Warwick Dairy Co-Op
Warwick Dairy Industry
Security for the Warwick dairy industry was established on October 9 1901 when a meeting was held in the town hall, Warwick, to consider ways and means of establishing a butter factory in the town.Two of the prominent people associated with the establishment of the butter factory were James DeConlay and G P Barnes and after a meeting recommended that a company be formed.
On May 11 1903, 12 months later, manufacturing operations commenced and on December 1 1903 the first consignment of butter was shipped on the 'Miltiades' to London, with one box through the courtesy of the Earl of Warwick was sent to the Mayor and councilors of the city of Warwick, England.
After experiencing early financial difficulties and the first monthly payment for cream of 249 pound, the business grew and by 1949 the company had butter factories at Warwick, Allora, Texas and Goondiwindi and cheese factories at Elbow Valley, Talgai, Bony Mountain, Victoria Hill, Pratern, Lord John Swamp and Greymere. As a result of these factories, the weekly output rose to 80 tons of butter and 10 tons of cheese.
Electric power was supplied to the Allora Shire for lighting by the butter factory. Up to 1940 the association had distributed well over five million pounds and the annual turnover in 1940 was over 350,000 pounds.