2024 has been another year of both challenges and opportunities for Australian agriculture – from the live export ban, drought conditions in areas of VIC and SA and APVMA chemical regulations to bumper crops in Northern NSW, less fluctuation in steel prices and the continuation of the fodder storage asset write-off.
It has certainly been a year of change, innovation and growth too.
Here at Action, we have celebrated exciting developments such as the opening of our new manufacturing facility, complete with a welding robot and beamline – and our expanding team has completed more than 250 big shed projects across Eastern Australia with the majority of these being fertiliser sheds, grain sheds and dairy barns.
We are grateful for the support of the agricultural industry and communities that give us this opportunity to build big sheds and protect livelihoods.
And we love signing off projects and capturing Action sheds in action!
So, in this article, we have collated 39 of the best Action shed photos from site visits and projects in 2024. We have also rounded up the top farm shed resources – and discuss the farm shed trends to watch in 2025.
Read on to discover exciting projects and helpful resources and find inspiration for your next shed build.
39 Best Action Shed Photos Of 2024
First up is the industry-leading shearing shed facility for AJ & PA McBride.
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McBride’s 12 Stand Shearing Shed
A “game changer” for AJ & PA McBride, the recently completed 12-stand shearing shed at Telopea Downs is a masterpiece.
The shed isn’t just impressive in size.
It is set to shorten the shearing period for McBride’s to 8 weeks – even with an increase in flock size to around 85,000 – 100,0000 sheep!
Investing in new shearing shed builds and upgrades plays an important role in future-proofing the wool industry by increasing productivity and worker safety.
This project is a testament to AJ & PA McBride’s commitment to the industry.
To learn more about the project, check out this feature article – 12 Stand Shearing Shed At Telopea Downs – and browse the gallery below.
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Large-Scale Storage For Darcra Farming
It has been great to watch this project progress throughout the year!
A versatile 6,000-tonne storage shed, the project reflects the broader trend of investing in on-farm storage – albeit not all at this scale – to protect and futureproof enterprises from volatile input prices and open up market opportunities.
And it is a well-thought-out design, with the 12-metre canopies providing room for four road trains to pull up under shelter.
Watch the video below to hear what else Craig has to say.
Next up, a functional farm workshop!
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A Functional Farm Workshop Shed
Everyone loves a big, functional farm workshop, and this project delivers that in spades!
The smart design delivers safe working conditions and increases efficiency by making maintenance easier and keeping your machines running smoothly for longer.
Some of the standout features include:
- A combination of hi-bay lights and skylights allows the shed to be safely used at any time of the day. This is incredibly beneficial at busy times of the year, whether cropping or harvest.
- A girder truss opening removes the hassle of moving wide machinery in and out of the shed.
- The eight-metre canopy provides quick shelter for long machinery in wet weather – and the concrete apron is a smart addition, providing a handy working area outside.
For more machinery shed and workshop ideas, download a copy of the 2024-2025 Machinery Shed Guide.
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Storing 4,000 Bales? No Problem!
We love seeing an Action shed in Action, so it was fantastic to capture this hay shed getting put to good use!
Hay sheds are set to be important infrastructure off the back of the 2024 harvest, particularly in areas where crops have been cut for hay – and in areas experiencing drought conditions.
Eligible primary producers can also take advantage of fodder storage tax write-offs and rebates when investing in this infrastructure:
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The Concrete Panel Team
This photo shows the Action pre-cast team doing what they do best – quality concrete panels!
Concrete panels are must-have inclusions for protecting cladding from corrosion and machinery damage – and with grain sheds, fertiliser sheds, calving sheds and multi-use sheds in high demand our concrete panel team have been kept busy!
Manufacturing concrete panels in-house makes them a cost-effective option and results in a higher-quality finish.
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Covered Yards For Low Footprint Lamb
A farmer and his Action shed!
We caught up with Matt Kelly earlier in the year to learn about his prime lamb, shedding sheep enterprise – and the reasons why he invested in an Action roof over his yards.
Watch the full video below.
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Barn Designed For Cow Comfort & Corrosion Protection
With barn projects popular this year it’s no wonder that one has made it into the top 39 best Action shed photos of 2024!
Cow comfort and corrosion protection are two important considerations for a barn project, and this project ticks both boxes with details like:
- A 14-degree roof pitch and ridge ventilation system for effective airflow
- A fully hot dip galvanized steel frame and concrete panels to protect from corrosion
- A combination of a canopy, end wall and gable infill for weather protection
Other details such as barn orientation are also important for achieving effective ventilation and you can learn about this here – What Is The Best Loafing Orientation?
Browse the gallery below to view the project in more detail.
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Fertiliser Shed Saving Time, Money & Stress
Did we mention that we love seeing an Action shed in action? And this photo perfectly sums that up!
2024 was the year of the fertiliser shed – and for good reasons too!
Fertiliser sheds are smart investments, saving you time, money and stress – it is always better to be looking at your fertiliser than looking for it!
If you are looking to take advantage of these benefits, check out this article – The Benefits Of A Fertiliser Shed & How To Maximise ROI We take a deep dive into how you can get the most out of your fertiliser shed.
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Calf Crew
What’s not to love about this action shot?
This recently completed calf shed uses the classic three-sided ‘open-front’ configuration – this is still by far the most popular calf shed design.
It’s cost-effective, functional and easily customised.
Here’s how this project has been customised:
- Colorbond cladding provides an additional layer of corrosion protection and matches the shed with the existing shed infrastructure.
- Skylights have been used in both the roof, back wall and gable ends to maximise the amount of natural light in the shed.
- A concrete apron helps keep the shed accessible year-round – even in wet weather.
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Increasing Production With Technology
The completion of our new manufacturing facility has certainly been a highlight in 2024.
Our workshop team have embraced the new technology, boosting productivity and increasing efficiencies – and we love these photos captured behind the scenes.
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QA Hay Supporting Local Growers & Community
Shed lifts are impressive to watch, and naturally, at 189-metres long this hay processing shed lift got plenty of attention!
It is very exciting to be involved in the progressive QA Hay development for Scott Somers and Paul Johns.
The facilities, located at Warracknabeal, will provide a direct line for local growers to export their hay and are set to process around 150,000 tonnes of hay each year, creating more than 60 jobs in a significant boost to the region.
We’re looking forward to sharing more photos as this project nears completion.
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John’s Multi-Use Shed A Winner
Multi-use sheds were a winner in 2024, providing good value for money and storage flexibility – whether it’s short-term grain storage at harvest or fertiliser storage ahead of cropping.
This photo shows the versatile open-front shed completed for John Bennet – a textbook example of how to capitalise on the benefits of a multi-use shed.
But don’t just take our word for it! We caught up with John earlier in the year to hear about his Action experience.
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Delivering Big Sheds Across VIC, SA, NSW & QLD
After covering thousands of kilometres and delivering more than 250 sheds across eastern Australia, how could we not include a photo (or two) of our trusty DAF trucks?
And, if you are here for less words and more inspiration, check out the best Action shed photos 14 to 39 in the gallery below.
They do say, a picture paints a thousand words! And the Action team have captured some great ones on their site visits!
So, that’s a wrap on the best Action shed photos in 2024!
Next up we have rounded up the top farm shed resources in 2024.
Top Action Farm Shed Resources In 2024
Our pricing guide library was by far the most popular resource in 2024, providing helpful information for project budgeting and planning.
The most access pricing guides were kit pricing lists, and standard size ranges:
- 9 of The Best Hay Shed Kit Sizes & Prices
- 7 Of The Best Machinery Shed Kit Sizes & Prices
- Standard Chemical Shed Size & Price Guide (PDF Download)
- Standard Fertiliser Shed Size & Price Guide (PDF Download)
You might also like our latest price guide – What Will 2025 Steel Prices Do?
Next were project features such as the 2,000 Head Lamb Feedlot, tools like our storage calculators proved helpful and the Project Gallery was the top spot to get project ideas and inspiration.
So, that’s a summary of all things Action sheds in 2024! We hope you love the best Action shed photos as much as we do!
Now, let’s take a look at some of the farm shed trends from this year that look set to continue in 2025.
9 Farm Shed Trends To Watch In 2025
From versatile farm shed designs to a strong focus on safety and sustainability, there are a number of farm shed trends you can follow on your next build to set you up for success.
Read on to learn about nine top trends.
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Thinking Long-Term
As proved in 2024, farmers are increasingly thinking long-term when planning their shed infrastructure – and this has been shown in several ways.
Firstly, bay spacings and clearance heights are being upsized to allow for future machinery purchases – machinery isn’t getting any smaller!
Secondly, projects like fertiliser sheds have become valuable infrastructure for protecting enterprises from volatile input prices and shortages.
Similarly, grain sheds put cropping enterprises in a good position to capitalise on market opportunities that may come up in the future
And, finally, farmers are simply starting the project planning process earlier which allows them to make smart, educated decisions, sets them up for future success and ultimately allows them to get the best out of their infrastructure. For example, this can be as simple as planning site logistics such as turning circles and ensuring the site accommodates future expansion.
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Covered Containment Feeding For Sheep
Lamb feedlotting, drought lots or sacrificial paddocks – regardless of the system you have implemented, there is no doubt that containment feeding for sheep is proving a valuable drought and pasture management strategy.
And many producers are looking to fully capitalise on the benefits of these systems and infrastructure by converting their set-up into covered finishing systems.
Intrigued? We take a deep dive into this topic here – Lamb Feedlots Are The Future & You Should Cover Yours
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Designing For Value & Versatility
Arguably the most common farm shed trend in 2024, was designing a shed to get the best value for money – perhaps reflective of the current economic climate.
This was achieved in a number of ways including taking advantage of the cost-effective standard span range and creating a multi-use shed.
A classic example is a machinery shed with a bay or two enclosed and concrete for fertiliser storage.
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Barns Are Big!
Dairy barns and infrastructure such as loafing barns, maternity barns and covered feed pads were popular in 2024 – and 2025 is shaping up to be no different.
So, why build a barn?
There is a plethora of benefits that these barn projects provide – and they are as beneficial for smaller-scale operations as they are for larger ones.
Some of these benefits include improving pasture management, reducing labour requirements and maximising milk production.
And for projects like loafing barns, these can be designed to be converted to contained housing systems such as free-stall barns or compost barns in the future.
As a result, loafing barns are a great stepping stone in dairy expansion and growth plans.
So, if loafing barns are set to be big in 2025 – what size should you build? This article is a great starting point – What Size Loafing Barn Should I Build?
In the video below, listen to Adam and Emma talk about the impact an Action loafing barn has had on their dairy and themselves personally.
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Chemical Sheds For Safety & Sustainability
2024 certainly proved that compliant chemical storage is becoming increasingly important infrastructure for cropping enterprises.
With a strong industry focus on improving on-farm safety and growers looking to capitalise on sustainability certification opportunities, safe chemical storage is set to become essential going forward.
In response to this trend, our building consultants developed the Standard Chemical Shed Range which has become a valuable resource.
More broadly, the themes of safety and sustainability were also reflected in projects such as dairy barns, shearing sheds and cattle yard covers.
Safety is always important – so, if you only follow one farm shed trend, make it this one!
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Cost-Effective Coverage With Canopies
Cantilevered canopies have easily become the number one farm shed design option – whether it is a hay shed, grain shed, machinery shed or calving barn.
And it makes sense too.
Firstly, including a canopy ties directly in with the trend of getting the best value for money. This is because a canopy is a cost-effective way to gain extra coverage – rather than having the expense of upsizing the shed.
For example, a 24-metre span with a 6-metre canopy is more cost-effective than a 30-metre span shed.
And the benefits don’t stop there. For example, a canopy over a feed lane can reduce feed wastage. Or a canopy on your workshop can provide a handy storage and maintenance area with no columns in the way.
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Wide Machinery Access
Machinery sheds were in high demand in 2024, particularly with cropping enterprises looking to increase their on-farm storage.
As a result, the classic three-sided shed was popular as it could be easily repurposed for hay storage if necessary.
But for wide machinery storage, open gable or drive-through sheds were the way to go.
There are two main reasons why this configuration was popular.
Firstly, it is the most cost-effective way to store wide machinery.
Secondly, it is the most cost-effective way to store long machinery.
So, that’s a win-win situation!
Not to mention that this design is very functional -no reversing is required! And it can be easily customised with sliding doors and outrigger systems.
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Standard Is King
It was proved time and time again in 2024, that best way to create a cost-effective and functional design (and shorten project lead times) was to choose standard options.
Our standard spans and standard bay spacing are standard for a reason – they are tried, tested and proven – and developed specifically for the agricultural industry.
For example, the 8.5m bay spacing has become the new norm – it provides excellent value for money and good wriggle room for both hay and machinery storage.
Fittingly, when it comes to standard spans, the 24 metre option was the most popular in 2024!
If you are not familiar with our standard span range and why we recommend them, check out this article – What Are The Standard Spans For Farm Sheds?
9
Hay Shed Surge
Will 2025 be the year of the hay shed?
As we mentioned earlier, seasonal conditions combined with economic stimulus and support means hay sheds are set to have a big year.
Hay shed infrastructure is a smart way for livestock producers to help drought proof their enterprises – and for cropping enterprises to capitalise on market opportunities.
Plus, Australia’s leading export companies are investing in large storage facilities.
So, watch this space and see how it plays out!
In the meantime, you might be interested in this article – How Quickly Can I Pay Off A Hay Shed?
And, that’s a wrap on our recap! We hope you found the best Action shed photos of 2024 inspiring – and that the latest farm shed trends gave you food for thought.
We are looking forward to seeing what 2025 brings! Planning a farm shed project? Submit a REQUEST A QUOTE and we will be in touch.
