Historical information

ROCLA was founded by two friends, Walter Robertson and Heaton Clarke, who combined the first letters of their surnames to create the brand name in 1922.

The company first came to the Albury – Wodonga area in late 1927 when tenders were called for the construction of their works and office in Kiewa Street, Albury. They were a popular provider of concrete pipe culverts and reinforced concrete troughs for farm use.

In 1949 ROCLA began operations at Bandiana. Initially this was to produce pipes for the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme which officially began construction on 17 October 1949. They also provided pipes for the Kiewa Hydro Scheme.

Another early major contract for ROCLA was with the Victorian State Rivers and Water Supply Commission for the provision of pipes for the new sewerage system in the new town of Tallangatta, relocated due to the enlargement of the Hume Weir. This contract called for the supply of 21,000 six inch pipes and 7,000 nine inch pipes. At this time ROCLA employed 15 men and this job required about 80 bags of cement per day.

By 1964 ROCLA Concrete Pipes was Wodonga’s largest secondary industry. A new concrete pole manufacturing plant was established in the early 1980’s. ROCLA poles also dot the landscape in several Australian states. ROCLA piles also hold up many of the Hume Freeway bridge and support the Union Bridge which crosses the Murray River at Albury.

After various changes in management, ROCLA was taken over by New Zealand's Fletcher Building group in 2005. In September 2021 ROCLA became part of the Civilmart Group.

Significance

These images are significant because they record the history of a major manufacturing industry in Wodonga.

Physical description

A collection of photographs and advertisements representing the ROCLA, Wodonga company.