Boiling Down Works

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_Down_Wo…

The first boiling down works was established in 1867. The plan was to cure beef in brine for export to Batavia. However, the business was not successful and closed in 1870. Construction of a new boiling down works commenced in November 1891 and was operational in July 1892. However, it closed for a period around 1893-4 due to the drought. In February 1896 it shut down again after a quarantine order to prevent the spread of disease and cattle tick.

In April 1898 it was announced that the Endeavour Meat Export Agency (EMEA) would re-open the Burketown meatworks. So in May it was at last arranged for the sale of a mob at Hughenden to the EMEA. Soon after the cattle had moved off with their respective drovers, the news came back that the new processing works had been destroyed by fire. They were then repaired to re-open in June 1899..

In February 1901, the works was doing well, processing 20,000 cattle in a season. However, the business had losses from its decision to own and operate its own ships. In October 1901, the works closed temporarily due to a shortage of cattle because of high prices being paid for them from other buyers. In November 1902, the Queensland Government withdrew its meat inspectors from the works because of "the closing down of the meatworks and the uncertainty about their reopening".

By 1905, even though only 88 town residents are listed in Burketown, the works continued in the business of canning, extracting, tallow refining and fertiliser production.

In 1911, a bid to secure a railway link from Burketown to the east coast was scuttled when it was claimed that "the white ants are making havoc with all that remains of the Burketown works".Read more