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Your Local Seniors’ Newspaper - Written for Seniors by Seniors
Vol 2 - Issue No 1
February 2014
1300 880 265
www.seniorsnewspaper.com.au
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Dairy collection sparks memories at Downs Co-op Reunion
By Jo Marsh ALMOST a life time of collecting by Ken Dunn was on display at Highfields Pioneer Village on Australia Day for the Downs Co-operative Dairy Association reunion. During his 40 years with the company, Mr Dunn collected as much memorabilia as he could and was instrumental in setting up the comprehensive, permanent exhibition at the Pioneer Village. The Co-op Dairy, also known as Unity in later years, opened in November 1905 and was a major employer in the region until its closure in April 2006. “The factory started with butter and cheese,” Mr Dunn said. “It also sold ice and in 1940 they started processing pasteurised milk. Continued on Page 2
The Downs Co-operative Dairy Association operated for 100 years in Brook Street, Toowoomba manufacturing butter, cheese, milk, ice and other dairy products. Courtesy of: Local History and Robinson Collections, Toowoomba City Library
Former Unity chairman of the board Ivan Vonhoff OAM and his wife Joan share their memories at the company’s reunion
Harold and Shirley Newton’s dairy farm at Westbrook supplied milk to the Co-op Dairy for 65 years
Former dairy farmers from Ravensbourne, Irene and Trevor Taylor, had a long involvement with Downs Co-op Dairy
Fastest butter wrapper on the Downs, Don Bailey, and his wife June, had plenty of stories to share at the reunion
Reunion organiser Ken Dunn shows some of the memorabilia he collected during the 40 years he worked at Downs Co-op Dairy