Information

Carrying on the tradition of the earlier Runcorn bone mill of Clazy, Main and Smith, a bone crushing plant was established here in 1915 by the Shearer brothers Jim, John and Bruce, owners of Australian Cooperative Fertilizers Ltd. The company was a co-operative, with farmer shareholders receiving a dividend from their invested capital, and an annual rebate on their purchases from the company. A family member – William Geddes Shearer – was killed in an accident at the mill in 1921, when he was caught up in some machinery. ACF amalgamated with Shirley’s Fertilizers Pty Ltd of Sydney in 1928, and thrived with the increased use of fertilisers by canegrowers in Queensland. The Runcorn facility was redeveloped in 1932, with storage capacity of 3,000 tons and a manufacturing capacity of 200-300 tons of fertilizer each week.

Citations

The Telegraph, 15 June 1932; Ian Carnell, Saint Andrew’s Uniting Church, Stories From the honour Boards, Booklet Number 167, ‘Shearer Brothers Donald Sinclair 1880 – 1937 James Hutchison 1883 – 1975’, 2017; The Telegraph,7 November 1921.

Image Citations

Bagging fertiliser at the ACF and Shirley factory, circa 1930. Saint Andrew’s Uniting Church, Stories From the honour Boards, Booklet Number 167, ‘Shearer Brothers Donald Sinclair 1880 – 1937 James Hutchison 1883 – 1975’, 2017.

Map References

QSA. QSA Series ID 2058 Moreton District Maps – A Series. 4 miles to the inch. Moreton District. 4miles to the inch. Survey Office, Brisbane.. 634883