Cora Lynn Cheese Factory

Cora Lynn Cheese Factory, 1998.

Image: Heather Arnold

The Cheese Factory at Cora Lynn is  a prominent landmark, and as you can see by the date on the factory, it was established in 1910. This photograph was taken in 1998 and it has since been refurbished. I have tried to find out the exact date of the opening, but can only conclude from the following newspaper reports that it was in November 1911. The factory was was established by the Drouin Co-Operative Butter Factory.  The factory was remodelled in 1932 and at that time had around 500 regular suppliers. (1) The factory appears to have closed in the late 1940s and then re-opened for a short time time in the early 1950s. (2)

In August 1910, it was reported that the shareholders of the proposed cheese factory at Cora Lynn asked the Lands department to sell them some land on which to build a factory. The initial price of the land  was £50 per acres, which was considered too high and it was later reduced to £30 per acre.

Proposed Cheese Factory at Cora Lynn

The Argus,  August 3 1910 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10449147

The land was acquired and a tender was accepted in October 1910 to build the factory from W. Hughes for £290. 

Tender accepted from W. Hughes.

The Argus, October 15 1910, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10469183

   The Factory was under construction in December 1910.

Factory under construction

Berwick Shire News,  December 7, 1910, p. 2

In January 1911, it was reported in the Bunyip and Garfield Express that -

The local cheese factory is now approaching completion, and the floors are now being put in. Within the next few weeks the company expect to have the building ready for the machinery, which will be  installed immediately.

Approaching completion

Bunyip and Garfield Express, January 24, 1911, p. 2

There were a number of 'optimistic' newspaper reports which noted that the factory had been completed, such as this one in January 1911 - 

Cora Lynn making rapid strides

The Argus, January 31, 1911, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10875263

However, in March 1911, The Leader reported - The dairy farmers around Cora Lynn are complaining of the delay in completing the new cheese factory, as they are missing the flush of the season. (3)  On April 8, The Leader reported - The new cheese factory at Cora Lynn, on the Kooweerup swamp, has been completed. (4)  The building may well have completed, but it was still a long way from being opened.

In August, the factory still had not opened, but they were apparently planning something extra special, as the Bunyip and Garfield Express, reported -

Speaking of the cheese factory reminds this writer that there is no official mention of the opening date, but when the matter is fixed, I understand that the opening  is to be something extra special, and it is expected that Mr. Newton of the Gippsland Co-operative Butter Factories Company will attend, and several other public speakers. 

No official opening date yet....

Bunyip and Garfield Express, August 29, 1911, p. 3

On September 5, 1911 the Bunyip and Garfield Express reported on a speech from Mr A. Jeffers, a director of the Drouin Butter factory, where he mentioned a possible reason why the Cora Lynn factory wasn't yet opened - 

He hoped to see the local cheese factory started in a fortnight, or, at the latest, on October 1. If the suppliers could guarantee 200 gallons of milk daily, it could start immediately, but one thing they must remember that the running expenses of the factory would amount to £3 per week, and that would be debited against the local factory; therefore the full supply should be forthcoming before the factory opened. 

Part of Mr Jeffers' speech

Bunyip and Garfield Express, September 5, 1911, p. 3

One month later, on October 3, 1911 the Bunyip and Garfield Express reported again on the Cora Lynn factory, and it still had not opened -

Speaking generally, fodder is not too plentiful, consequently, the opening of the cheese factory had been delayed beyond the date first anticipated. Referring to the factory, it is considered locally that once supply comes forward this industry will be the support of the district, since we are situated at a distance from the railway line. This means a considerable time on the road with consignments, whilst the cheese factory is right in the district.

The factory is still delayed 

Bunyip and Garfield Express, October 3, 1911, p. 3

Three weeks later on October 24, there was another report on the progress of the Cora Lynn factory in the Bunyip and Garfield Express -

The local cheese factory will be opened at an early date, and the manager (Mr Sherridan) is busy making preparations. Only 200 gallons daily are required to keep the factory working, but it is expected that the supply will greatly exceed this once the season starts. A number of farmers are adding to their dairy herds, and judging from the number of cattle in the district the supply should not be far short of 600 gallons of milk daily. The factory is a commodious building consisting of a vat room, engine room and cheese room, and should prove sufficient for the requirements of the district for some time to come.

Cheese factory to be opened soon.....

Bunyip and Garfield Express, October 24, 1911, p. 3

The manager noted in the above article was John Robert Sheridan, listed in the 1913 Electoral Rolls as a Factory Manager of Cora Lynn, also listed was his wife, Emily Florence. Their two children, Raymond and May,  were enrolled at the Cora Lynn State School in 1911. In the 1914 Electoral Rolls, the family had moved to Milawa,

I cannot find any report of the official opening of the factory, however the November 21, 1911 edition of the Bunyip and Garfield Express could finally report that the Cora Lynn Cheese factory was actually open -
The local cheese factory is now opened for business, and the supply coming forward is very satisfactory and is increasing daily. It is estimated that the district is at present capable of supplying 500 gallons per day which will be close up to the full capacity of the factory.

The Factory is opened

Bunyip and Garfield Express, November 21, 1911, p. 3

In December, the Bunyip and Garfield Express reported on the good progress of the Cora Lynn factory -

Since the opening of the cheese factory there has been a great increase in the milk supply thereto. On the opening day 80 gallons were supplied, now it has reached 400 gallons and there is a large daily increase, and it is expected that the supply will reach 500 gallons daily this week. The machinery is working to full capacity at present, and will shortly have to be supplemented. General satisfaction is expressed amongst the farmers with return from the factory, as they are much higher than the home separator. 

Cora Lynn Factory going well

Bunyip and Garfield Express, December 5, 1911, p. 3

The factory was remodelled and enlarged in 1932 and it was officially re-opened on September 28, 1932, by the local M.L.A., Matthew Bennett. The Age reported - 

The Cora Lynn cheese factory erected on the latest designs, has been officially opened. It will have a capacity of more than treble the present output. During the past fortnight the milk received at the factory was 319,110 lb., three times the quantity received at the two factories operating at Iona and Cora Lynn for the corresponding period thirteen years ago. At the Royal show the factory gained third prize for cheese over six mouths old. The company is entirely co-operative. The new factory was opened by Mr. Bennett. M.L.A., in the presence of a large gathering of suppliers, shareholders

and others interested. (5)

The Cora Lynn Cheese factory opening ceremony

Weekly Times, October 22, 1932 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224466396

Trove list - I have created a list of articles on Trove, on the Cora Lynn Cheese factory. Access it here.

Footnotes

(1) The Argus, September 29, 1932 see here; The Age, September 29, 1932, see here.

(2) See articles on my Trove list, here.

(3) The Leader, March 4, 1911, see here.

(4) The Leader, April 8, 1911, see here.

(5) The Age, September 29, 1932, see here.