Work to get underway on the Horsham Silo art project in Horsham north from April 23

The silo art project, called Yangga Dyata - Walking on Country in Wergaia language, is set to transform Horsham's silo and flour mill as a tribute to former Wotjobaluk Aboriginal warrior Yanggendyinanyuk.

It is set to be completed by National Reconciliation Week at the end of May, and will include painting, facility improvements and traffic management works.

The project will commence on April 23 and will be finalised by May 13, with the official opening of the Silos set to take place on May 27 at 6pm.

In February, it was announced renowned street artist 'Smug' had been commissioned to complete the works.

From April 23 to April 25 equipment will be moved in to undertake the project.

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The Silo and the Flour Mill will be washed on April 25 with water only, in preparation for painting.

During this time part of the footpath access will be blocked an alternative path will be marked and identified.

The painting will occur during daylight hours seven days per week. During the installation period of three weeks partial access to the footpath will be closed. An alternative path will be identified with signage.

Access to the underpass at Wawunna Road will not be affected during the installation and time lapse filming will occur during the installation process.

Yanggendyinanyuk was born in the mid-1830s on Wotjobaluk Country, and lived a life marked by extraordinary achievement and leadership, whilst also experiencing deep loss and grief.

While he has been publicly celebrated as part of the first Indigenous Cricket tour to England, and for his extraordinary tracking skills in finding the Cooper Duff children of the 'Lost in the Bush' story, Yanggendyinanyuk also saw the loss of his clan and Country.

Having lived as a warrior and hunter of great skill, Yanggendyinanyuk also worked as a mail rider servicing stations all across the Wimmera between Horsham and the South Australian border.

He was an accomplished player of draughts, cribbage, billiards, boxing and cricket and was a life-long abstainer from alcohol.

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Having been twice denied a grant of land as part of a government scheme aiming to attract European farmers to his country, today Yanggendyinanyuk's legacy flows through his descendants and the Native Title over the Country he once walked, and through the re-emergence of the ancient Wergaia language he once spoke.

In 1886, Yanggendyinanyuk passed away at Ebenezer mission, a proud husband to Eliza Townsend and father of nine children.

Shana Miatke, Creative services lead at Horsham Rural City Council said Council was priviliged to be able to share Yanggendyinanyuk's story through the installation of this new large-scale public artwork.

"As a community we all have a responsibility to his descendants; our First people, neighbours and friends, to welcome with respect the Yangga Dyata story as it is arises from the Country, to reveal itself upon the agricultural infrastructure of the Horsham Silo and Flour Mill," Ms Miatke said.

"Yanggendyinanyuk's story reveals a part of Horsham's history that many people may not know about. Through the telling of his story, we will all know more about ourselves and who we are today as a community."

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More of Yanggendyinanyuk's story will be revealed over the coming months with an audio recording available online as part of the visitation experience to the new silo art featuring his image.

Council has partnered with Barengi Gadgin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and the owners of the silos to secure a Victorian Government grant to fund this project.

The Yangga Dyata - Walking on Country Silo Art Project is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.

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