Manbulloo

Photo – Cattleproducer. 2013
Manbulloo abattoir historic site , Katherine river is located to rear.

Current Operation

• ·         Old historic site

Location             

• ·         8km from the current Katherine meatworks. On Manbulloo.

              

      

Locations of other abattoirs in Australia may be found at Australian Abattoir Locations

Operation          

• Abattoir and freezing chamber, 30,000 poultry farm, with a major army camp close by⁷.
• By products plant was begun but abandoned due to costs⁷

History                

• Site has concrete slab, with some information, airstrip opposite, pipeline into the river²
• Visited 29.02.13. Squatters present. took photos

 

1915 

• Manbulloo station established 11km W of Emungalan (original township north of Current Katherine town area). Used for holding cattle waiting for shipment to Vestey’s Meatworks in Darwin (established 1917)¹
• Manbullo0 & Wave Hill were leased to Vestey’s under agreement that abattoir in Darwin was to be built and operated⁶

 

1941

• December 7, 1941 Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour and quickly occupied most of South East Asia (Pg 134)⁸
  • Territory was suddenly vulnerable and the government evacuated women and children from Darwin and the hinterland.(Pg 134)⁸

1942         

• February 19, 1942 Japanes bomb Darwin.(Pg 134)⁸
  • All sea lanes are closed (Pg 134)⁸
• By 21st February, Northern portion of the NT was under martial law (Pg 134)⁸
  • All male civilians mediacally examined – those fit for service conscripted into militia⁸
  • Unauthorised persons excluded from the area north of Pine Creek⁸
  • Situation was now extremely serious⁸
    • labour shortages affected day to day operations of beef industry⁸
    • difficult to move large numbers of stock due to lack of availability of skilled stockmen⁸
• Whydham meatworks was closed (Pg 134)⁸
  • Due to fear of being captured by the Japanese
  • As many cattle as possible were being moved from the east Kimberley and Victoria River district for fear of invasion (Pg 134)⁸
    • Need to deprive invaders of ready food source
• Military meat contract sub committee emphatic that killing should be concentrated at a large abattoir in Katherine region (Pg 134)⁸
  • reduce need for additional droving and rail transport to current processing sites⁸
  • Allow more efficent processing of offal (Pg 135)⁸
• Meatworks built by the army, but offered to Vestey’s to operate⁴
• Construction started – Army constructed, to feed the 3 services stationed in the NT, site consisted of 46 buildings including mess halls, barracks, poultry farm, shilling rooms which could hold 1000 carcasses. Cattle came from Pine Ck, Mataranka and close areas to Katherine⁵.
• Vestey’s operation was accused by local pastoralists as having unfair advantage in animals being processed and supplying army with rations and stores⁴Pg 133
• Slaughter occurred at site, cool storage plant was built in Katherine, meat was bought in and frozen then distributed to troops³

1944         

• March. Abattoir commissioned, cost £70,000 (Pg 136)⁸
• Was built (on then Manbulloo- Vestey’s) by A.W.C cost £65,000⁹
• by end of 44 was killing 700 hd cattle a week, several butchery units stationed at the abattoirs including 2/3^rd Australia field butchery platoon, engineers, cooks and quartermaster personnel⁵

        1946

• Over 23 months processed 34,000 head (Pg 136)⁸
• Following the immediate postwar departure of personnel, facility was closed in early 1946 (Pg 136)⁸

1947         

• Bovril Australian Estates purchased Manbullo, moved sections of it to Katherine to establish new meatworks⁶
• Manbulloo plant & equipment sold for £10,000⁷.

 

Sources