Australian Abattoirs

Authors Note – May be confusion in Darwin timelines as a packing plant was built and a number of abattoirs.Some articles contradict in dates therefore timeline may be inaccurate.

Other names

• Angliss abattoir
• Berrimah Abattoir
• Central abattoirs⁵
• Darwin abattoir (Pg 189)
• 10 mile abattoir (Pg 190)

Current Operation             

• reopened 1960’s³
• Closed 1970’s for a period
• Was operating in to the 1980’s⁹
• site is closed and has been redeveloped now, 2013

Location             

• Ten Mile abattoirs reserve⁵
• Is an Angliss Road, Berrimah, off the Stuart Highway, south of Robbie Robbins reserve.

Owner                 

• North Australian Meat Company¹
• Sir William Charles²
• Vesty’s (1934)

Operation          

• Export and Domestic accredited¹¹

History                

• Sir William Charles (1865-1957)– Migrated from England, Engaged in butcher trade in Kent when young. Migrated to Roackhampton (QLD) 1884. Moved to Melbourne and opened two butcher stores in 1886.He began to export meat. Over the next 30 years became a dominant figure in Australian meat export trade. Sent meat to WA goldfields, latter to forces in South Africa and Britain. Built his own freezer works in Footscray 1905. Exported to NZ, opened offices in London and Liverpool. Brought meatworks in Forbes 1914 and Riverstone, Sydney 1920, Brisbane 1924 and with a rival (F.J. Walker) in Rockhampton 1927. Leased and bought cattle stations in 3 eastern states with Sir Kidney Kidman. Purchased QLD properties owned by the government in 1929. QLD properties could support 80,000hd. 1930’s claims William Charles owned the largest personally controlled  meat enterprise in the British Empire. 1933 Vestey’s acquired his Vic and the whole Angliss meat business except the QLD properties.

1934  

• Vestey’s purchased Angliss meat business for £1.5M²
• Improvements in refrigeration now made it possible to send chilled rather than frozen product⁶

1942 

• Government requested in early days of war that Bovril (VRD) supply 400 head to Darwin per month at £5 each. Few stockmen left due to labour shortage and Bovril had difficulty filling this order⁷

1959     

• Improved to meet stringent USDA (USA Dept of agriculture) hygiene regulations⁴
• Combined with Katherine – capacity of 60,000hd per year, first time NT had export killing capacity³

1961 

• William Angliss and Co began building Central Abattoirs at Ten Mile abattoir reserve. This was to serve as a central killing works for Darwin with the aim of adding an export annex⁵

1960’s

• Angliss began to trial Buffalo, product shipped to Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and some into the domestic market.(Pg 44)¹³
• At this time feral buffalo could be shot in the field and the meat used for export as long as the carcase was at an abattoir within an hour(Pg 44)¹³

1964  

• Prior to this abattoir (1963) and Katherine abattoir (1964) being built stock were walked along stockroutes to railheads in Alice Springs or across to Wyndham abattoir, QLD. Murranji stockroute last stock use was 1967 as cattle now went to Katherine and Darwin⁸
• During this period road transport began to dominate and stock routes less used⁸
• Vesteys opened⁴
• Paid 6 shillings and half pence a pound, Hong Kong export market couldn’t afford to match paying 5 shillings and half pence a pound⁴

1965

• Robert Bright would capture wild baby pigs feed up and sell to Berrimah (then called Angliss abattoir) (Pg 241)¹²

1968

• Laurie Howard supplied Buffalo’s from Dorisvale station (then managed by Leo Whitely) (Pg 189)¹²
• Manager at abattoir – George Welch, took over from Peter White (Pg 190)¹²

1970’s

• Buffalo were now required to be to delivered live to an abattoir for slaughter.(Pg 44)¹³

1980

• Berrimah abattoir not in operation (Pg 245)¹²

1970        

• Couldn’t meet USDA standards – lost export licence, so did Broome,Derby, Wyndham and Katherine³

1991

• Berrimah closes.¹⁰

Sources