Historical information

These are milk bottles from the Warrnambool firm of Antarctic Ice. In the 1930s a pasteurising plant was set up in Warrnambool in conjunction with an ice works in Kepler Street, Warrnambool, known as Antarctic Ice (Good and Stevenson). This firm secured a milk supply from several dairy farmers in the Warrnambool district. Antarctic Ice at the Kepler Street site was eventually bought by the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Company and Kraft Foods as equal partners and the milk was marketed as the Sungold brand. A farmer, Kaye Ryan, had set up a pasteurization plant in East Warrnambool (Raglan Parade/Verdon Street) to treat his own milk in opposition to Antarctic Ice and later Sungold. Kraft and Warrnambool Cheese and Butter purchased the Ryan business and the Sungold operations moved to the Ryan site. Kraft sold its share of Sungold and in 1989 the Sungold plant was moved to the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory at Allansford where it operates today.

Significance

These bottles are of great interest, firstly as examples of the pint bottles in which we used to receive bottled milk in the mid 20th century and secondly as examples of the bottles used by an important local Warrnambool firm, Antarctic Ice.

Physical description

These are six clear glass one pint milk bottles. They have round bases and bodies tapering through to the neck with a round moulded glass top. These bottles were originally sealed with a circle of waxed cardboard pressed into a recess at the top but there are no seals with these bottles.
.1 bottle has a slight chip on the base and on the top opening.

Inscriptions & markings

‘This bottle contains milk bottled for sale by Antarctic Ice Products Pty Ltd Warrnambool’
‘Bottle is the property of the above. It is loaned and cannot be legally used by others.’
‘497’