Forest Hill silos mural could go ahead despite being partially obscured by six-metre wall

Lockyer Valley Regional Council has been working on a project plan for a potential large scale mural on the GrainCorp silos adjacent to the rail line in Forest Hill, however, ARTC may have to construct a wall in future to mitigate train noise as part of its Inland Rail project.

Queensland Country Life understands there is no decision or timeframe on the noise wall at present, with ARTC currently undertaking further consultation with the Forest Hill community as part of the Environment Impact Statement process.

Noise mitigations are part of the conversation ARTC is having with the community ahead of the detailed design process for the Helidon to Calvert section.

A council spokesperson said while it had raised concerns around the "confronting impacts" of the Inland Rail project on its region since it was first announced, it was committed to moving forward with projects that benefitted its community.

"Due to the current Inland Rail alignment, the onus will be on the ARTC to mitigate any impacts on the Silos Mural project," they said.

"This may include using the silos as their noise barrier so as not to impact this fantastic tourism initiative that has potential to provide a genuine economic boost to both Forest Hill and the region."

In 2021, council surveyed the community and potential visitors on the overall silo mural project and artwork themes, providing illustrations featuring a dotted line to depict the wall.

After analysing feedback from 307 respondents, council said there was "strong community support" for the project.

Community feedback ranged from "the Inland Rail could spoil this project and make enjoying the murals more difficult" to "if the local ones were painted, they too would bring many more people to Forest Hill and the Lockyer".

Council is now seeking community feedback on the viewing precinct, which potentially includes a dedicated viewing area, carpark, bus turnaround and RV Parking, and has once again included the noise wall line on illustrations.

According to the council website, the mural is a long-term project intended to be undertaken in stages, subject to obtaining funding from sources including government, arts, tourism, corporate sponsorship and the community.

It says discussions with GrainCorp and Queensland Rail have been positive with in-principle support obtained, but formal approvals will be required prior to any artwork installation.

Mayor Tanya Milligan has been a vocal critic of the current Inland Rail route, saying it is a vital project but must be moved outside of townships.

In an earlier statement, she said council was seeking to maximise the economic and tourism potential by designing a viewing precinct that would be attractive for day trippers, short-stay self-contained RV campers and tour buses.

She said council invited interested community members to share their thoughts at one of the upcoming consultation sessions so it could "put the spotlight on this important aspect of what is sure to be an exciting project for the Lockyer Valley and our growing community".

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