Dairies, milkmen and ice-cream factories

Dairies, milkmen and ice cream and butter factories will be the subject of Orange and District Historical Society's next History Alive meeting, to be held on Wednesday, October 12 2011.

Cows were essential to all the early settlers in the Orange district: their needs were few – plenty of grass to eat – and provided milk twice a day, from which cream, butter and cheese could be made. These were some of the few perishable products which could be transported safely to Sydney markets before there were railways. In the early years every farm and smallholding had a few cows, even if they weren't dairy farms, and surplus milk could be sold if they were licensed or turned into cream and sold to the butter factories. Even the remaining skim milk was not wasted – it was fed to the ubiquitous pig.

There was a proliferation of dairies in the Orange district, some with as few as four cows, which were licensed to sell milk. They all had their particular group of customers and deliveries were made twice daily, seven days a week. In 1945 there were 130 registered dairy farms in the Orange district. The sale of milk locally was estimated to be worth £39,000, and for cream to factories £4000.

When pasteurisation of milk became compulsory in the mid-1950s the Milk Board set up offices in Orange and Barrett's became the agent. Deliveries were made once a day and eventually Sunday deliveries ceased. From the 1960s farms began to amalgamate as people moved into the city and the number of dairies was substantially reduced. Larger mechanised operations started, making regular milk deliveries to Barrett's milk and ice-cream factory (later Dairy Farmers), firstly in 10-gallon cans and later by bulk milk tanker. There are now less than 10 local dairy farms in the Orange district.

Guest speakers at the meeting will be: Merv Wilkie, who started his life on a dairy farm in Kenna Street; Dave Wilson, who drove milk trucks in the 1950s and became familiar with all the local dairies, particularly on the southern side of Orange; and Fred Brooking, who has had a career with Barrett's for many years. There will be a number of former dairymen attending and audience participation will be encouraged.

The meeting will take place at Orange Senior Citizens Centre (entry from Woolworths car park) at 7 for 7.30pm. There is a small charge of $3 for members of Orange and District Historical Society and $5 for non-members, to cover costs. Light refreshments will be served.

If you have any inquiries or would like to attend the meeting, please RSVP to Julie Sykes on 6362-1682, or Phil Stevenson on 0402 412 188 (email: ibiswines@bigpond.com).