Old Rainworth Fort is located 10 kilometres of Spring in central Queensland. Before visiting the place in June 2013, I was a little skeptical about the claims of being a ‘fort’. But even a short assessment proved otherwise. This building was clearly built as a fortified structure. Openings on only one side and slits in the walls at two levels.

Significantly this building was erected after the major conflict at the nearby Cullinlaringo station when 19 Europeans were killed in October 1861.

Main internal space with stairs to loft.

Loft space. Note the slits around the top of wall.

The only openings were on the eastern with timbers doors and presumably originally timber shutters.

Location

Scattered throughout rural Queensland are concrete silos used for fodder.

The Department of Agriculture and Stock promoted the construction of silos for preserving fodder for dairy cows from the 1900s. The silos worked on the principle of storing fodder and eliminating as much air as possible to retard decomposition. The Department recommended that the concrete silo was ‘par excellence the one to construct for permanency and utility above all others’. The Department prepared standard plans for the construction of concrete silos.

The cost of construction was prohibitive for most farmers and so only a relatively small number were built. Most survive as they have been too difficult to demolish.

Silo on farm in Boonah district

Click to enlarge

Standard plan prepared by Department of Agriculture and Stock