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User:Coastal.culture.vulture/Cossart's Mill

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Cossart's Mill commenced operation as a sawmill in Dugandan, in the state of Queensland in Australia in 1886.[1][2][3] The mill was an key industry of the region and, in conjunction with the Boonah Butter Factory, was a major employer and significant contributor to the economic prosperity of Boonah and surrounds.[4][5]

Cossart's Mill was a major processor of timber in South East Queensland and eventually became the largest supplier of butter boxes in Australia. Unlike other mills in South East Queensland, it adapted to the diminishing availability of milling timber in the immediate vicinity to focus on the creating an odorless box that was essential to the packaging and transport of butter throughout Australia.[6] The mill also made broom handles, cheese cases, fruit boxes and a variety of other packing cases and boxes.[7]

The mill utilised local hoop pin transported from the surrounding mountains by bullocks and trucks and in 1938, following the cessation of the importation of white pine from New Zealand, Cossart's mill made 1,000 000 butter boxes for the Australian market from locally sourced timber.[8][9] The sawmill was recommended for heritage protection in 1998 as a rare surviving example of a major Queensland sawmill from the the mid twentieth century which had not undergone significant modernisation.

The mill remained in operation after the closure of the railway in 1964 and following the closure of the Boonah Butter Factory in 1974 when timber milling was no longer economically viable.[10]

History

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The first site for Cossart's Mill was on the banks of the Teviott Brook near the later day site of the Dugandan Hotel.[11] The mill was originally constructed by Josias Hancock in 1886 who then went into partnership with James Cossart in 1887.[12] After being isolated by the devastating floods of 1887 and suffering a loss of timber in the floods of 1893, the mill was destroyed by fire on 30 May 1897, and despite being insured, the owners suffered heavy losses. While the logs were saved, the dressed timber, sheds and machinery was lost.[13] Within a few months, Josias Hancock left the business.[14] As sole owner, Jame Cossart proceeded to construct a new mill on the side of a hill near the railway terminus at Dugandan.[15] In 1907, James Cossart's two sons entered into partnership with their father and the business underwent a name change to Cossart's and Sons.[16]

Another fire broke out in the mill in October 1919 but the mill was saved.[17] November 1940 a huge storm came through Boonah and Dugadan which torn the roof off the mill and caused the boiler to explode.[18] In In 1944 a further fire occurred at the mill and though there was damage, the mill and box making equipment was saved.[19][20]In 1946 the mill lobbied to be considered an essential industry in the region, on par with the Boonah Butter Factory when it was forced to adapt to electricity rationing.[21]

With the gradual decline of available timber for logging in the district, Cossart's Mill became the largest manufacturer and supplier of butter, cheese and fruit boxes in the Australian market.[22]

Cossart's was not the first mill in Dugandan. Bruckner's Mill had been established in 1883 and was also a significant contributor to the local economny.[23] During the 1890s one point of difference between the two mills was the type of machinery used. Cossart's machinery was American while Bruckner's was English.[24]

References

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  1. ^ Pfeffer, C (1991). The Fassifern Story : A History of the Boonah Shire and Surroundings to 1889. Boonah: Boonah Shire Council. p. 47.
  2. ^ "FIFTY YEARS IN TIMBER INDUSTRY". Queensland Times. Vol. LXXVIII, , no. 15, 808. Queensland, Australia. 17 July 1937. p. 6 (DAILY.). Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  3. ^ "Sudden Death". Queensland Times. Vol. LXIII, , no. 11, 180. Queensland, Australia. 4 May 1922. p. 5 (DAILY.). Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  4. ^ "MILLIONS OF BOXES". Queensland Times. Vol. LXXVIII, , no. 15, 987. Queensland, Australia. 16 February 1938. p. 6 (DAILY.). Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  5. ^ "A Rich and Beautiful Inheritance". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 28 March 1934. p. 9 (LATE CITY). Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "IN THE FASSIFERN". Queensland Times. Vol. LXVI, , no. 12, 222. Queensland, Australia. 14 September 1925. p. 10 (DAILY.). Retrieved 11 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  7. ^ Kerr, John (1998). Forest Industry Heritage Places Study Sawmills and Tramways South Eastern Queensland (PDF). Queensland Department of the Environment. p. 206. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  8. ^ "PROSPEROUS YEAR". Queensland Times. Vol. LXXIX, , no. 16, 610. Queensland, Australia. 17 February 1940. p. 6 (DAILY.). Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  9. ^ "MILLIONS OF BOXES". Queensland Times. Vol. LXXVIII, , no. 15, 987. Queensland, Australia. 16 February 1938. p. 6 (DAILY.). Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  10. ^ Kerr, John (1998). Forest Industry Heritage Places Study Sawmills and Tramways South Eastern Queensland (PDF). Queensland Department of the Environment. p. 206. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  11. ^ "FIFTY YEARS IN TIMBER INDUSTRY". Queensland Times. Vol. LXXVIII, , no. 15, 808. Queensland, Australia. 17 July 1937. p. 6 (DAILY.). Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  12. ^ Pfeffer, C (1991). The Fassifern Story : A History of the Boonah Shire and Surroundings to 1889. Boonah: Boonah Shire Council. p. 47.
  13. ^ "Destructive Fire at Dugandan". Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald And General Advertiser. Vol. XXXVII, , no. 5600. Queensland, Australia. 1 June 1897. p. 5. Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  14. ^ Pfeffer, C (1991). The Fassifern Story : A History of the Boonah Shire and Surroundings to 1889. Boonah: Boonah Shire Council. p. 47.
  15. ^ "MR. JAS. COSSART'S SAW AND PLANING MILLS, DUGANDAN". The Queenslander. No. 2047. Queensland, Australia. 3 June 1905. p. 26. Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "FIFTY YEARS IN TIMBER INDUSTRY". Queensland Times. Vol. LXXVIII, , no. 15, 808. Queensland, Australia. 17 July 1937. p. 6 (DAILY.). Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  17. ^ "FIRE AT BOONAH". Queensland Times. Vol. LXI, , no. 10, 500. Queensland, Australia. 24 October 1919. p. 5 (DAILY.). Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  18. ^ "£10,000 DAMAGE". The Longreach Leader. Vol. 18, , no. 991. Queensland, Australia. 16 November 1940. p. 14. Retrieved 4 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  19. ^ "MILL BLAZE NEAR BOONAH". The Courier-mail. No. 3469. Queensland, Australia. 19 October 1944. p. 3. Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ "DUGANDAN FIRE". Queensland Times. No. 18, 065. Queensland, Australia. 21 October 1944. p. 2 (DAILY). Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ "EFFECT OF POWER RATIONING IN THE COUNTRY". Queensland Times. No. 18, 592. Queensland, Australia. 5 July 1946. p. 2 (DAILY). Retrieved 5 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. ^ "Dugandan Saw and Planing Mills". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. LXII, , no. 15, 086. Queensland, Australia. 19 May 1906. p. 12. Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  23. ^ Pfeffer, C (1991). The Fassifern Story : A History of the Boonah Shire and Surroundings to 1889. Boonah: Boonah Shire Council. p. 47.
  24. ^ "AMONG THE FARMS.—IV". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. XLIX, , no. 10, 907. Queensland, Australia. 29 December 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 3 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
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