Orchardists Cool Store, Doncaster



In the years between the wars, the area from Templestowe through Doncaster to Wantirna was notable for large cool stores. The biggest of them all was the orchardist's cool stores in East Doncaster. In fact, for many years, it was the largest cool store in southern hemisphere. In January this year the orchardist cooperative cool stores closed down.




Early in 1913, a meeting was held in the home of HG Reynolds in East Doncaster. Those present were AE Thiele, AF Thiele, R Clay, F Zerbe and WA Webb. They had met with the idea of forming a cool store cooperative. During the last 6 years, Doncaster growers had learnt the value of being able to keep fruit in cool storage, now East Doncaster orchardists wanted a store.

Among the group was WA web with training in accountancy and a knowledge of procedures. William Webb was appointed secretary, and with the advice from West Doncaster, set up the cooperative to build the orchardists cool stores.

The store was built on three and a half acres of land opposite Reynold's house in Doncaster Road. The building was carried out in four stages. In 1913, the engine room and six Chambers at the front of the East store were erected. During succeeding years, 6 more chambers completed this building then stage 3 consisted of 6 Chambers at the front of the west building. Finally, 10 Chambers were added at the rear.

A local builder, Mr May, was selected by the cooperative. May lived in Doncaster Road in the solid Queen Anne house he had built next to the Church of Christ. It was on May's recommendation that the architectural firm of Purchas and Teague designed the building. They introduced some character into the design of the massive structure. This was the age when complicated Gables were a feature of house design. By putting a third gable at the front to join the two ridges on the west building, he avoided what could have become an uninteresting large shed.

Official opening of the first Government cool store, Doncaster by the Hon E Cameron, Minister of Public Works, March 16, 1905 (Victorian Places John Young Collection)

The refrigeration equipment was supplied by The Firm of RH Werner and Co Pty Ltd. It is interesting now, when natural gas is making gas engines popular for industry, to note that the cool store was equipped with a gas engine. A Ruston-Hornsby suction gas engine drove the compressor. Gas was produced from charcoal and during the height of the season, four Stokers were employed working two a shift. Cool air was circulated through the stores, with timber flaps controlling the flow of air into the chambers.

When completed the store was a show piece. It was the largest cool store in the Southern Hemisphere. Visitors from interstate and overseas came out to inspect the building. Mr. May's reputation was made, and won him contracts to build stores in New South Wales and New Zealand. The first engineer, Rod Sutherland, who had supervised the installation of the equipment, also gained a reputation as an engineer.

William Webb was secretary of the Orchardists' Cool Stores till he resigned in 1924. His son-in-law, GA Grover was appointed secretary, a position he held till the co-operative was dissolved this year. Mr. Grower's first task was to convert the Co-operative from a proprietary to a public company. Membership of the Co-operative had grown to 104 shareholders, which was higher than the law allowed for a proprietary company.

Orchardists are accustomed to disaster. Pests, drought, and hail are a constant threat, but in 1937 they were not prepared for a new disaster. On Good Friday, 28th March, a hot north windy day, fire destroyed the east building with the refrigerating plant. This was the first of two fires. By coincidence, the second fire was on Good Friday, 26th March, 1948.

Orchardists' Cool store, Doncaster, 1964.  Present capacity 138000 cases.  John Young Collection. Victorian Places

The first fire hit the grovers hard. The pear-picking season was at it's peak. 50,000 cases, most uninsured, were destroyed. There was no cool store space for the fruit still in the orchards. Also the western building, packed with fruit, had lost its cooling plant. Technicians from Werner end Mitchell and Co. worked right through for 36 hours over Easter to install a temporary plant to keep tile store going.

In January the next year, the newly built cool store was opened. In the new building the chamber were 54 feet by 28 feet, each capable of holding 6,800 cases, giving the store a capacity of 140,000 cases. Two horizontal oil engines with a total horsepower of 246 operated the plant. The direct expansion system was used making the new store the more popular of the two.



Front view of the Orchardists' Cool Stores, Doncaster Road, East Doncaster.  Cool Stores played a large part in the lives of the orchardists. They became more than just a place to keep fruit. The store became a centre of community life, filling a role similar to the English village pump or marketplace. There was always activity there. During the picking season, there was the excited activity of fruit coming in from the orchards. After the season, there were always groups sorting fruit or preparing loads for market. This was the communication centre for news of orchards and orchardists. DP0325


Cool Stores played a large part in the lives of the orchardists. They became more than just a place to keep fruit. The store became a centre of community life, filling a role similar to the English village pump or marketplace. There was always activity there. During the picking season, there was the excited activity of fruit coming in from the orchards. After the season, there were always groups sorting fruit or preparing loads for market. This was the communication centre for news of orchards and orchardists.

Modern methods of fruit handling have made the cool stores obsolete. The old rocking horse fruit trolleys and fruit cases, designed for hand loading, have been replaced by front-end loaders and bulk containers. Doorways and openings, kept small to keep out hot air, will not take the new containers and front-end loaders.

After 59 years of service the cool store has closed. The closing of the Orchardist's Cool Store Co-operative limited symbolises the end of Doncaster as an Orchard District.

Irvine Green writing in 1972 05 DTHS Newsletter


Orchardists' Cool Store Historic sign. 958-960 Doncaster Rd Doncaster East. Location: -37.788916, 145.158512. Erected by the Doncaster East Village Business Association.  For over a century, Doncaster-Templestowe was widely regarded as one of the oldest and most successful fruit growing districts in Victoria. The first orchards were planted in the 1850s. By 1910, the land along Doncaster Road from Manningham Road to beyond Blackburn Road was virtually one continuous orchard, growing mainly apples, pears and peaches. The advent of cold storage led to the establishment of cool stores where orchardists could store and regulate the packing and marketing of the fruit almost year-round. Cool stores became local landmarks and meeting places for orchardists. The orchardists cool stores built by a cooperative of local fruit growers, were opened in 1914 and were the largest in Australia with a cooling capacity of 120,000 cases. They became a showpiece, attracting visitors from interstate and overseas. The cool stores were severely damaged by fire and rebuilt, first in 1937 on Good Friday and in 1948. Fruit production in the area reached its peak in the 1920s with over 20,000 acres under orchard. Apples and pears were sold around Australia and exported to Europe, and Doncaster-Templestowe was also renowned for its luscious and colourful peaches. Fruit production declined during the 1950s and the cool stores were demolished in 1970. Picture: The orchardists cool stores months in 1914 on the side of the present Safeway supermarket. Picture: 1914 cooperative share certificate Picture: The cool stores were built in four stages the engine room, tower and six cool in Chambers to form the east building then six cooling chambers and a further 10 behind to form the West building. Picture: Picking and packing peaches on the Gedye orchard in Doncaster East 1928 Picture: Loading fruit onto horse-drawn wagons for the trip to the fruit markets in Melbourne 1914.



Orchardists' Cool Store Historic sign. 958-960 Doncaster Rd Doncaster East. Location: -37.788916, 145.158512




Picking apples. 1920s?. Emptying freshly picked apples from buckets into fruit cases. The man in the centre is thought to be Mr Jewell. Others: Rupert Gedye (left, owner of orchard); Alma Jewell, Rae Gedye, Fred Gedye (boy eating apple/peach);  Charlie Pope.  Herald sun Newspapers. Gedye Family Donation. DP0743


1913 Orchardists Cool Store, Doncaster Road East Doncaster. North section of cool chamber. Several fruit wagons are lined up outside the cool chambers while fruit is loaded or unloaded. Demolished in 1971, the buildings have made way for a Safeway Supermarket.  DP0324



West Doncaster Cool Store cnr Doncaster Rd and Beaconsfield St Built in 1913 and closed about 1967. fruit packing sheds DP0320
Old Landmark:  Another landmark of the old days of orcharding in Doncaster will disappear in the near future.  The West Doncaster Cool Store, which was the first cooperative fruit cool store in Australia closed down its refrigeration machinery for the last time on November 30 after negotiations for the sale of the building and land had been concluded.  The store was built in 1911 and held 16,000 cases. The capacity was increased to 36,000 cases in 1916.  55 years ago a meeting of fruit growers was held at the home of Mr John Petty with the object of forming the cooperative.  It was attended by Messrs J Petty, J Tully Snr, A F Thiele, ?? Witchel, Thomas Petty, A Lawford, J Williamson, George Petty, R Serpell, J Tully Jnr, E I Lawford and A T Tully.  The site was chosen and four blocks purchased from the Doncaster Heights Estate for £320.  The company's first directors were Mr W E Lawford who was also the secretary and Messrs J Tully Snr and J Petty, both holding office of 32 years.  Mr J Hilton who was associated with the historic Box Hill Doncaster Electric Tramway was the first engineer. Later engineers were Messrs T Cullen and W and H Shephard.  Last week, an evening was held at The Cottage, Doncaster to mark the winding up of the company.  Purchase purchase price of the buildings and land was $90,000.  Mr Herb Shephard. The Mirror 14DEC1966   Herb sold me the last volt meter and ampere meter from the Cool Store so that I could monitor my electricity here in the 1960s. Alan Campbell-Drury


West Doncaster Cool Stores (Approx 570 Doncaster Rd) being demolished on north side of Main Rd (now Doncaster Rd). looking towards Serpell's corner (Doncaster Junction) in the distance 1966 Alan Campbell-Drury

Locked inside

Another memory from my brother David. The Templestowe Coolstore in Porter St, was open until midday and closed after lunch to allow the machinery to cool the hot fruit brought in from the orchardists in the district. Uncle Fred Chivers had Les Stoneham working for him, Fred and Les were the last to call in before closing for the day. Fred left the cool room door ajar and Les inside to finishing stacking the fruit and went home for lunch. George Edga the engineer, came round to check all the doors were closed and lights all off, as there were no trucks outside he assumed there was no one inside and closed all the doors and switched off the lights. In those days there was no safety latch on the inside so poor Les was locked inside in near freezing temperature and in total darkness. It was not until he did not turn up home for tea much later that day, that a search was made for him and a teeth chattering blinking Les was set free.

£50,000 COOL STORES FIRE HITS DONCASTER ORCHARDISTS

More than two million lbs of pears and apples were damaged by smoke and water when a spectacular fire demolished a large freezing plant and 12 cool chambers at the Orchardists' Cool Stores Co Ltd, Main rd, Doncaster, early yesterday. Damage exceeded £50,000.
A similar fire gutted the cool stores at the same hour on Good Friday, March 26, 11 years ago.Claimed to be the largest co-operative cool store in Victoria, the building comprised 28 cool chambers, each with a capacity of 4,500 cases. Damage to 40,000 cases of pears and apples is estimated at £20,000.
Breaking out in the engine-room of the plant soon after 5am, the fire spread along the east half of the main storage wing and through 12,000 sq ft of storage space. Residents of an adjoining house tried to telephone the Box Hill fire brigade, but the fire had interrupted the service.
A call from a street alarm brought the Box Hill brigade, which was joined by brigades from Eastern Hill, Hawthorn, and Surrey Hills. The fire was under control by 7am.
The company has suspended operations until a temporary freezing plant can be installed.
More than 100 fruit growers in Don-caster and Templestowe who have placed pears and apples in the store since picking began early in February, may have to put a great deal of their salvaged fruit on the market, as nearly all other cool stores in the district are full.
Although the plant and buildings were insured, little of the fruit was covered, and some growers will suffer severe losses.
A fire which gutted part of the Box Hill Ice and Cold Storage Co at 5am on March 9 of last year caused £20,000 damage. More than half of this plant has now been restored.

1948 '£50,000 COOL STORES FIRE HITS DONCASTER ORCHARDISTS', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 27 March, p. 1. , viewed 25 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22542444

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