1. Dairy Industry and Norco
BYRON BAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Dairy Industry and Norco
June 2015

2. Dairy Industry and Norco

3. Dairy Industry and Norco
Development of the Dairy Industry:
Timber cutting and clearing of the “Big Scrub” declines in 1880’s after years logging (quote D.Johnson 1987 )
1880’s settlers from South Coast of NSW move to North Coast in large numbers; commence farming; cottage industry producing cream, butter, cheese
Planted cocksfoot, clover, lambs tongue grasses from south; not suitable for subtropical climate; limited production capability
1892 Edwin Seccombe brings seeds of paspalum grass to Lismore; trial planting successful; and paspalum spreads rapidly through the Northern Rivers
1892 Mr W. Moses calls a meeting at Clunes to form a central creamery; North Coast Fresh Food & Storage Co-op
Formed in 1894; shares issued; capital of $6266 (3,133 Pounds)

4. Dairy Industry and Norco
Major Players Dairy Industry – 1890’s
W. Moses, W. Charles, J.McGregor, J Armstrong, G. Reading, A. Johnston

5. Dairy Industry and Norco
Dairy Industry History in Northern Rivers:
1880’s rapid development of small milk separation sites along coast and river systems; shift from cottage industry
1884 first export of butter from Richmond; 100 kegs x 70 lbs
1886 just 1 separation unit; 1,641 in 1901; in 1911
In 1896 NSW butter exports 269,500 kgs; 1906 exports were 7,796,800 kgs
1890 Woodburn factory built; 2 x 600 litres/per hour separators and a 227 kg/hour butter churn
Introduction of farm separation and daily milk transport sees demise of separation centers/factories
Quality demand and electricity favour large, efficient, controlled, central factories “the stuff marketed as butter more in place on the axle than the breakfast table”

6. Dairy Industry and Norco
Norco History 1890’s ’s:
Byron Bay jetty built 1888; Lismore to Mullumbimby rail link through Byron Bay opened May 1894; Murwillumbah link December 1894
Rail and shipping via sea to Sydney favoured Byron Bay as Norco head office; wins by one vote over Lismore
Byron Bay factory built 1895; commenced production 5 June produced 520,000kgs of butter first year
In pigs processed; 66,395 processed in 1938 (300/day)
Bacon curing commences; first bacon to Sydney 21 September 1897
1897: opens depot at Murwillumbah making butter
1898: opens depot at Lismore; exports using sea-going ships on the Richmond river
1905: Norco producing 20% of NSW butter
1925: North Coast Co-Op Ltd changes name to NORCO Co-Op Ltd

7. Dairy Industry and Norco
Cream Transport to Factory 1910
Horse and wagon transporting cream

8. Dairy Industry and Norco
Technology Changes Impacting Industry:
Development of Thomas Mort’s refrigeration system in 1857.
North Coast Steam Ship Company use refrigerated transport- from Byron Bay’s first jetty built 1888
Rapid introduction of farm cream separation in 1890’s
Babcock fat testing system from 1893 leads to payment on fat content of milk rather than volume of milk and to herd improvement
Mort’s Dock milk pasteurizing plants introduced 1896
Larger butter churns increase output from 18 to 100 boxes per time
Transport improvements (pack-horse to spring-carts to river boats to trucks to rail) mean quicker, cheaper, cleaner transport of larger volumes of cream and milk

9. Dairy Industry and Norco
Pigs Unloaded at Byron Bay Rail Siding – 1920’s

10. Dairy Industry and Norco
Slaughtered Pigs at Byron Bay Piggery – 1920’s

11. Dairy Industry and Norco
Pigs Being Cut Into Ham and Bacon Portions -1920

12. Dairy Industry and Norco
Bacon and Ham Brining and Curing Room -1950’s

13. Dairy Industry and Norco
Making Sausages and Smallgoods -1950’s

14. Dairy Industry and Norco
Norco History 1920’s – 1960:
1923: Norco opens own Sydney butter trading floor; replaces agents
By factories operated on FNC; dairy farms producing 35% of NSW butter; 9,500,000 kgs/yr; over 60 different brands
1940: 350 employees; $4.2 million wages; $10 million to suppliers
1943: opens Lismore retail trading store
1949: commences milk powder production to use more milk
1950: commences ice cream manufacture and packaged milk in bottles
1956: commences cheese production
1958: European Common Market reduces access for Australian products to British markets - forces diversification
Norco turns to making milk powder, cheese, ice cream, packaged milk for local and other markets; less reliance on export butter

15. Dairy Industry and Norco
Norco History :
1962: moves head office to Lismore, transfers ice cream making to Brisbane
1969: starts tanker bulk milk collection from farms
1970: has 7500 supplying farms and 5 factories
1972: closes Byron Bay butter making
1974: takes over Casino Co-Op
1975: closes Byron Bay small goods making
1976: wins milk war, gains access to Sydney milk market
1981: purchases CDA Co-op Raleigh, 3500 suppliers
1986: purchases PDS, sales exceed $100 million, employs 400+ people on FNC injecting more than $12 million/year into economy. Estimated 20% of FNC population dependent on Norco directly or indirectly;
2006: Dec takes out Parmalat’s 50% share in J.V

16. Dairy Industry and Norco
Weighing, Sampling, Emptying Cream Cans

17. Dairy Industry and Norco
2.5 Tonne Butter Churns – 1950’s

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Butter Packaging – 1950’s

19. Dairy Industry and Norco
Norco’s Clifford Street Office - Sydney 1929

20. Dairy Industry and Norco
Norco Premises – Byron Bay 1942

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Norco’s Growth

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Norco “Girls” Reunion 1988

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Norco Premises – Byron Bay Aerial View 1966

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Norco Premises – Byron Bay Aerial View 2015

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180 supplying farms, from S.E. Queensland to Glouster
Average farm supplies 933,000 litres
Total milk uptake of 163 million litres
Three factories:
Lismore ice cream
Labrador milk packaging
Raleigh milk packaging
Employs over 700 people
Sales of $430 million
Pays $41 million in wages