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1899
23 September 1899
A GREAT DAIRYING DISTRICT.
Mudgee is, I think, one of the most thriving and flourishing townships I have seen in Australia. The buildings are all substantial, the streets wide and clean. Cabs fly about, and the storekeeper's seem to be doing a very good trade. One wonders where all the wealth is derived from - chiefly from dairying, I have found. It is evident that the main occupation of the farmers around Mudgee is dairying. The Mudgee Dairy Company has a large butter factory near the outskirts of the town to the east, near the Cudgegong River. Mr. W. Percival, a gentleman with considerable experience and well known in dairying circles, is the manager and he kindly supplied me with much information concerning the operations. This factory was started on March 5th, 1890, and has been running continuously ever since. Sometimes the supply of milk reaches as high as 4000 gallons per day, and the factory is also supplied by creameries in the surrounding district. The development of the dairying industry in the Mudgee district is an eye-opener, even to one who has been all through the district in the South. About 1890 the local farmers were beginning to find that wheat-growing, exclusively, did not pay, and Mr. C. D. Meares, solicitor, and other smart business men saw that there was an opportunity to develop the country by dairying. Mr. Meares took a trip to Kiama, and saw how prosperous the farmers were. He soon traced this to the dairying industry. From Mr. D. L. Dymock, the father of the industry in the Illawarra district, he obtained valuable information. On his return to Mudgee he laid a scheme before the go-ahead farmers and people of the town, and though he received little encouragement at the outset, at last sufficient shareholder were secured, and the necessary capital, £1200, was forthcoming. At first the supply was small, averaging about 350 gals, per day. When the farmers who stood back saw cheques flying about, they commenced also to become suppliers. Some six months after the Mudgee dairy had been launched the supply increased to 2000 gallons per day. In '93 at Burrundulla, the property of the Hon. G. H. Cox, a butter factory was established for some 30 tenants on the estate, who are principally dairy-farmers. The Mudgee Dairy Factory, under the management of Mr. Percival, has been singularly prosperous, notwithstanding the many initial difficulties that had to be encountered. When we come to realize the fact that the turnover has been about £90,000 since the factory started, it is not surprising that the township of Mudgee has a nourishing appearance. Of course, the farmers had to work hard for the result. Nearly all seem as healthy and as fresh as any to be met with in New South Wales. All the butter produced at the Mudgee factory is so carefully handled that no person could pick out a fault. Good buildings were first erected, next good equipment, which involved most costly machinery and appliances, were all provided, and now a refrigerator is about being added for the making of ice in summer time. No butter factory in the world could have better appliances or more skilful operators. So it is no wonder that a quality of butter is produced at the Mudgee Dairy Factory which is good; but the claim is made that the Mudgee butter absolutely surpasses all competitors from Australasia in the London market. I am not quite sure of this being the case, but certainly the butter from the Mudgee Dairy Factory would be hard to equal. The pastures are virgin compared to those on the South Coast. The herbage is more fresh and vigorous, and the weeds are fewer. Lucerne grows luxuriantly on the flats. In addition, the cattle are more lusty; they are not worn out in their milking capacity yet, and any heifer that is given a chance fairly overflows with milk. Another good thing about the Mudgee Butter Factory is that the most scrupulous care is taken with regard to the testing of the milk. The manager is a leading authority on this subject, and, as might be expected, the system of testing the various supplies is very carefully attended to. In some districts a number used to bring to the factory nearly as much water as milk, but Babcock has found them out, or at least the size of their monthly cheque has taught them that there is not much profit in carting water to the factory. In the factory are four large separators, each of which separates 265 gallons per hour. There are two churns at work. The company are about purchasing an automatic skim-measuring machine, by means of which each supplier will obtain his proper amount of skim milk. The directors are Messrs. C. D. Meares, solicitor; R. Jones, ex-M.P.; George Rope, T. Mills, J. P. and Edwin Randall. There are eight other dairy factories in the district, viz., Burrundulla, Cooyal, Wollar, Cudgegong, McDonald's Creek (Mr. Hardwick), Pyramul, Wilbetree Cheddar Cheese and Butter Company (Mr. T. A . Wright), and the Wilbetree Factory owned by Mr. J. G. Wurth1
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1905