Historical information

A previous mill had operated in Charlton by Mr. W.E. Foreman on the banks of the Avoca River and was acquired in 1919 by Noske Bros. The present Flour Mill was built by Noske Bros and opened in May 1927. It was taken over by the Grain Elevator Board in the 1970s.

Noske's Flour Mill, with its commanding presence and towering silos, has long **dominated the Charlton skyline** and remains a significant landmark, even though it no longer mills flour. The mill's history is deeply intertwined with the development of Charlton and the grain industry of the surrounding district.

The foundation for the mill's presence was laid in 1919 when Messrs Noske Bros. Pty. Ltd., already owning mills in Horsham, Nhill, and Murray Bridge, acquired G. H. Foreman’s Mill located by the Avoca River. The founder, **T. J. Noske**, was an early pioneer of flour exporting, expanding his milling business after unexpectedly acquiring the Horsham mill.

### A State-of-the-Art Operation

The original mill by the river operated until August 1926 before being closed and dismantled. Plans were well underway for a **new, state-of-the-art mill** to be located at the former Cobb and Co site. In 1927, the new mill began operation. It was one of the largest in the state, boasting a capacity of three tons of flour per hour, a 250 h.p. diesel engine, and three initial silos. The mill quickly gained a reputation for **excellence** for both its design and its flour, which was sold successfully in local and overseas markets.

### Periods of Expansion and Trial

The mill continued to grow, reflecting the importance of the local agricultural industry. Between 1940 and 1941, **nine new silos** were built, adding bulk receival points. In the record-breaking 1968 season, the mill received a colossal wheat intake of **695,000 bushels**.

However, the mill also faced setbacks. On January 21, 1949, disaster struck when a **large fire** erupted in the storage shed, which contained 500 tons of bagged flour ready for export and new flour bags. The blaze was so intense that smoke was visible as far away as Wycheproof, and it threatened to destroy the entire mill. Thanks to the monumental efforts of the Charlton, St. Arnaud, Wycheproof, and Wedderburn Brigades, who ran the main pump almost continuously for 26 hours, the damage was contained, though the estimated loss was a substantial £60,000.

### Transformation of the Site

At its peak, the mill was a major employer, providing work for approximately 65–70 men. But after over 45 years of operation, flour production at the mill ceased on October 25, 1973. Noske Industries Ltd. sought to adapt, converting the operation to a less successful stock feed production centre.

In 1977, the **Grain Elevators Board** took over the site as a grain receival depot, building a large elevator tower that surpassed the height of the original buildings. The site eventually returned to private hands and, since 2000, has been owned and operated as a primary grain receival site for **GrainCorp**, cementing its continued, vital role in Charlton's agricultural life.

Physical description

Colour photograph of Charlton Flour Mill and silos. Intersection of Kaye & Davies Streets in the foreground. One large silver silo and three taller greyish concrete silos to the left. Three other cream coloured silos behind. There are pipes and sheds on top of the silos. There is a cream single story building to the right of the silver silo and a multi-storey building behind with eight window in the upper level. There is a small red brick building on the far left of the photo.