Robb Jetty

Other names

• Fremantle Freezing and Meat works⁷

Current Operation

• Closed, is now a historic site with a preserved chimney of the original meat processing works.⁶

Source – http://www.mingor.net/

Robbs Jetty meat processing site, historic chimney that has been preserved at the site.

Location              

• Fremantle Freezing and meat works⁷

Source – Hema Maps. Australia Truckies Atlas.

Owner

• Fremantle Freezing and Meat Works⁷
• Western Australian Meat Preservers⁷
• Western Australian Meat Exporters⁷

                               

Operation

• Processed cattle and sheep
• Had access from sea for unloading barges and railhead for inland animals
• Export²
• Operated originally by the WA Meat co-operative
• had a long pier/jetty going to the ocean – named Robs Jetty.
• Cattle transported from North WA, barges would unload onto jetty and animals walk to abattoir.
• Closed due to population pressure, other abattoirs & prices

 History          

1850’s

• Meat houses constructed in the area to service the convict establishment at Femantle Gaol⁷

1894 

• Duracks (Kimberley’s) through agents Francis Conner and Dennis Doherty shipped cattle to Fremantle⁵
• Dame Mary Durack- ‘Sons in the saddle’ – cattle originally swam to shore, now offloaded onto a jetty⁵
• Cattle getting £3 a head in south markets, started their own Live Export to Manila⁵
• Slaughterhouses established in the area, known as ‘Kimberley Meat Ring’, they had a monopoly on meat supply to metropolitian and Goldfields⁷.
  • Forrest, Emaual and Co
  • Conner, Doherty and Durack

1898

• Railway was built from Fremantle to Robb Jetty⁶
• Same period abattoir was built in Fremantle – consisted of offices, holding yards, freezer and chiller facilities⁶

1919

• Robb Jetty constructed – prior to construction animals unloaded into the water and swam to shore⁷
• Robb jetty abattoir constructed, portion being the preserved chimney – Known as Fremantle Freezing and Meat works. Capacity limited to few thousand lambs per year⁷
• Abattoir also was cold store for potatoes, fruit, manufactured ice and carried out wool scouring⁷

1940

• Robb Jetty company in financial strife, Commonwealth government stepped in to provide help.⁷

1942

• Company bought out by government, changed name to Western Australian Meat Preservers’ latter to ‘Western Australian Meat Exporters’⁷
• Abattoir diversified to include fruit storage, egg pulp, turtle and crayfish processing⁷

1966  

• Ship – Centaur,passenger liner that carried 4000 sheep below decks. turned every fortnight from Singapore, Kuala Lumpar & Perth, return trip would pick up at Broome from Emaual stations and taken to Fremantle, sold at Robbs Jetty saleyards⁵ Pg 25

1970’s

• Jetty dismantled, possibly in 1960’s⁶

1988/89     

• Abattoir closed by the National Party³

1992

• Numerous attempt to revive competitiveness failed and was shut down⁷

1994

• Equipment removed from building.⁷
• Chimney is only part remaining, listed on the State register of Heritage Places.⁶

1996

• State Government supplied $50,000 for restoration of chimney.⁷

Sources

1. Personal Communication #1 28.01.13
2. Parliament Hansard. S. Thomas. 17.08.05
3. Parliament Hansard M Trenorden 17.08.05
4. ‘Brief History of the WA Lamb Marketing board’ www.wammco.com.au
5. ‘The Australian Livestock export trade’ Nigel Austin 2011
6. ‘South Fremantle, Western Australia’ Wikipedia, 24.06.13
7. ‘Interim Heritage listing for Robb Jetty Chimney’ Richard Lewis, Ministerial Media statement. 23.08.96