Business feature
95 years of employing locals “I’d like to further extend my thanks to our loyal customers and team members over the years.” Office manager Nic Lister, who has been with the co-operative for more than 26 years, said she felt it was great that a small business could keep going strong after so many years. “I think it’s great for our community to have a locally based business still going strong after 95 years and I’m really proud to be part of such a great team,” Nic said. The origins of the co-operative first started with a special meeting in April 1922 held at the Beerburrum Soldiers Settlement. A motion was moved that a branch of the United Fruitgrowers Association be established and a committee was formed to organise the branch. Three weeks later, 19 people attended a meeting at the Glass House Mountains School of Arts Hall and a committee was appointed to carry out details of construction of a building on land leased from Queensland Rail. Once the building was built the association was able to trade. During the following months progress was swift and well supported by local farmers. In 1924, the Attorney General felt that it would be better if the association were registered under the Primary Producers Co-op Association Act 1923 without share capital. That registration was completed on May 3, 1924 and marks the official launch of the co-op. The current building was built in 1971 and the entire operation moved from the building
YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE
QUILTON TOILET PAPER 18PK
$
10
4 FOR
5 STAR DEGREASER 3 IN 1 400G
2 FOR
SEARLES 5 IN 1
25
FERT RICHGRO ALL PURPOSE
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2 EA
OPEN 7 DAYS: Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm. Saturday & Sunday 8am – 12noon
5 Co-op Lane, Glass House Mountains Glasshouse Country & Maleny News
95 MAY
YEARS .........
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BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATIONS
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which is now occupied by Glasshouse Country Auto Body Repairs. It was officially opened in 1972. In the years that followed many changes have taken place in the way the United Fruitgrowers serves the needs of the local community. Local history notes that the co-op was more than just a place for farmers to get their supplies and handle fruit to be sent to the Golden Circle cannery. The association provided a voice for the local community and was also heavily involved in the local progress association actioning road repairers, installation of street lights, guide posts and even the first speed limit signs each side of Glass House Mountains. In 2001, the store expanded and joined Thrifty Link, and in 2008 the co-op became part of the Mitre 10 hardware franchise. The co-op looks forward to serving and supporting the local farmers and community for many more years to come.
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10
MONTH OF
SEE INSTORE FOR BLUE TICKET CLEARANCE LINES WE ARE HERE
Glass House Township
Ν ↑
Steve Irwin Way
BUY RIGHT GAP FILLER WHITE 450G
Warren Moffat, Manager
Railway Parade
This month marks the significant milestone of 95 years of trading for the United Fruitgrowers Co-operative Association Ltd (now trading under Glasshouse Mitre 10). Officially the oldest registered co-operative still trading in Queensland, this incredible milestone is a testament to the loyalty of local community members, customers and staff members over the years. Manager Warren Moffat, who originally started with the business in the early 1970s, is pleased that the store can celebrate this trading achievement and feels that it is especially notable in this day and age. “Not many businesses these days can now say they’ve been running this long. It’s a great milestone that we are very pleased to let people know about and we’ll be having specials instore all month to mark the occasion,” Warren said.
Coonowrin Road
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