CBH Merredin Tour

December 23, 2021

Our ruminant feed Sales Manager, Wayne Manoni, was recently fortunate enough to have a guided tour of the impressive Merredin CBH Facility.

Merredin CBH officially opened its doors…or bins rather, to grain receivals back in 1940.  Back then, it had a massive receival of some 2,800 tonnes, mainly of wheat.

These days, at full capacity, the Merredin facility can hold a maximum of approximately 860,000 tonnes but, even in a bumper year like we are experiencing presently, their aim is to be well under that total, for ease of management.

Grain bunkers at CBH Merredin

Site Manager, Jerome O’Malley, estimates they presently (as at 13th Dec) have some 460,000 tonnes on site.  They are expecting to receive in an additional 50,000 tonnes by harvest-end.

Whilst some bins around have closed due to an abundant supply, Merredin will continue to stay open because of its capacity.  The rail service assists, with additional tonnes going out to free up space. Some 60,000 tonnes have already been railed out of Merredin, as it is on the standard gauge line.  With easy access to Great Eastern Highway, road-trains also play a big part in both the delivery into the site, and distribution out of the Merredin bins.

The artwork at Merredin CBH has become a popular tourist attraction

Merredin CBH not only has great history, it is also home to a unique artwork.  In 2017, Kyle Hughes-Odgers transformed 4 of the 8 silo cells into a massive artwork depicting the importance of agriculture to the region. This now proves a popular stop for tourists on Great Eastern Highway.  Many people pause to take photos of the impressive work when travelling through the area. The artwork is definitely worth a look if you are ever out that way.

The huge grain silos at Merredin CBH