The meeting to form the new dairy company was prompted by a division between those who were keen to see Coffs butter factory as a branch of the Coramba factory and others who wished the Coffs factory to be an independent, co-operative enterprise.

The successful motion resolved the issue, then provisional directors were elected.

They included Messrs Smith, Shepherd, McLeod, Burling, Sharp, Porter, Copeland, O’Neill and Roberts.

Authorised to ‘take the necessary steps for the formation of the company’, these men represented Bonville, Upper Orara, Coramba, Nana Glen, Bucca, Karangi and Coffs Harbour.

To register the company 1500 shares would be needed, with a promise of cream supplied by 1800 cows.

The company’s canvassers were successful and by late November 1908 the articles of association were forwarded to Sydney for registration, the nominal capital being £5000, with operations starting as soon as £1500 was raised.
Finances were assured, suppliers promised support and the Lands Department approached to allow the factory’s construction to be built on Mr Jarrett’s special lease.

Doubts about the factory’s progress were raised after a period of apparent inaction, later revealed to be an interval of secret negotiations for the purchase of land.

Any uncertainty was dispelled when, in early February 1909, newspapers reported the purchase of ¾ acre of land at the jetty, which included a cottage.

The site was on portion 33, lot 1, now 80 Mildura Street and 16 Edgar Street, as close to the jetty as possible to save transport costs, while the cottage was to be used for the manager’s residence.

In mid-March tenders were called for the supply of machinery and the factory’s construction and two weeks later the tender of Messrs Waugh and Josephson for the supply and erection of machinery was accepted at a cost of around £1200.

By the end of May six tenders had been received for the construction of buildings and more tenders called for the conveyance of cream from Coffs’ outlying areas to the factory.

By Karen FILEWOOD