Murtoa Stick Shed

The Murtoa No. 1 Grain Store is the only remaining emergency grain store built during World War Two and is an enduring testament to iconic Australian bush ingenuity and a symbol of the growth and strength of the Australian wheat industry.

Completed in 1942, the unique and dramatic structure of the Murtoa No.1 Grain Store has captured the imagination of everyone who has seen its serene and evocative cathedral-like interior. Referred to by some as the ‘Cathedral of the Wimmera’ or the ‘Murtoa Stick Shed’, the building’s ghostly unmilled tall timber poles and central aisle draw the eye upward towards the roof as light spills into the space through skylights as if through a stained glass window.

The quiet and unassuming exterior of this rare and remarkable building stands in the Victorian wheat growing region of the Wimmera and belies its majestic interior and the story it tells of the impact of World War Two on the Australian home front, especially for the production of agricultural exports, like wheat.

The Murtoa Stick Shed was listed by Heritage Victoria in 1990 and placed on the Australian Heritage List at Number 101 in 2014.