SIXTEEN iconic but rusting wheat silos alongside the Dingo Flour mill in North Fremantle were demolished this week.

More correctly known as Great Southern Rolling Flour Mills, the site is on WA’s heritage register, and with the big red dingo painted on the side is a much-loved landmark entry to Fremantle.

Structural engineer Nigel Caffyn-Parson is overseeing the demolition for owner Allied Mills Australia, and says the silos are too far gone. In the interim the concrete hard stand will be used for storage, but there are long-term redevelopment plans.

• Rusty wheat silos at the Dingo Flour mill were demolished this week. Photos by Steve Grant

He said as soon as the powerful wrecking claw started tearing off the silos’ steel sides on Friday morning, there was a steady stream of onlookers.

Mr Caffyn-Parson said Allied will soon start on the restoration of the main, five-storey silo building. That will involve replacing the corrugated iron sheeting that has the dingo on it, and painting a new dingo on the new cladding.

A 2008 report for the WA heritage council noted the poor condition of the silos and the likely need of replacement.

The silos were installed in 1982 in the face of stiff opposition from locals who’d been enjoying booming property values thanks to North Freo’s growing residential nature, and feared the silos would be a threat.

by STEVE GRANT