Sunshine Harvester Works
Encyclopedia
The Sunshine Harvester works, was an Australia
factory operated by industrialist H. V. McKay. Having established an agricultural implement works in Ballarat
he moved his factory and many of his employees to Braybrook Junction, in 1906,where he had earlier (1904) purchased the Braybrook Implement Works. He named the new enterprise the Sunshine Harvester Works, after his Sunshine Harvester which was one of his major products. through a revolutionary piece of marketing, this had gaining a reputation as the first successful combine harvester
in Australia. McKay rapidly expanded the factory to become the largest manufacturing plant in Australia which, at its peak, employed nearly 3,000 workers.
McKay also acquired large tracts of land in the area to establish housing to encourage his workers to settle. His Sunshine Estate
(later known simply as Sunshine) is considered a pioneering development of a company town on the town planning principles of the Garden city movement
. In 1907, following a residents' petition, the locality was officially renamed Sunshine in honour of the factory. Housing for the Sunshine Harvester Works' employees swelled the local population and the town of Sunshine was touted as the "Birmingham of Australia".
The Sunshine Harvester Works was also the site of a protracted industrial dispute in 1907, between McKay and the unions representing the Sunshine workers. While this was based on claims for wages and conditions, McKay also argued that he should continue to receive import protection. The case was heard before H. B. Higgins
at the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration
in Melbourne between 7 October 1907 and 8 November 1907. Higgins heard evidence from employees and their wives regarding conditions at the factory and costs for supporting their families. In the Harvester Judgement, he obliged McKay to pay his employees a wage that guaranteed them a standard of living which was reasonable for "a human being in a civilised community", regardless of his capacity to pay. McKay successfully appealed this judgement, but it became the benchmark industrial decision which led to the creation of a minimum basic wage
for Australian workers that dominated Australian industrial relations for the next 60 to 80 years.
By the 1920s the H.V. McKay Company was running the largest implement factory in the southern hemisphere, covering 30.4 hectares (76 acres), and was leading the international agricultural industry through the development of the world's first self-propelled harvester in 1924. In 1930 the H.V. McKay Company was granted exclusive Australian distribution of Massey-Harris machinery as part of a merger with Massey Harris
. The company was then renamed H.V. McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd. Throughout World War II H.V. McKay Massey Harris exported over 20,000 Sunshine drills, disc harrows and binders to England to facilitate the increase in food production.
In the 1950s the McKay family sold out to the newly formed agricultural implement conglomerate Massey Ferguson
which was a combination of the Canadian and American interests of Massey Harris, and the British tractor firm of Harry Ferguson
. However from the 1970s, when many Australian-based manufacturing industries were having financial difficulties, the business progressively contracted and in 1992 most of the factory was demolished to make way for the development of the Sunshine Marketplace
.
The former bulk store, factory gates and clock tower, the pedestrian footbridge, factory gardens and head office complex are all listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
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...
factory operated by industrialist H. V. McKay. Having established an agricultural implement works in Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
he moved his factory and many of his employees to Braybrook Junction, in 1906,where he had earlier (1904) purchased the Braybrook Implement Works. He named the new enterprise the Sunshine Harvester Works, after his Sunshine Harvester which was one of his major products. through a revolutionary piece of marketing, this had gaining a reputation as the first successful combine harvester
Combine harvester
The combine harvester, or simply combine, is a machine that harvests grain crops. The name derives from the fact that it combines three separate operations, reaping, threshing, and winnowing, into a single process. Among the crops harvested with a combine are wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn ,...
in Australia. McKay rapidly expanded the factory to become the largest manufacturing plant in Australia which, at its peak, employed nearly 3,000 workers.
McKay also acquired large tracts of land in the area to establish housing to encourage his workers to settle. His Sunshine Estate
Sunshine, Victoria
Sunshine is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia lying 11 to 13 km west of the CBD. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, Sunshine had a population of 8,070.-History:...
(later known simply as Sunshine) is considered a pioneering development of a company town on the town planning principles of the Garden city movement
Garden city movement
The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" , containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and...
. In 1907, following a residents' petition, the locality was officially renamed Sunshine in honour of the factory. Housing for the Sunshine Harvester Works' employees swelled the local population and the town of Sunshine was touted as the "Birmingham of Australia".
The Sunshine Harvester Works was also the site of a protracted industrial dispute in 1907, between McKay and the unions representing the Sunshine workers. While this was based on claims for wages and conditions, McKay also argued that he should continue to receive import protection. The case was heard before H. B. Higgins
H. B. Higgins
Henry Bournes Higgins , Australian politician and judge, always known in his lifetime as H. B. Higgins, was a highly influential figure in Australian politics and law.-Career:...
at the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration
Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration
The Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration is a defunct Australian court, which had jurisdiction to arbitrate interstate industrial disputes....
in Melbourne between 7 October 1907 and 8 November 1907. Higgins heard evidence from employees and their wives regarding conditions at the factory and costs for supporting their families. In the Harvester Judgement, he obliged McKay to pay his employees a wage that guaranteed them a standard of living which was reasonable for "a human being in a civilised community", regardless of his capacity to pay. McKay successfully appealed this judgement, but it became the benchmark industrial decision which led to the creation of a minimum basic wage
Living wage
In public policy, a living wage is the minimum hourly income necessary for a worker to meet basic needs . These needs include shelter and other incidentals such as clothing and nutrition...
for Australian workers that dominated Australian industrial relations for the next 60 to 80 years.
By the 1920s the H.V. McKay Company was running the largest implement factory in the southern hemisphere, covering 30.4 hectares (76 acres), and was leading the international agricultural industry through the development of the world's first self-propelled harvester in 1924. In 1930 the H.V. McKay Company was granted exclusive Australian distribution of Massey-Harris machinery as part of a merger with Massey Harris
Massey Ferguson
Massey Ferguson Limited was a major agricultural equipment manufacturer which was based in Canada before its purchase by AGCO. The company was formed by a merger between Massey Harris and the Ferguson tractor company in 1953, creating the company Massey Harris Ferguson. However in 1958 the name was...
. The company was then renamed H.V. McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd. Throughout World War II H.V. McKay Massey Harris exported over 20,000 Sunshine drills, disc harrows and binders to England to facilitate the increase in food production.
In the 1950s the McKay family sold out to the newly formed agricultural implement conglomerate Massey Ferguson
Massey Ferguson
Massey Ferguson Limited was a major agricultural equipment manufacturer which was based in Canada before its purchase by AGCO. The company was formed by a merger between Massey Harris and the Ferguson tractor company in 1953, creating the company Massey Harris Ferguson. However in 1958 the name was...
which was a combination of the Canadian and American interests of Massey Harris, and the British tractor firm of Harry Ferguson
Harry Ferguson
Henry George "Harry" Ferguson was an Irish engineer and inventor who is noted for his role in the development of the modern agricultural tractor, for becoming the first Irishman to build and fly his own aeroplane, and for developing the first four-wheel drive Formula One car, the Ferguson P99...
. However from the 1970s, when many Australian-based manufacturing industries were having financial difficulties, the business progressively contracted and in 1992 most of the factory was demolished to make way for the development of the Sunshine Marketplace
Sunshine Marketplace
Sunshine Marketplace is a regional shopping centre in Sunshine, about west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
.
The former bulk store, factory gates and clock tower, the pedestrian footbridge, factory gardens and head office complex are all listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.