Orchards' era is near end

DP0989 | Orchards' era is near end |1972 | Newspaper article about the impending sale of the Orchardists' Cool Stores site in Doncaster Road East Doncaster to make way for a supermarket. | Mounted and framed with three sketches done by Mr Perry | East Doncaster  Orchardists' Cool Stores Co. Pty. Ltd. | 

THE Orchardists' Cool Stores in Doncaster Rd., East Doncaster..  LEFT is the eastern side of the huge building and at RIGHT is the western wing.

The next few weeks could see the end of an orcharding era.

It is believed a large supermarket chain is negotiating for the sale of the Orchardists' Cool Stores Co. Ltd. site in Doncaster Road, Doncaster.

No figure has been mentioned, but it is understood the supermarket chain has an option on the 3½-acre site.

When approached on the matter, the Mayor, Cr Keith Remington, said he had received no official advice, but he understood a supermarket company had made a realistic offer to the company controlling the cool stores.

He added that to his knowledge the council had received no application to re-zone the land.

The reason behind the possible sale is believed to be the fact that the cool store is becoming harder to run on a profitable basis.

It has been said it is now obsolete and cannot handle the same quantity of fruit with the same efficiency as newer and larger stores.

The cool store has operated on its present site since 1913.

When it was first built, it was the largest fruit store in the Southern Hemisphere.

It was used as a model for many similar stores throughout Australia and parts of New Zealand.

This bid by a supermarket company is a further step in a game of "supermarket chess" in Doncaster and Templestowe.

Moves are believed to be on the way to establish a K-Mart type store at Tunstall Square.

[Column 3]

Safeway has built a supermarket at the corner of High St. and Manningham Rd., Templestowe, and Dickins New World supermarkets have been included in the Bulleen Village and Doncaster Shoppingtown shopping complexes.

Woolworths have established a supermarket at central Doncaster, while Supa Valu have made a move at Doncaster.

For a city that a little more than five years ago had no supermarkets, Doncaster & Templestowe has come a long way.

[Handwritten note]

About 1972.