FLOUR - HISTORY IN THE MAKING (article from Gulgong Gossip)
The production of flour commenced in the area back in the 1850s at Biraganbil station. Both Biraganbil and Guntawang were owned by the Rouse family who settled there in 1825. A small village had sprung up at Guntawang and the mill catered for their needs. Wheat was first grown at Guntawang in 1851 and supplied the mill with grain.
Source: Gulgong Guardian, Issue No 66, April 3, 1872
When gold was discovered at Gulgong in 1870 the rush was on and thousands of hopeful miners streamed into the area to try their luck It wasn’t until 1885 that a Mr Lees began milling grain somewhere on the church hill adjacent to the old Tuxford dam site. Both these mills were small. primitive and inefficient, employing a vertical stone method producing about 2 bags per hour.
In 1894, Mr C R Young built a mill behind his store in Mayne street and revitalised the industry in the town. His store is known as Loneragans [for many decades] and the mill site is occupied by Gulgong Timber [and Hardware] in Queen Street.
Young’s flour product was known as “Silver Dust” which he supplied to the Gulgong District and exported to Europe and the UK. A major achievement for those times. Young sold the business to James Loneragan in 1902.
CR Young also pushed for many years for the rail link to be extended to Gulgong from Mudgee. but without success.
James Loneragan was a member of a syndicate that operated 2 mills in Mudgee. The Western Milling Company and Mudgee Roller Flour. James Loneragan was supportive of the rail link, however he wanted the line to extend as far as Gwabegar in the north
By 1909 the line was completed to Gulgong, and subsequently to Gwabegar. Loneragan decided to erect a flour mill to take advantage of the new access to the Sydney market. In 1912 he built a home in Cainbil Street and moved from Mudgee to supervise the mill’s construction. ln 1907 James Loneragan registered the name “Golden Gate” as the brand for the mill's products. Production commenced in July 1913 but was abruptly halted just a few months after it began, when a silo ruptured spilling tons of wheat and bricks onto the rail tracks below. Luckily no one was injured.
James Loneragan died in 1914 and his son Ted took over, rebuilt the silo and got the mill back into production.
During the Depression that hit during the 1930s, the mill continued to function. operating three shifts a day and employing a large work force.
Old records indicate the effects of the depression on the primary producer. Bagged wheat at the mill was worth five and nine pence halfpenny a bushel in September 1929. By February 1931, at the height of the depression, the price had fallen to one and eight pence a bushel. It is also noted that the cost of making the flour did not vary, confirming that wages remained constant during these hard times.
In 1944 a potential disaster struck. A fire, the largest the town had ever seen, raged out of control destroying two storage sheds and tons of bagged wheat. The efforts of the fire fighters were rewarded when they were able to save the main complex from certain destruction.
Bryan Loneragan. son of Ted Loneragan, came to Gulgong in 1948 as an experienced miller after training at other mills and working for George Fielder. Bryan brought new life to the mill with a programme of rebuilding and modifying plant that increased production and introduced new products for the market. In earlier times the plant was driven by steam and diesel power, Bryan converted the System to electricity in 1957. The end of an era came when the mill was sold to George Weston Foods Ltd in 1986. Over the years the mill has been a great asset for the town, providing employment for hundreds of people and supporting the agricultural and commercial economics of the district. Since its inception in 1913 only four managers have been employed, Jack English who served for over 50 years, Clive Rose, Dick Herrick and the current manager, Theo Haege, who started in 1965.
Grain to service production requirements is drawn from an area up to 300km from Gulgong and is stored on site and at the Gulgong Silo which became available in 1986. Beside flour, which is the end product of the process, other products include bran, pollard, kibble and semolina. Rye is also processed into meal for “Ryvita” biscuits for the Weston’s Camperdown plant. Some rye is grown locally but the majority is supplied from the Canowindra and Cowra district.
Since Westons took over a substantial increase in production has been achieved, with new equipment operating twentyfour hours a day, 7 days a week. The role of the mill at present is to supply Weston’s bakeries, Kelly’s Bread at Orange and Tip Top at Newcastle, with the balance of production going to the new Sydney plant for further distribution. Although rationalisation has taken place within the company with the construction of a new mill in Sydney, the Gulgong plant is continuing to operate with 30 employees. This month, the mill will have served the town for 83 years and is set to serve for many more years to come.
Grain to service production requirements is drawn from an area up to 300km from Gulgong and is stored on site and at the Gulgong Silo which became available in 1986. Beside flour, which is the end product of the process, other products include bran, pollard, kibble and semolina. Rye is also processed into meal for “Ryvita” biscuits for the Weston’s Camperdown plant. Some rye is grown locally but the majority is supplied from the Canowindra and Cowra district.
Since Westons took over a substantial increase in production has been achieved, with new equipment operating twentyfour hours a day, 7 days a week. The role of the mill at present is to supply Weston’s bakeries, Kelly’s Bread at Orange and Tip Top at Newcastle, with the balance of production going to the new Sydney plant for further distribution. Although rationalisation has taken place within the company with the construction of a new mill in Sydney, the Gulgong plant is continuing to operate with 30 employees. This month, the mill will have served the town for 83 years and is set to serve for many more years to come.
The “Gossip” wishes to thank Theo Haege for his assistance in compiling this story.
Source: Gulgong Gossip ca 1977 and Gulgong Pioneers Museum
NEWS ITEMS
1891 - [MILL PLANS]Mr C R Young intends erecting a largo steam steel-roller flour mill here, and tenders have been called for the building, which will be an immense benefit to the farmers in the district.
1891 - [LAND PURCHASED]Mr. C. R. Young, of the Commercial Stores, Gulgong, has completed the purchase of a roller flour mill plant, to be erected on the spare allotment in Queen-street, adjoining his store. Mr. Young contemplates erecting the mill at once.
Source: The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912) Sat 9 May 1891 Page 1064
1891 - [NEARING COMPLETION]The new steam roller flour-mill is nearing completion under the supervision of Mr. Dovoy, representative for Messrs. G. H. Rhodes and Co. It is being erected for Mr. C. R. Young, who has shown enterprise and energy in constructing a mill of the modern type. It is adjacent to his stores, will supply a long-felt want, be a boon to the farmer, and a benefit to the general public in giving them flour, less the cost of carriage to and from Mudgee, a distance of 18 miles. Electricity is to be the lighting power for both mill and stores, thus bringing Gulgong in touch with modern times.
Source: The Australian Star (Sydney, NSW : 1887 - 1909) Mon 28 Sep 1891 Page 6
1891 - [FINISHING TOUCHES]The finishing touches are now being given to Mr. C. R. Young's new roller flour mill at Gulgong. It is expected that milling operations will commence in eight days. The contractors are pushing on with the Farmers' Co-operative Mill at Mudgee. When this is finished we will have about half a dozen flour mills in full swing in our midst.
Source: The Australian Star (Sydney, NSW : 1887 - 1909) Mon 12 Oct 1891 Page 6
1892 - NEW FLOUR MILLThe formal opening ceremony in connection with Mr. C. R. Young's roller flour mill, Gulgong, took place on Friday night.Mr. Young is now offering a reward of £100 for information that will lead to the conviction of the person who entered the mill one night recently and maliciously tampered with some of the electric light machinery.
Source: The Australian Star (Sydney, NSW : 1887 - 1909) Mon 29 Feb 1892 Page 5
C. R. Young's Commercial Roller Flour Mills, Gulgong, 1897
Mill building in disrepair before being restored, year unknown
A hole across the road from the mill was a dam that supplied water for the steam boiler that ran the flour mill. Some of the pipework is still under the road.
Source: Col Evans
Loneragan's Flour Mill Gulgong, year unknown (pre-1953)
Source: Ella McFadyen State Library of NSW
Source: Colleen Proctor
Thus our Gulgong contemporary, Mr. J. Cavanagh, on the staff of the Golden Gate Flour Mill holds the distinction of being the oldest working miller in the State.
He is 71 years of age, and still in harness. Mr. Cavanagh was for 40 years employed at the Western Mill, Mudgee.
Source: Leader (Orange, NSW : 1899 - 1945) Wed 31 Jan 1917 Page 4 
'Gulgong Golden Gate Plain Flour' flour bag
This 6-pound flour bag was filled with flour at the Golden Gate flour mill located in the town of Gulgong, 26 km north of Mudgee in the Central West of New South Wales. The mill was opened in 1913 and operated by James Loneragan Ltd. It was taken over in 1914 by John Edward Loneragan and later became James Loneragan (Milling) Co. Pty Ltd. The mill closed in 2011.
Gulgong's Golden Gate Flour promoted in a Mudgee procession, ca 1920s
Source: Gulgong Pioneers Museum
Loneragan's Mill staff, 1930s
Source: John Esber
Collapse of one wall at Flour Mill
Year unknown
Gulgong Flour Mill
Year unknown
Gulgong Flour Mill, 1960s
Source: Barbara Gurney
Source: Barbara Gurney
1944 - Gulgong’s Big Blaze—Flour Mill Endangered
About 3 pm on Saturday a fire broke out in the wheat stack adjoining Loneragan’s Flour Mill, although a grand fight saved the Mill, valuable wheat and other property was destroyed, the main building was saved.
It is estimated that 35,000 bags of wheat valued at approximately ₤18,000 to ₤20,000 were either destroyed or damaged. Large quantities of bags etc also went up in smoke, the loss in buildings and equipment was also heavy.
The local fire fighters answered the call promptly and were assisted by some members of the Mudgee Brigade. Willing workers also rushed to the rescue and were commended on the splendid work accomplished.
Source: Mudgee Guardian—Monday, December 18, 1944
