Austral Brick Administration and Sales Office, Midland

Values

•The remnant buildings that relate to the previous use of the place as an Abattoir demonstrate the growth of the livestock industry in the early twentieth century, and its contribution to the State’s economy, with the establishment of saleyards and abattoirs to support the industry across the State.
•The establishment of the former Midland Junction Abattoir in 1915 demonstrates the development of State Trading Concerns, as a means to break the existing monopoly of the meat industry, through State-run sale yards and abattoirs.
• The Midland Junction Abattoir provided employment to generations of local families in the Midland area and has social value to former employees.
• As the former administration offices for a brickworks from 1986, the place demonstrates the ongoing story of the brick making industry in Western Australia.

Physical Description

The place is located at the site of the former Midland Junction Abattoir that operated from 1915 to 1986. The only remaining structure on the site that relates to its former use as an Abattoir is the former Midland Abattoir Administration and Stores Buildings (1948) which is a substantial utilitarian brick and tile building in the vernacular style, with modifications to many of the windows. This building was later used as the administration offices for Austral Brick.

History

With the establishment of the Midland Railway Workshops in 1904, Midland became an obvious location for another abattoir and saleyards, with the railway convenient for those transporting stock by rail. In 1907, the Midland Railway Company opened a temporary saleyard until the Midland Junction Municipal Council established its own Municipal saleyards, which opened on land east of the railway workshops, in February 1911.
It is unclear when the Midland Saleyards (fmr) became owned and managed by the State Government, but the government became more involved with the Saleyards with the passing of the Government Trading Concerns Act 1912. Invested in the operation of the saleyards, in 1915, the government established an adjacent abattoir, which together with the saleyards became the second largest employer in Midland, after the Railway Workshops.
In November 1935, the Minister for Agriculture formally opened new additions to the Midland Junction abattoir, which were completed at an approximate cost of £68,000. The Minister described the works as being ‘among the most up-to-date in the Commonwealth, and, except only in size, are equal to, if not actually better than, any treatment works in the Eastern States'.
In 1948, further extensions were made to the Abattoir, including extra holding pens, and killing floors and new administrative offices, workshops and amenities block.
In 1952 the Abattoir Act 1909 was amended to establish the Midland Junction Abattoir Board, which took over the management of the Saleyards (fmr) and the abattoir.
In 1975, the Midland Junction Abattoir Board was abolished following the enacting of the Act Amendment (Western Australian Meat Commission) Act, and the Western Australian Meat Commission took over responsibility for the abattoir and Saleyards. The Midland Abattoir ceased regular operation in 1978 and was eventually closed in 1981.
In 1986, the Government sold Midland Saleyards (fmr) and the adjacent abattoir out of government to Prestige Bricks, and the Saleyards was leased back to the Western Australian Meat Commission at a peppercorn rent. Midland Saleyards (fmr) continued to operate until 2010, following the opening of a new saleyards in Muchea

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.