This year is an important year for our Co-op, marking 125 years of continued service. Just as important is the fact that for all those years it has been owned by the community for the benefit of its customers and members. We think that’s something worth announcing – stay tuned for some celebrations coming later in the year.

It’s a rich history involving the people of the Cobargo region, starting with the dairy farmers who formed the Co-op as the ‘Cobargo District Co-Operative Creamery Butter Company Ltd’ to produce Cobargo Butter. We’ve changed a lot since those days to be the diverse and quirky store we are today.

To celebrate 125 years we are hoping to create a permanent historical display to keep alive our colourful past. To do this we are gathering any remaining photos, artefacts, stories or items relating to the Co-op to archive for safe keeping.

Unfortunately, not many photos exist of the Co-op’s past and most of the old butter factory equipment was sold off or destroyed.

So, this is a call out to you, the community of the Co-op itself, to share with us anything you may have that could help us unravel and unveil our story.

Certainly, many local people would have links to the Co-op through their own family history. We’d love it if you could share anything with us – on loan of course. It might be some old butter factory or milking equipment, photos or slides of your distant relatives as a Board Member or staff.

By way of example, I have sourced an old Cobargo cream can and milking stool (c.1920) from my ancestors’ dairy farm at Verona.

So, it’s your story, help us tell it.

The Co-op is the central collection point. It’s understood items will be on loan unless you want to donate. Drop in and see me if you have anything that may help us.

Dan Williamson, Manager

Photos: The cream can and milking stool belonged to James Gilbert (b. 1847 – d. 26.5.1924). He would have been a supplier to the Co-op. He was my great-great-grandfather and married to Margaret Tarlington, a daughter of W.D. Tarlington. Their dairy farm was located at Verona on Gilberts Road.