User:Coastal.culture.vulture/Cossart's Mill

Cossart's Mill commenced operation as a sawmill in Dugandan, in the state of Queensland in Australia in 1886. The mill was an key industry of the region and, in conjunction with the Boonah Butter Factory, was a major employer and significant contributor to the economic prosperity of Boonah and surrounds.

Cossart's Mill was a major processor of timber in South East Queensland and eventually became the largest supplier of butter boxes in Australia. Unlike other mills in South East Queensland, it adapted to the diminishing availability of milling timber in the immediate vicinity to focus on the creating an odorless box that was essential to the packaging and transport of butter throughout Australia. The mill also made broom handles, cheese cases, fruit boxes and a variety of other packing cases and boxes.

The mill utilised local hoop pin transported from the surrounding mountains by bullocks and trucks and in 1938, following the cessation of the importation of white pine from New Zealand, Cossart's mill made 1,000 000 butter boxes for the Australian market from locally sourced timber. The sawmill was recommended for heritage protection in 1998 as a rare surviving example of a major Queensland sawmill from the the mid twentieth century which had not undergone significant modernisation.

The mill remained in operation after the closure of the railway in 1964 and following the closure of the Boonah Butter Factory in 1974 when timber milling was no longer economically viable.

History

The first site for Cossart's Mill was on the banks of the Teviott Brook near the later day site of the Dugandan Hotel. The mill was originally constructed by Josias Hancock in 1886 who then went into partnership with James Cossart in 1887. After being isolated by the devastating floods of 1887 and suffering a loss of timber in the floods of 1893, the mill was destroyed by fire on 30 May 1897, and despite being insured, the owners suffered heavy losses. While the logs were saved, the dressed timber, sheds and machinery was lost. Within a few months, Josias Hancock left the business. As sole owner, Jame Cossart proceeded to construct a new mill on the side of a hill near the railway terminus at Dugandan. In 1907, James Cossart's two sons entered into partnership with their father and the business underwent a name change to Cossart's and Sons.

Another fire broke out in the mill in October 1919 but the mill was saved. November 1940 a huge storm came through Boonah and Dugadan which torn the roof off the mill and caused the boiler to explode. In In 1944 a further fire occurred at the mill and though there was damage, the mill and box making equipment was saved.In 1946 the mill lobbied to be considered an essential industry in the region, on par with the Boonah Butter Factory when it was forced to adapt to electricity rationing.

With the gradual decline of available timber for logging in the district, Cossart's Mill became the largest manufacturer and supplier of butter, cheese and fruit boxes in the Australian market.

Cossart's was not the first mill in Dugandan. Bruckner's Mill had been established in 1883 and was also a significant contributor to the local economny. During the 1890s one point of difference between the two mills was the type of machinery used. Cossart's machinery was American while Bruckner's was English.

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