Murtoa Stick Shed

The Marmalake grain store at Murtoa was thrown up in 1941 when the war cut off wheat exports and Australia needed somewhere to put an enormous surplus. Materials were scarce, so builders used unmilled mountain ash poles, five hundred and sixty of them, set in rows to hold up a corrugated iron roof over a space around two hundred and seventy metres long. The result, meant to last a few years, stayed in use until 1990 and survives as the only structure of its kind: walking inside is like entering a forest turned into a hall, with light falling between the poles onto the earth floor. It is heritage-listed and opened by volunteers on set days and for events.

What you actually see

• The pole forest - 560 unmilled tree trunks holding up the roof.
• The scale - a timber hall stretching nearly three hundred metres.
• The light - shafts falling between poles onto the floor.
• The wartime story - the emergency that produced a building meant to be temporary.

When to go

March to November for comfortable weather; the shed is unheated and uninsulated, baking in summer and cold in winter. It opens on limited days, usually weekends and by arrangement, so checking before travelling is essential. Concerts and events are held inside occasionally.

Honest expectations

Opening hours are limited and run by volunteers, so a wasted trip is possible without checking. There is nothing else at the site beyond the shed itself, and the visit takes under an hour. Murtoa is a small town with minimal services.

Nearby

Horsham lies west; the Silo Art Trail passes through the region.