Bodalla, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Bodalla is a small town on the South Coast
of New South Wales
, Australia
, and located in the local government area of Eurobodalla Shire
. The town sits on the Princes Highway
, and is connected by road to Moruya
, Narooma
, Nerrigundah, Eurobodalla and Potato Point
.
The Yuin
people are consider to be the traditional owners of the region, and it is from their language that the town and the previous estate and station derived its name. Several meanings have been put forward including "Boat Alley", "tossing a child up in the arms", "haven for boats" and "several waters".
From 1856, Thomas Sutcliffe Mort
had been acquiring land in the Moruya
district, and eventually owned some 38,000 acres (150 km²), a very substantial holding. In 1860 he purchased Bodalla Station, where he planned to establish a country estate on which to retire, and demonstrate model land usage and rural settlement. He replaced the beef cattle station with an integrated and tenanted dairy
estate. He cleared land, drained river swamps, erected fences, laid out farms, sowed imported grasses, and provided milking sheds, cheese
and butter
-making equipment. He also provide two bluestone
churches, one Anglican and the other Catholic, for his tenants.
By the 1870s, his sharefarming tenants had become disgruntled and left. The estate fell into his sole control, and was run as three farms with hired labour. After he died in 1878, his trustees took over running the farms. In 1887, they set up the Bodalla Company to put the main asset of the estate on a business footing.
Sometime around the end of 1883, the trustees constructed a horse tramway from near the Bodalla Post Office to the North Narooma
Wharf at Wagonga Heads to provide great savings in conveying the produce of the estate to market in Sydney. One horse by tramway could easily haul as much as three could by road. The tramway closed between 1889 and 1891 with the reconstruction of local coastal roads.
Another initiative launched by the trustees was the establishment of a commercial outlet in the Strand Arcade
in the Sydney CBD to sell the milk, butter, cheese and bacon manufactured on the estate.
Eventually the factory was bought out by the Bodalla Dairy Co-operative, who ran it until it closed in 1987, when it was being supplied by only thirteen farms. These farms transferred their supply to the dairy company at Bega
.
Bodalla Cheese is now a brand associated with Fonterra Brands (Australia) Pty Ltd.
, formerly Bonland Dairies. Fonterra is a New Zealand
-owned dairy company.
The Big Cheese Visitors' Centre was once part of the old factory, and is one of Australia's many "big"
roadside tourist attractions. It is located on the northern outskirts of the town, and was closed in 2007.
and his wife Theresa Shepheard Mort, was designed by Edmund Blacket
. The foundation stone was laid by Marianne Mort, Thomas' second wife, on 18 March 1880. It was completed in 1901. The church has one of seven small Henry Willis & Sons
organs, built in 1881 and installed the following year. The church cost 13,000 Pounds Stirling to construct.
South Coast, New South Wales
The South Coast refers to the narrow coastal belt from Sydney in the north to the border with Victoria in the south in the south-eastern part of the State of New South Wales, Australia. It is bordered to the west by the coastal escarpment of the Southern Tablelands, which is largely covered by a...
of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and located in the local government area of Eurobodalla Shire
Eurobodalla Shire
Eurobodalla Shire is a Local Government Area in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in a largely mountainous coastal region on the South Coast of New South Wales. It is on the Pacific Ocean, the Princes Highway and the Kings Highway....
. The town sits on the Princes Highway
Princes Highway
The Princes Highway extends from Sydney to Port Augusta via the coast through the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, a distance of 1941 km or 1898 km via the former alignments of the highway ....
, and is connected by road to Moruya
Moruya, New South Wales
Moruya is a small regional centre in New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Moruya River, approximately 300 kilometers south of Sydney. At the 2006 census, Moruya had a population of 10,278 people. The town relies predominantly on agriculture, aquaculture, and tourism...
, Narooma
Narooma, New South Wales
Narooma is a town in the Australian state of New South Wales on the far south coast. The town is on the Princes Highway. The name is said to be derived from the Aboriginal word meaning ‘clear blue waters’. At the 2006 census, Narooma had a population of 3,100 people.Montague Island, a National...
, Nerrigundah, Eurobodalla and Potato Point
Potato Point, New South Wales
Potato Point is a village in the Eurobodalla Shire lying on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is connected by road to the town of Bodalla, and surrounded by the Eurobodalla National Park. The Yuin are considered to be the traditional owners of the region. At the 2006 census, Potato...
.
The Yuin
Yuin
Yuin people are those Australian Aborigines from the South Coast of New South wales who are considered to be the traditional owners of the land and water from Merimbula to Port Jackson.- Country :...
people are consider to be the traditional owners of the region, and it is from their language that the town and the previous estate and station derived its name. Several meanings have been put forward including "Boat Alley", "tossing a child up in the arms", "haven for boats" and "several waters".
Thomas Sutcliffe Mort
Thomas Sutcliffe Mort
Thomas Sutcliffe Mort was an Australian industrialist responsible for improving refrigeration of meat. He was renowned for speculation in the local pastoral industry as well as industrial activities such as his Ice-Works in Sydney's Darling Harbour and dry dock and engineering works at...
had been acquiring land in the Moruya
Moruya, New South Wales
Moruya is a small regional centre in New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Moruya River, approximately 300 kilometers south of Sydney. At the 2006 census, Moruya had a population of 10,278 people. The town relies predominantly on agriculture, aquaculture, and tourism...
district, and eventually owned some 38,000 acres (150 km²), a very substantial holding. In 1860 he purchased Bodalla Station, where he planned to establish a country estate on which to retire, and demonstrate model land usage and rural settlement. He replaced the beef cattle station with an integrated and tenanted dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
estate. He cleared land, drained river swamps, erected fences, laid out farms, sowed imported grasses, and provided milking sheds, cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
and butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
-making equipment. He also provide two bluestone
Bluestone
Bluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of dimension or building stone varieties, including:*a feldspathic sandstone in the U.S. and Canada;*limestone in the Shenandoah Valley in the U.S...
churches, one Anglican and the other Catholic, for his tenants.
By the 1870s, his sharefarming tenants had become disgruntled and left. The estate fell into his sole control, and was run as three farms with hired labour. After he died in 1878, his trustees took over running the farms. In 1887, they set up the Bodalla Company to put the main asset of the estate on a business footing.
Sometime around the end of 1883, the trustees constructed a horse tramway from near the Bodalla Post Office to the North Narooma
Narooma, New South Wales
Narooma is a town in the Australian state of New South Wales on the far south coast. The town is on the Princes Highway. The name is said to be derived from the Aboriginal word meaning ‘clear blue waters’. At the 2006 census, Narooma had a population of 3,100 people.Montague Island, a National...
Wharf at Wagonga Heads to provide great savings in conveying the produce of the estate to market in Sydney. One horse by tramway could easily haul as much as three could by road. The tramway closed between 1889 and 1891 with the reconstruction of local coastal roads.
Another initiative launched by the trustees was the establishment of a commercial outlet in the Strand Arcade
The Strand Arcade
The Strand Arcade is a Victorian-style shopping arcade in Sydney, New South Wales. The Strand Arcade is located in the heart of the Sydney central business district, between Pitt Street Mall and George Street.-History:...
in the Sydney CBD to sell the milk, butter, cheese and bacon manufactured on the estate.
Eventually the factory was bought out by the Bodalla Dairy Co-operative, who ran it until it closed in 1987, when it was being supplied by only thirteen farms. These farms transferred their supply to the dairy company at Bega
Bega, New South Wales
Bega is a town in the south-east of New South Wales, Australia in the Bega Valley Shire. It is the economic centre for the Bega Valley.-Place name:One claim is that place name Bega is derived from the local Aboriginal word meaning "big camping ground"....
.
Bodalla Cheese is now a brand associated with Fonterra Brands (Australia) Pty Ltd.
Fonterra
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand multinational dairy co-operative owned by almost 10,500 New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy exports and with revenue exceeding NZ$19.87 billion, is New Zealand's largest company.- History :In...
, formerly Bonland Dairies. Fonterra is a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-owned dairy company.
The Big Cheese Visitors' Centre was once part of the old factory, and is one of Australia's many "big"
Australia's Big Things
The Big Things of Australia are a loosely related set of large structures or sculptures. There are estimated to be over 150 such objects around the country, the first being the Big Scotsman in Medindie, Adelaide, which was built in 1963....
roadside tourist attractions. It is located on the northern outskirts of the town, and was closed in 2007.
All Saints Church
All Saints Church, commorating Thomas Sutcliffe MortThomas Sutcliffe Mort
Thomas Sutcliffe Mort was an Australian industrialist responsible for improving refrigeration of meat. He was renowned for speculation in the local pastoral industry as well as industrial activities such as his Ice-Works in Sydney's Darling Harbour and dry dock and engineering works at...
and his wife Theresa Shepheard Mort, was designed by Edmund Blacket
Edmund Blacket
Edmund Thomas Blacket was an Australian architect, best known for his designs for the University of Sydney, St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney and St...
. The foundation stone was laid by Marianne Mort, Thomas' second wife, on 18 March 1880. It was completed in 1901. The church has one of seven small Henry Willis & Sons
Henry Willis & Sons
thumb|250px|St Bees Priory organ, the last major instrument to be personally supervised by "Father" Henry Willis, 1899Henry Willis & Sons is a British firm of pipe organ builders founded in 1845 in Liverpool. Although most of their installations have been in the UK, examples can be found in other...
organs, built in 1881 and installed the following year. The church cost 13,000 Pounds Stirling to construct.