Five years after Rochester’s Saputo milk factory closed it has become almost an annual ritual for community leaders to call for action on the factory’s sale or re-development.
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At the time of the closure, in 2018, now-retired Rochester ward Councillor Leigh Wilson had just finished his stint as Mayor of the Campaspe Shire Council.
He remembers the Bendigo Advertiser photograph that sparked national interest in the factory’s closure and shared the story, along with his opinion of where things stood, with the Campaspe News late last week.
The 2017 photograph, taken when the announcement of the impending closure was made, shows Mr Wilson pouring a carton of Devondale (owned by Saputo) milk onto the street adjoining the now dormant factory.
It was re-posted on the Rochester Community facebook last week and Mr Wilson said while he was proud of what had been achieved in the town since then, something needed to be done with the factory.
The annual appeal to factory owners Saputo, a Canadian-based dairy product giant, which continues to operate factories at Cobram and Maffra, is this year attracting the attention of Nicholls electorate candidates.
Though exactly what they can do, other than continue to make approaches to the Saputo organisation, is uncertain.
As for Mr Wilson and his photo, he said he knew something was going to happen, but until the sudden announcement he did not know it was going to close.
“My brother lost his job, as did my immediate neighbour, the neighbour from directly across the road and another four doors down,” he said.
“The photo was taken by the Bendigo Advertiser and it created an immediate reaction.”
Mr Wilson said he was so upset that it was his idea to buy a carton of milk and tip it on the asphalt.
“It was to signify just how sour a taste the decision had left on the community,” he said.
Mr Wilson said he remembered receiving a phone call while he was sitting at home, asking if he had heard the news.
“I organised a few people to be down there in the street and it turned out to be a pivotal moment,” he said.
“Some people in town that knew it wasn’t the end of the town and they immediately began to re-start things.
“I was just happy to able to do my bit by engaging with state and federal governments and the Murray Darling Basin (economic development plan).
“But, at the end of the day I would have just been a single voice. Without these other people we would not be where we are today.”
Rochester, through significant effort from a determined group of individuals, along with multi-million funding investments, has recovered from the closure and is now considered a vibrant Victorian tourism and historical township.
It is, however, left with a massive eyesore in the middle of the town.
And, according to Mr Wilson, it was extremely difficult to get the Saputo organisation to talk to anyone.
“Nobody knows what their plans are,” Mr Wilson said.
“It would be awesome for someone to take it over, there are a lot of other things it could be used for.
“If we could create, 40, 50, even 100 jobs it would be fantastic.”
Mr Wilson said different parties had repeatedly tried to keep the lines of communication open, but there was no response.
His hope was that the opportunity for a Nicholls candidate to get some action on the situation, which in turn would be a rather large feather in that individual’s cap.
“Saputo are a big dairy company and a privately family run organisation,” Mr Wilson said.
“It may just take the right person, with the right connections, to say the right thing.
“And then we could have some traction.”
Nationals candidate for Nicholls Sam Birrell said he wanted to see the facility used for the economic improvement of Rochester.
“If they (Saputo) can’t use it for that purpose then I would like to see them sell it to someone who can,” Mr Birrell said.
“It could have a use for something other than the dairy industry. It is a great site.”
Mr Wilson, in the meantime, paid tribute to those who had taken the bull by the horns.
“The silo art was driven by the community,” he said.
“We have a great new playground, visitation is up and businesses have gotten through the factory closure — as a whole — all right.
“Everyone has worked to get to the point we we are.
“Looking back at it five years ago I knew it wouldn’t be the end of the town and I knew we would have to fight.
“There are several people who were certainly up for that fight.”
Kyabram Free Press and Campaspe Valley News editor