/' FLOUR MILLS

and

MILLERS of the

GOULBURN VALLEY 1858 1980

6y Myrtle L . rord

•

------MOOROOPNA FLOUR MILL 1878-1980

The early discovery by pioneer farmers in the Goulbum Valley that the land, once cleared, would at once produce excellent cereal crops, especially whea t, led to rapidly increasing areas being cropped, and large stacks of bagged wheat awaited use. The railway had not yet reached Mooroopna when the keen business men saw the need and the opportunity for a Flour Mill r ight where the wheat was grown.

I1 was Elias Ralph whose enterprise had made him a partner in running the Mooroopna Punt a t the river crossing, who succeeded in 1878 in building the fir st Flour Mill not far from the punt - and on the site on which the milling industry has continued uninterrupted

for lOB year-s, during which time the property has been owned only by Mr Raiph, the McLennan fa mily, and now with recent tremendous expansion, by a group of com ­panies in which the McLennan fa mily has been represented for 96 years.

Elias Ralph' s mill was a brick and galvanised iron construction with a Grain Store and dwelling adjacent. It served for 32 years as a Flour Mill, after which it was used as a store-room for mill products eventua lly giving place to the silos built in 1944 at a cost of 20,000 pounds. In 1875 Oliver Dolphin's paddle boat brought Ralph's flour, three bags at a time, to supply Shepparton when road contact was cut by floods.

Old Mooroopna Mill and Produce Store built by Elias Ra/ph 1878.

In 1881 Elias Ralph leased his mill to William Frederick Ford, a Miller with con­siderable experience in Britain, then in Australia, He had been a miller at Malmsbury, and at Eltham, and when the Eltham mill ceased to operate, W. F. Ford came to the Goulburn Valley, For three years he leased Elias Ralph's Mooroopna Mill , and when the opportunity came to buy Swallow and Sons mill at Shepparton, Ford withdrew from the lease, and the mill was again in Mr Ralph's hands (1884),

Within two years the first Donald Munroe McLennan and Mrs Mary McLennan came to Mooroopna where, on 9th September, 1886, McLennan, Sutherland and McBride bought Ralph's mill, store and house for 1500 pounds. And there began a line of management and directorship that continues through to the present (1980),

Donald MunroeMcLennan, Snr_

All of these three men, Ralph, Ford and McLennan were good millers and engineers, wise managers and considerate of their employees, with a sense of responsibility in Public affairs, in Church, School, Hospital and Council, and each one was a Justice of the Peace.

Ralph's original mill had been fitted with mill stones that were powered by a steam boiler installed by Elias and his SOnS Fred and John. No details of the first engine is now known, but during the lease of W. F, Ford (1881-1884) the steam engine of the Brighton Flour Mill was brought to Mooroopna where it was more likely to be used in a saw-mill than in the flour mill. This transfer of engine would have been negotiated by Ford who was closely associated with Peter Hurlstone of Brighton. The historic steam engine had been built by Peter Hurlstone and had driven the "Firefly" the second steam boat to ply on the Yarra River. Subsequently the " Firefly" engine was used in a saw-min, then in the Brighton Flour Mill, eventually working (and now lost) in Mooroopna,

Elias Ralph had been a successful business man in flour milling, land owning and produce stores. In 1879 the Wunghnu Flour Mills were owned by Ralph and Sons (Fred and John) and when Elias sold the Mooroopna mill in 1886, he was trading as "E. Ralph, Commission, Financial, Land and Estate Agent, 171 Collins Street, Melbourne." Apparently he had done well as a miller and sought the more comforta­ble occupation of a city office.

Donald Munroe McLennan, Jnr.

From 1886 the partnership of McLennan, Sutherland, and McBride directed the mill with Donald Munroe McLennan as manager, and within a few years Mr McLen­nan became sole owner manager for almost 2{) years except for a short-term partnership with Mr Aitken.

These were years of stable direction and management by Mr McLennan, during which time the reputation of the mill and its products reached top quality that called for trade on world markets, a standard maintained to the present day.

Following the invention of Hungarian Iron Rollers for milling Mr McLennan was quick to replace the old millstones by installing the roller system in 1889, thereby in­creasing the efficiency of the milling process, and the quantity produced.

If You Have Not Used 11 ACME FLOUR" Send for a T rial 'Truck. If Y Q V :Have U$ed It,

Tell Your Friends About re

elonnan & Co., "Aemo" Flour

MOOROOPN.H

With new flour mills opening throughout the wheat-growing country, competition for excellence of product was keen, and while increasing sales to Melbourne, and for export back to Britain were forthcoming, the local reputation was proved by local

bakers and housewives. This is evidenced by reports that in 1891 all the first prizes at district Agricultural Shows at Tatura, Dookie, Nathalia, Murchison and Euroa were awarded for bread and scones made from McLennan & Co's" Acme" flour. And more than 40 years later, in 1930, "Mooroopna flour was used in the Champion Loaf in a Melbourne state-wide competition of 1500 exhibits ." In five such exhibitions there were three occasions when McLennan's ordinary "Acme" flour had been used .

McLennan & CO's new Mill, with the old mill and store on the left.

By 1904 Donald Munroe McLennan had been manager for 18 years , wheat grow­ing areas and trade in mill products had extended greatly, so Mr McLennan was able to build the new mill which, along with recent extensive building projects, comprise the present complex.

Following the death in 1907 of Mr McLennan, management came to his son , Donald Munro McLennan Jnr., in partnership with brother William Duncan and Reuben Beaton and the solidarity of the business was maintained .

General progress brought about the formation in 1915 of the company, McLennan & Co. Pty. Ltd. This progressive move of the McLennan brothers received acclaim from their mother, Mrs Mary McLennan, who had quietly witnessed almost 30 years of the expanding industry, and expressed her confidence in a letter to her" dear sons" congratulating them and wishing them success in their undertakings.

Wil/iam Duncan McLfmnan.

In the newly formed company (1915) Donald Munroe McLennan Jnr., became Joint Managing Director Chairman, and his brother William Duncan McLennan was appointed Secretary. However, within a year William enlisted in the A.I.F . and on 25th July, 1916, he was killed in France.

His position as Secretary was filled by his brother Reuben Beaton McLennan, and under this management the company prospered and maintained its markets and its staff throughout the financial depression without serious loss, so that as prosperity returned Mooroopna Flour Mill was ready to expand and make renewed progress.

It was 1916, a year of high floods along the Goulburn River, when the upper floors of the flour mill were transferred into a dry refuge for many unfortunate people. It is on record that the wife of a clergyman insisted on saving her iano from flood damage, so it, too, was hoisted safe and dry upstairs .

The death in 1935 of Reuben McLennan brought a change of personnel in manage· ment when Mr J. W. Stevenson was appointed manager, and in 1939 Wm. James Beat· tie as Secretary began an association of 34 years with the company - serving as Manager (1942-1965) and as a Director until retirement in 1973. A further change in management came with the death in October 1939 of Donald Munroe McLennan, and in that year Mr Ian (now Sir Ian) McLennan, became a shareholder and Joint Gov­erning Director.

Sir fan McLennan. K. BE

Since the flour mill was first built (1872) it had been driven by steam engine power - possible because of easily available fire wood, but with the extension of S.E.C. power in the area, the mill machinery was converted to electrically driven motors in 1940.

By this time the flour mills in nearby towns had closed their works, wheat was be­ing sent by rail to Melbourne, and Mooroopna was able to buy from a wider Goulburn Valley area, thus to continue and extend its operations. Modern storage was necessary, and in 1944 the present large concrete silos were built.

"MOOROOPNA FLOUR MILL AND STAFF, 1933" Back Row: I. to r. - R. Curley, Florrie Organ, Pat Dwyer, Jenny Lawson, Mr. Donald

McLennan, B. Jones. Front Row: Mr. Gallagner (carrier), G. Davies, Dave Lawson, Alex Freer, Harry Alien,

A. Irvine, M. Darcy.

A new demand for cereal products on the newly opened dairy farms arose in the need - and Mooroopna mill set up production of" Acme" Stockfeed.

As well as processing of new products attention was turned to the up-grading of equipment, and in 1960 an extensive change-over from the original electric drive to modern electric switch gear was installed. The original rope drive of the belt chain operated from the steam engine position to the counter shaft leading to the upward flat leather belt drive thence up to the rollers. The success of the renewed rope transmission was dependent on the skill of the older craftsmen who as late as 1960 were able to hand splice and plait three-inch Manilla rope using a nail and spike together with their special skill to make all the ropes of the drive exactly the same length. The updating to electric switch gear was yet another means to increased variety and modern efficiency.

The era of rapid expansion in industry found Mooroopna Mill ready to advance with the times, and when in 1962 Mr Geoff Martin joined the staff first as Secretary­Assistant Manager, and in 1965 as General Manager, there began another association with the company that extends to the present.

During these years the company had made rapid changes and in 1969 three groups namely, W. S. Kimpton & Sons P/ L, James Minifie & Co P/ L, and McLennans joined to form the company K.M.M. This group became a public company in 1973, and il further merger came with Barrett Burston in 1978, to be followed in 1979 with the ac-

quisition of Robert Hutchinson Stockfeed Mills, and a still further proceeding 1lmalgamation in 1980 with Henry Jones (J.X.L.) Limited.

After 103 years of milling operations, the milling of flour ceased in 1975 in favour of all flour milling being done by Kensington mills. The merged companies all pre­viously had flour mills and it became most business-like to centralise flour milling at full capacity leaving Stockfeed Products to the other mills. Furthermore, there was evidence of a declining market in flour since 1950. Many of the previously under­privileged countries have learnt how to grow their food crops, and the home market for cereal crop breakfast foods, etc., has expanded profitably.

The still extending buildings complex that will take the mill into the 21st century is a far cry from the pioneer construction of the late 19th century (imagine an office in a small corner of the grain store) and it has been a thought provoking comparison to converse with the Manager in the comfortable modem offices of the 1980's.

Mr Geoff Martin, Manager, 1980.

Appreciation and acknowledgement of the courtesy and generosity of the Manager is here expressed. Mr Geoff Martin has given access to his carefully com­piled collection of historic records, and the benefit of his knowledge has made the story of Mooroopna Mill a piece of history that is still alive - an on-going business. As from July 1980 Mr Geoff Martin is no longer manager of the mill, but has taken over as manager of Farm Management Services.

The past 12 years have seen dramatic expansion in keeping with world trends in the food industry, and it is a matter for pride and confidence that Mooroopna Mill can now justifiably take its place in world wide supplies and markets as part of one of the largest food companies in Australia.

It has been the leadership of the McLennan family since 1915 that has established the milling industry in Mooroopna, and special tribute is here paid to Sir Ian who, during a brilliant engineering career, held positions of Directorships in Australia's leading Iron and Steel Industry, culminating in his appointment as Chief General Manager of The B.H.P. Co. Ltd. He was awarded the honour of Knight of the British Empire (K.B.E.) 1963 - "For Service to Industry."

Although Sir lan has been occupied with business at world level, he has always retained interest in the town of Mooroopna where, from time to time he has been a generous benefactor. A fitting tribute to the McLennan family was paid when the name of Main Street was changed to McLennan Street.

Solidarity and progress have come as the result of good executive management and loyalty of regular staff employees, and the names of some of the faithful workers

r Ff'mn

are recorded in tribute to them: David Lawson (Head Storeman), Frank McNeill (Head Miller), Bob Curley (Accountant), Albert MacLennan (Head Storeman­Clerk), Stuart Rose (Engineer).