced campsites cater comfortably for caravans with fireplaces, picnic tables and long-drop toilets.
Head into the central and northern sections and it becomes true 4WD territory. If you’re towing, you’ll need a fair-dinkum offroad caravan with good clearance and lowered tyre pressures. Expect sandy rises, corrugations and boggy patches after rain. Patient drivers are rewarded with gypsum relics, old rail formations and peaceful bush camps like Mopoke Hut, Rocket Lake and Shearers Quarters.
Camping is free and unbooked, but you must be self-sufficient. Bring water, fuel and recovery gear. There is no rubbish collection and limited reception, aside from an emergency booster near Shearers Quarters.
Wildlife is abundant - red and western grey kangaroos, emus and more than 220 bird species. Settle in, light the fire in designated pits and watch the stars take over.
Lake Crosbie, Murray-Sunset National Park (Image Robert Crack)
Ngarkat Conservation Park
Ngarkat Conservation Park lies in South Australia’s south-east, about 200km from Adelaide and 35km from Pinnaroo. Covering 271,000ha, it protects a vast sweep of mallee heath once known as the 90 Mile Desert - the state’s largest remnant of native vegetation in largely cleared farming country.
All internal tracks are 4WD only. The sandy Border Track is a highlight for experienced drivers but closes seasonally from 1 November to 31 March. Of the 11 campgrounds, only Pertendi Hut accommodates caravans. Six others suit offroad camper trailers, while the rest are tent only.
Visit in August or September for wildflowers and active birdlife. Kangaroos, emus, reptiles and mallee birds are common, while old huts, wells and windmills hint at a pastoral past.
Come prepared for heat, cold and isolation - this is a true off-grid escape.
THE NEXT STEP
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