Underground Grain Silos

The Underground Grain Silos on Cockatoo Island are five chambers carved into sandstone bedrock, shaped like bottles with square openings at the top. This design provided stable storage and protected grain from moisture and pests.

Colonel George Barney designed these storage facilities in 1839, with convicts excavating the chambers from sandstone. In the 1870s, the chambers were repurposed for water storage.

The silos represent early colonial engineering solutions for food storage needs in New South Wales during the nineteenth century development period.

The silos are located southeast of Biloela and are reachable on foot from the main island grounds. The site is open to visitors, but watch for edges and steps when accessing the historic chambers.

Originally designed to hold roughly 20,000 bushels of grain, the silos were later converted for water storage to supply the island. Traces of thirteen original silos remain visible across the site.

Location: New South Wales

GPS coordinates: -33.84783,151.17258

Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:47