George Pethard Collection including references to Taraxale Brewing Company Pty grey covered 29x19mm photographic album bound with silver string / black and white Photographs of Victorian National Resources Development Train Tour No 20 - South Western and Midland Districts April 16 to 21 , 1934 - stopping at Terang Camperdown , Warrnambool Koroit , Casterton , Mount Gambier , Ararat , Daylesford - album shows Members of the 20th 'Reso' Party - includes George Pethard ./ photos include the Trufood Company Factory Terang / Mr. S.G. Black's property at Terang ./ The Camperdown Cheese and Butter Factory / Warrnambool Woollen Mills ,/bendigo, industry, taraxale brewing company, trufood company factory terang /george pethard/ taraxale brewing company /victorian national resources development train tour/ mr. s.g. black's property at terang . /the camperdown cheese and butter factory /

Gold DVD in plastic case with Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory logo and photograph of manLes O'Callaghan/-interview 2005 WCBF

Cylindrical wooden roller with an imprint of the word 'Australia' across the centre. Rectangular relief patterns are around the roller with ridged edging. A 4cm section is recessed underneath to a depth of 1.5cm. A decorative emblem is carved into each of the corners of the recessed section. australia, allansford, butter roller, warrnambool cheese butter factory, dairy industry, dairy utensils

Presented to WCB following a share fund raising exercise.Indicates the success of the company share funds.A cow-shaped trophy mounted on a green plastic base with an artificial grass top. A black and white cow design is sandwiched within the Perspex shape. A square transparent label is placed over the cow.Top: WCBF logo $36.7 million equity raising 1 for 6 entitlement offer placement to Bega Cheese. RBS Morgan Manager and Underwriter/Gresham Investment House - financial Adviser to WCB/Minter Ellison-Legal Advisor to WCBallansford, warrnambool cheese & butter factory, bega cheese, morgan rbs, minter ellison, gresham investment house, canada, the corporate presence

This croquet mallet was presented to Mrs Huffer when she was the champion player at St. John’s Presbyterian Church Croquet Club in Warrnambool in 1957-8. Croquet has been a sport played particularly by women since the second half of the 19th century. It was popular in Warrnambool and was a competition sport with several clubs from the beginning of the 20th century. St. John’s Club was operative in the 20th century but no longer exists. Mrs W. Huffer was the wife of William Huffer who was an employee and then the manager of the Grasmere Butter and Cheese Factory from 1940 to 1963 when it closed. His father before him had been the manager of the factory from 1918 to 1944. The Huffer family had come to Warrnambool from Gippsland. This croquet mallet has been well used.This mallet is of significance as a memento of St. John’s Croquet Club in Warrnambool and of the Huffer family associated with the local dairying industry for the first half of the 20th century. This croquet mallet was presented to Mrs Huffer when she was the champion player at St. John’s Presbyterian Church Croquet Club in Warrnambool in 1957-8. Croquet has been a sport played particularly by women since the second half of the 19th century. It was popular in Warrnambool and was a competition sport with several clubs from the beginning of the 20th century. St. John’s Club was operative in the 20th century but no longer exists. Mrs W. Huffer was the wife of William Huffer who was an employee and then the manager of the Grasmere Butter and Cheese Factory from 1940 to 1963 when it closed. His father before him had been the manager of the factory from 1918 to 1944. The Huffer family had come to Warrnambool from Gippsland. This croquet mallet has been well used.‘Champion of St, John’s A Grade Mrs W. Huffer 1957-8’ ‘STC Sil’23 croquet mallet, st john's presbyterian church warrnambool, warrnambool, huffer

This box is of key importance as an item that held Kraft Walker Cheese Company cheese. This company and its factory in Allansford was a key business in the dairying industry in the Warrnambool area for nearly 60 years. The box may have been used locally in the Allansford factory.This is a wooden oblong box with no lid. It has been nailed together with 12 nail heads visible and four nails protruding from the top edges. It has been used to package 1 dozen 8 oz Kraft Cheese. ‘The World Renowned Kraft Cheese (K), Blended Pasteurised Packed, Patented July 26 1916, 1 Doz. 8oz Cartons , Kraft Walker Cheese Co. Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, Australia' 'Kraft (K) Cheese 1 Dozen 8 oz Cartons'kraft walker cheese company (allansford), fred walker, warrnambool cheese and butter factory, kraft cheese

This booklet contains the Program for the Back to Warrnambool Celebrations for 1930. It contains a brief history of the town and photos of current council Office bearers and local scenic spots. There is also a map of the town and a large number of advertisements for local businesses. Back to Warrnambool celebrations were an important event on the social calendar and were run over a number of years in the town. This program is one glimpse into the city and its people in 1930. Some of the events held over the week included processions, sports Carnivals, concerts, card playing, Church services and local tours. Many of the advertisements are for businesses of long standing and importance to the prosperity of the town. Twenty page Booklet with light card, grey, mottled cover. Text in brown and blue. Picture of Warrnambool main beach in centre. Price 2/- in bottom right corner. Back cover has full page advertisement for Bruce and McClure. Text and illustrations are brown. M Armstrong is written in blue biro on top right corner. Song “Back to Warrnambool,” written and composed by Reg A.A. Stoneham,” is printed below picture on front cover. Published by A.A. Stoneham, 241 Carlisle St, Balaclava.younger pty ltd, warrnambool, back to warrnambool, 1930, souvenir program, warrnambool cordials, morse pty, swinton, warrnambool cheese and butter factory, batros shoes, tattersalls hotel, bruce and mcclure, warrnambool woollen mill, reg a. a. stoneham

The plate was presented to WCB on the occasion of the official opening of the joint project Great Ocean Ingredients.Large blue and white porcelain plate with a floral border and finished with a fine blue line around the rim. An inscription sits in the centre of the plate. The base has three fine lines around the rim and two holes on the rim to hang the plate.Congratulations on the official opening of Great Ocean Ingredients Friesland Campina Dorno 27th May 2009allansford, warrnambool cheese & butter factory company ltd, great ocean ingredients, trophies, presentations, awards, friesland, porcelain

No known provenance.Gold-coloured metal butter cutter on 4 legs with winding handle, a box for butter and a wheel on a threaded spindle. The metal handle is connected to a geared cog and when turned pushes a metal plate in the butter box which forces the butter through a star-shaped hole and the wire drops to cut the shaped slice of butter to the determined size.BUT AP ATTAbutter manufacture, butter cutters, warrnambool cheese and butter factory company ltd

This tin belonged to Doug Burleigh and was used by his family as a tea caddy. The Burleigh family were early settlers in the Nullawarre area. James Burleigh was a director of Warrnambool Cheese and Butter and undertook an overseas farm study tour to the United Kingdom in the late 1930s.These Australiana tea caddies are significant as an item with aesthetic and interpretive capacity. It was common in many households on the mantelpiece for ready access. It was also a means for Bushells to advertise their product. An octagonal tin tea caddy decorated with embossed Australian animals in full colour on each side -kangaroo, emu, koala and kookaburra; light blue background and top and a circular lid with the brand name imprinted. A red-edged adhesive label is on the side with the kangaroo.TEA [side] Bushells/Tea of Flavor [lid] Bushells/Tea of Flavor/FIRST GRADE/1 LB NET [base]warrnambool cheese and butter factory company, burleigh, nullawarre, allansford, tea caddies, tins, bushells tea

Controversy over money previously raised to build a Presbyterian church at Rhyll, discussion of trustees and whether the money was for the building or furnishings eg hymn books. It discusses the future of the Island including a proposed Kraft cheese factory, a new bridge and shipping coal from San Remo.Historical6 pages of cream writing paper handwritten in black pen. Letter from Gwenda McIllwraith to Mr. Robb re use of monies raised to build a Presbyterian church at Rhyll."Heath Hill", Rhyll. Nov 8th, 1936. Dear Mr. Robbheath hill, gwenda mcillwraith, mr robb, presbyterian church, mr& mrs percy mcfee, mr johnston, mr bryce, mr gliddon, robert mcillwraith, rhyll, mr lock, kraft cheese co., chicory, coal mines

The names come from a variety of areas, from as far away as Glenmaggie, and may reflect who contributed a set sum for a presentation. Appears to have originally been framed. Fritz Horstman was first chair of the Upper Maffra Co-operative Butter and Cheese Factory in 1904.An important example of a locally-produced Illuminated address, as opposed to those of a more grandiose nature that were purchased from "outside".Illuminated address, unframed, presented Dec 1885 to Fritz Horstman, following his representing residents in the Maffra Shire for seven years. Signatories are: H. Amey, A. Allardyce, G. Lyndon, J. Gerrand, H. Crisp, T. Smith, indec, J. Atkinson, D. Miller, N.Nicholson, T. Martin, W. Clement, A. Clark, J.W. Hagan, T. Pollock, Osborn Bros, T. Anderson, J (?) herkes, J. Knox, J.Boland, P. Boland, J. Clyne, J. Forsyth, R. Ferguson, J. Cromb, H. Smith, R. Fullerton, A. Gerrand, Wm McCole, A. Morrison and 20 other ratepayers, John Williams, R. Harper, David Clyne, P. Mellon, J. Macfarlane. All appear to be written in the same hand, and are not actual signatures. Whole address appears to be executed in a rather amateur manner, rather than being from a commercial artist/calligrapher.local government, dairying

This is the funeral Order of Service for Les O' Callaghan. Born in Balmoral Victoria, he came to Warrnambool in 1932 to study at the Warrnambool Technical School. He worked for forty years in the laboratory as a microbiologist in the Kraft Cheese Factory based at the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory in Allansford . His research work here formed the basis of the Department of Agriculture guidelines for dairy production in Victoria. He was a noted Warrnambool historian and was President of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society for forty years.This item is a memento of Les O Callaghan a prominent 20th century identity in Warrnambool.A sheet of white paper folded in two to make four pages. There are three photographs and black printing. Two of the pages have black edging.A Celebration of the life of Leslie Alexander O'Callaghan 1st August 1918 -26th November 2014les o callaghan, kraft factory allansford

This is a can used for storing milk at a dairy farm for transport to the local butter, milk or cheese factory. It comes from a farm (number 16) in Dennington, a settlement and now a suburb west of Warrnambool. It may have been supplying milk to the Nestles factory at Dennington by a truck or taken to a Nestles depot nearby. The Nestles factory was established in Dennington in 1907 and closed in 2005. This can is an interesting memento of dairying practices in the early to mid 20th century.This is a metal can with a circular base tapering to an open top. It has two handles on the side and a circular lid with a handle. It has a stencil on the side. The entire can is rusted.Den 16milk can, dairying in warrnambool district, nestles factory dennington

Gideon Nicol (1836-1908) was a seaman who came to Warrnambool in 1858. In 1865 he selected land at Mount Warrnambool . He was one of the founders of the Farnham Cheese and Butter Factory and the Garvoc Cheese and Butter Factory and was a Shire Councillor from 1879 to 1906. These items will be useful to include in the Gideon Nicol file.These are scans of two pages from a book and an illuminated manuscript. One page is red with an ornate border and the other is blackish with an ornate border. The illuminated address is multi-coloured with an ornate border‘Gideon Nicol, July 16th 1906’; ‘G.N.’warrnambool, gideon nicol, illuminated address, warrnambool shire, garvoc butter and cheese company

Gideon Nicol (1836-1908) was a seaman who came to Warrnambool in 1858. In 1865 he selected land at Mount Warrnambool. He was one of the founders of the Farnham Cheese and Butter Factory and the Garvoc Cheese and Butter Factory and was a Warrnambool Shire Councillor from 1879 to 1906. This scan will be useful to include in the Gideon Nicol fileThis is an A4 sheet of paper (scan). The obituary is printed in black and white with an ornate border with some discoloration on the outer edges.In Loving Remembrance of Gideon Nicol who died March 20th 1908, R.I.P. (an extract from the Warrnambool Standard follows)gideon nicol, warrnambool, gideon nicol obituary

Holdenson and Nielson Fresh Food Pty Ltd was founded in 1903 by Poul Jorgenson Holdenson and Andrew Nielson, after acquiring the Fresh Food and Storage Co, which had plants throughout Australia, including Albury. The plant was moved to Wodonga that year. Cream was collected from all areas of North East Victoria and the Riverina, with contractors carting it to the railway stations for rail travel to Wodonga. The Butter Factory was built on the Lincoln Causeway in 1926, and the Cheese Factory in 1942 as a wartime emergency project. At the same time, a pasteurising plant was installed in the complex, and so whole milk was collected from dairy farmers, rather than just cream. The company was bought out by the North Eastern Dairy Co-operative in 1962. It became a retail milk depot also involved in ice-making and cold storage. In 1985, Goulburn Murray bought the complex and as the site was surplus to requirements, it was sold to Wodonga Council. The buildings were adapted for other uses. The Butter Factory was modified and extended and for some time was occupied by the Albury- Wodonga Visitor Centre. The Creator's Gallery was established in the engine room, and the loading area and ice-making works were extended and modified for use as the HotHouse Theatre. The Cheese Factory was adapted for use as a theatre and jazz venue, and housed the HotHouse office. The various outbuildings, such as garages and storage areas, were adapted for use as shops and craft outlets.This collection is significant because it documents an important industry in Wodonga.A collection of images and advertisements promoting Holdenson and Nielsen of Wodongaholdenson & nielson, wodonga dairies, victorian dairy industry

Gideon Nicol (1836-1908) was a seaman who came to Warrnambool in 1858. In 1865 he selected land at Mount Warrnambool. He was one of the founders of the Farnham Cheese and Butter Factory and the Garvoc Cheese and Butter Factory and was a Warrnambool Shire Councillor from 1879 to 1906. He received to invitation to attend the opening of Australia’s first Parliament as the President of the Warrnambool Shire at the time. This scan will be useful to include in the Gideon Nicol file.This is a scan of an invitation to Gideon Nicol and Lady as President of the Shire of Warrnambool for the opening of the first Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. It is on an A4 sheet. Multi-coloured sketches of Britannia etc with invitation detailsfederation, gideon nicol, warrnambool, opening of parliament

The Chamber of commerce was commenced in Warrnambool in March 1888 to consider firstly what could be done to assist the dairy industry which at the time was facing record low prices for its butter. Co-operatives had been started in Gippsland around that time and it was decided to start co-operative dairy factories at Woodford, Panmure and Framlingham, shortly followed by the Warrnambool Butter and cheese factory at Allansford. The Chamber over the next thirty years covered many business issues such as trading hours, transport, and public holidays but also put forward ideas which related to water and sewerage matters.ideas were even put forward in 1907 regarding utilising the Hopkins Falls to generate power As an organisation it has waxed and waned in Warrnambool with various names but all working towards improving trade and business opportunities in the town. A link to one of Warrnambool's organisations which over the decades has worked to improve the prosperity of the townRectangular brass plate with text stamped and infilled with black.Six screw holes. Fine bevelled edge.Warrnambool Chamber of Commerce. Regd Office.warrnambool, warrnambool chamber of commerce, commerce in warrnambool

Used by first Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Ltd Field Officer, Bruce McLaren, for on-farm testing in the Allansford area to check the amount of suction in milking machines.Phillips Rurakura Vacuum Recorder in a wooden box with lid, metal hinges and fastening clip, screw adjustment and name plate on outside. Inside has a clockwork-operated recorder with pen device to roll of paper.Internal: Trade mark Empel E.M.P. Engineers Ltd PO Box 5125, Hamilton, NZ Aust. Pat. 209 510. NZ Pat. 112 486. External: Empel Phillips Ruakura Type Vacuum recorder, Makers E.M.R. Engineers Ltd. PO Box 5125, Hamilton NZ

This door plate was found at 28 Spence Street, Warrnambool by the builder Ray Hollingsworth, when he was renovating the building for the Warrnambool Presbyterian Church in June 2019. He realized that the inscription had been placed there by Leslie O'Callaghan, probably when he left the premises in 1942 after boarding there for some years. Leslie O'Callaghan (1918-2014) was born in Balmoral and left there at the age of 13 with a scholarship to study at Warrnambool Technical School. He became an industrial chemist, working at the Kraft Walker Cheese Factory in Allansford (Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory). His experimental work in cheese cultures over a 45 year period was regarded as cutting edge work in the Victorian dairying industry. Known as 'Mr History', Leslie O'Callaghan was also an important Warrnambool historian, serving as president of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society for 35 years. In later life Les wrote about his time in 28 Spence Street, noting the lay-out of the early building and other boarders at the time. He never mentioned the interesting memento of his time there that he left on the back of a door plate. The Warrnambool and District Historical Society Archives Centre is called 'Les O'Callaghan History House'This door plate with its inscription was found 77 years after the inscription was written. It is of considerable interest because the writer of the inscription was well-known in Warrnambool as a bacteriologist and an historian. He left his own personal historical message and by sheer chance it was found years later. (All the old door plates at the time of the renovation were thrown out and it was fortunate that the builder happened to see the writing on one of them and to recognize who the writer was.)This is a cream-coloured ceramic door plate. It is rectangular-shaped with curved edges at the top and bottom. It has been painted white and has two holes at the top and bottom for the insertion of screws for a5taching the plate to the door. The inside of the plate has handwriting in black pencilLeslie Alexander O'Callaghan lived here for some years 1939-1942 AD. His occupation was as assistant bacteriologist for Kraft-Walker Cheese Coy. at Allansford. Born at Balmoral, 40 miles NORTH of Hamilton, Victorialeslie o'callaghan warrnambool, kraft walker cheese company allansford, 28 spence street warrnambool

Sol Green came to Australia as a penniless migrant who made his fortune as a bookmaker. He was inducted into the Australian Racing Museum Hall of fame in 2002. He purchased the Shipley stud from George Rolfe about 1905 and set about turning the Ayrford cattle property into a successful horse stud. His horse Comedy King won the Melbourne Cup in 1910 and was retired to stud in 1912. He became one of the top 10 Australian Stallions in the ensuing years. He dispersed his stud at Shipley in 1918 and this catalogue lists the stock sold that day. The property remained in the Green family and continued as a dairy farm with cheese factory and piggery by his son Bob Green. Sol Green was known for his philanthropic gestures extending help where needed on various fronts. Shortly before his death in 1948 he donated 47000 pounds to five Melbourne hospitals.This catalogue has significance firstly on a local level in that Shipley was an important farm in the district and secondly that it was owned by Mr Sol Green who was a person of standing within the racing industry as a bookmaker but also as a stud owner and owner of a Melbourne cup winner in 1910. This catalogue lists the stock which he had established at Shipley in a relatively short period of time.Light grey card cover with horse in brown. The title is in top left corner in brown text with the date 1918 in bottom right. Compilers details on back cover. 164 Pages. It has black and white plates of two horses, Comedy King and White Star* Mallinson Pomborneit 9/1/18. Light paper pasted inside front cover “Colac and District Historical Society, Donor Miss Betty Mallinson 1960. There are purchasers’ names and the purchase price paid, written at the base of each page. warrnambool, allansford, shipley, sol green, comedy king, white star 1918, shipley dispersal sale, shipley stud

Many of the original shareholders of the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory established the Allansford Bacon Curing Company in the 1890’s. Pig raising was often used as a supplement to dairy farming and also by a number of mixed farmers in the area at the time.The Allansford Bacon Curing Company was one of three such factories which operated in the late 1880’s. The signatures are an important part of farming history in the district.Names WM McConnell, D Kinnear, John Glasgow, James Bell. Recd 14/6/95 and signature (unreadable) allansford, bacon, bacon curing, w mcconnell, d kinnear, j glasgow, james bell.

Albury Pottery was established in the late 1970s to supply pottery for the party plan company Cooperware, a spin-off from Faberware. Located in Hudson Crescent, Lavington, the pottery was managed by Rudolph Dybka until 1983, then by Ron Petch, who had previously worked as sales manager for Cooper Pottery, one of Cooperware's UK suppliers. By the mid-1980s, the pottery had four throwers and a further 5-6 employees, and was specialising in stoneware with distinctive ribbed forms and light blond glazes. In 1985, the pottery was sold to the NSW Government as a workers' cooperative, and Petch moved to Old Ballarat Pottery as production manager. In 1987, the Petch's bought back into the business with partners Pat and Ken Snape, moving to slip casting, doubling the operating area, opening a terracotta plant in a separate location and establishing a tourism presence in the Old Cheese factory between Albury and Wodonga. As the business grew it took on more partners and this proved problematic in a declining market for production pottery. The Petch's pulled out in 1991 and the pottery closed shortly afterwards. (CC BY NC SA Judith Pearce, accessed https://www.flickr.com/groups/1281707@N21/discuss/72157629392131982/, 15 October 2024.)A ceramic jug with a brown top, and an emu on a white ground.albury pottery, emu

This butter ram appears to have been made locally and was probably hand-made at a local factory. It was used to ram or mould butter into 56 pound butter boxes for bulk supply or for later cutting up into smaller quantities. Warrnambool was, and is still today, the centre of an important dairying industry with several large milk, cheese and butter factories in the area. The Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory at Allansford is the oldest operating factory of this type in Victoria and was established in 1888. The production of butter in the area was greatly accelerated by the invention of refrigeration in the early 1880s, enabling butter to be transported overseas. Warrnambool had two butter box factories which both closed in the 1920s. Up to the mid 1950s the production of butter was largely a hand process.This butter ram is of considerable interest as an example of the early tools used in the local butter industry.This is a heavy solid wooden block in a rectangular shape with the top shaped in the form of a pyramidal base. The edges of the base are worn from constant pounding. A long round wooden handle or rod is inserted into the top of the block. dairying industry in western victoria

Adelaide Vale Homestead was begun in 1853 by John Harvey and was later occupied by Edward and Andrew O'Keefe. The building comprises a series of single storey stone buildings arranged behind a simple composed, verandah facade with a centrally located doorway flanked by windows. A central corridor leads from this doorway to a transverse corridor which was probably once an open breezeway. A free- standing octagonal pavilion is located close to the house. This is an interesting homestead dating from early times and constructed of local stone. The front facade is typically composed and the plan reflects the continuous growth of the property throughout the nineteenth century. The octagonal pavillion is a significant and unusual feature. The homestead is picturesquely sited and overlooks the Campaspe River valley, the Burke and Wills expedition camped nearby on their ill-fated expedition north. The old cheese factory is the sole survivor of the once extensive out-buildings. Some of the nineteenth century buildings have been demolished and there have been some later additions and alterations, notably an extensive side wing added in the 1920's. [In Butcher & Flanders, Bendigo Historic Buildings, 1987, the date of the house is given as 1868. Presumably this house replaced an older one on the property.]Adelaide Vale Homestead Fostervillehistory, bendigo, national trust collection bendigo, adelaide vale homestead

The Kraft Walker Cheese Co Pty Ltd entered into an agreement with Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company in 1935 whereby the Kraft company leased premises from WCB. This arrangement remained in place until the 1990s. WCB took over the Garvoc factory in the 1920s. It became outdated and was eventually demolished.Black and white photograph showing timbered building with iron roof and turned wooden finial on the gable end. There are three timber ventilation ducts on the roof. The gable end has sign Kraft Walker Cheese Co Pty Ltd Garvoc Branch. A concrete block addition is at the front. A tray truck with milk cans is in between the main factory building and the outbuilding.garvoc, allansford, dairy industry, food manufacture, kraft walker cheese company, factories, cheese, kraft foods ltd, transport, milk cans

The Warrnambool Family History Group, founded in 1980, conducts walks in the Warrnambool Cemetery each year. In 2014 the graves visited were those of people who were early directors and share holders of the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Limited. This company was established in 1888 and today is the oldest operating dairy factory in Australia. This item is of minor interest as a memento of an annual activity of the Warrnambool Family History Group.A yellow sheet of paper with black text and an image of an old photograph at the bottom of the sheet.WARRNAMBOOL FAMILY HISTORY GROUP INC. CEMETERY WALKS warrnambool family history group, warrnambool cemetery

Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Ltd commenced operation in 1888. It operated as an independent company until taken over by Canadian company Saputo in 2014, which acquired 87.92% of the company's shares. Warrnambool Milk Products, a subsidiary of Warrnambool Cheese and Butter, entered products in industry awards as a means of both measuring product beside competitors' products and promotion of their own products.White gloss card certificate with black and gold printAustralian Dairy Products Award/Gold Award/Category -Cheddar Cheese Semi matured/1996

This butter box belonged to Jack Gore of Warrnambool who used it in his garage to store car parts. It is connected to Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Limited through the box manufacturer, Peter John McGennan, who was one of the instigators of the factory. Cobden and Warrnambool factories were the first two co-operative factories to produce butter in Victoria, both commencing in 1888. Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Ltd is the only remaining independent butter factory still using its original name. It is an example of the manner in which butter was packed for export from the late 19th century until well into the 20th century. Its innovative design is light but strong, using plywood for the box body and struts 'stitched' to the body with wire. The ply was originally pine imported from New Zealand which did not taint the butter. Following the exclusion of the timber from NZ, plantations of local pine were planted and used. McGennan's box factory supplied butter boxes to the majority of butter factories in Victoria, producing up to half a million boxes per year by 1917.This Cobden butter box is historically significant relating to the butter industry and a rare item. Not many of these exist. Wooden butter box with broken ends and a hole in the bottom.Constructed using thin ply ends, sides and base with square wooden struts tied with wire to strengthen the box. The trade mark on the end of the box is an oval with text around a map of Australia with the word AUSTRALIA printing across the map.COBDEN/PURE CREAMERY BUTTER/56lb Net/VICTORIA/REGD No.528butter, dairying, dairy manufacturing industry, butter boxes, cobden