LAKESIDE BUTTER FACTORY

The Lakeside Butter Factory has been offered to the Milang and Community Association for purchase.  There is strong community support for this to happen. and great excitement about the opportunities that it could offer.

By  registering and then voting on the Fund My Idea website you could help our community to raise funds to plan for the restoration of our icon heritage listed building. Voting closes on the 3rd November.

HISTORY:  The Lakeside Butter Factory was opened in the late 1880s by Buckland and Lipson.
It closed in 1904 but was reopened in 1915 when the latest equipment was installed. At this time cream was brought from Meningie twice a week on the P.S. Jupiter.
The original building consisted of the round roofed stone building but by the 1920s the factory had been enlarged with corrugated iron outbuildings and was owned by South Australian Farmers’ Union.

 The factory is an icon building for Milang overlooking the lake from its vantage point on Tod’s Hill, D’Aranda Tce., next to the Milang Old School House Community Centre.  The building is listed as a State Heritage Place on the South Australian Heritage Register.
 CURRENT DISCUSSIONS:, The current owner is interested in selling the property and has overfed it to the Milang and District Community Association as his preference would be to see it as community asset.
OPPORTUNITIES
 • It is an icon site and holds great historical and cultural significance for Milang and the associated farming community
• The Factory is one of the oldest buildings in town remaining in its original condition and is heritage listed
• Any cheese and butter making equipment will be passed on with the factory as part of the sale thus providing potential for memorabilia displays
• Provides a significant link to other lakes townships including Raukkan, Narrung and Meningie through the shared history of dairy production in the region
• Located next to the Milang Old School House Community Centre which is run by MDCA thus facilitating ease of management and development
• Holds a prime position to capitalize on passing traffic travelling from South East to South Coast • Outstanding views across Lake Alexandrina
• Close to other community facilities ie Pier Hotel, General Store
POTENTIAL INCOME GENERATION Factory lends itself to a variety of enterprises which would need to be explored in the development and business planning phase and prior to renovations.
MDCA has the capacity and experience to develop social enterprises which are income generating or the building could be leased in whole or part to private enterprise.
• Environment/Sustainability Interpretive Centre ie Lakes Hub
• Visitor Information Centre
• Historical Displays
• Family History Centre
• Farmers Market • Local Produce Store
• Art Gallery
• Café/Restaurant
• Cellar Door
• Food Production ie cheese maker, bush foods
• Media Arts – movies, theatre, comedy • Centre for Community Development – Education and Training
• Or combinations of the above
 NEXT STEPS
1. Organise a building inspection
2. Prepare a business plan with community support and collaboration
3. Secure funding to purchase the property – explore all options including loans, donations, fundraising, grants
4. Employ heritage architect to develop building restoration plan in consultation with community
5. Develop marketing plan
6. Source funds for renovation and restoration to meet current building standards

World Environment Day

What a wonderful day. Our local volunteers as well as participants from Icare communities planted 1840 plants today at Clayton Bay. It was great for the environment, for the Milang and District Community Association's fundraising and starts the long term restoration of our wonderful wetlands which have suffered from over-allocation.
Thank you so much everyone.

If we care for and nurture our environment we will have healthy communities, economies and a sustainable future.

IRENE BELL COMMUNITY AWARD

On Wednesday 4^th March Milang Old School House Community Centre Coordinator Karyn Bradford received the Irene Bell Community Award at the International Women’s Day Luncheon held at the Adelaide Convention Centre. The Award recognises women who demonstrate community spirit and work.

“I was delighted to receive this award as it commemorates the life and experience of Irene Bell , a feisty woman who campaigned on the woman’s right to choose and was a great supporter of women taking their place in political activities” Karyn said after the sumptuous lunch.

The Luncheon is one of the many events for International Women’s Day which is celebrated on March 8th each year. In addition to spending 35 years on the organising committee of this event Irene Bell sought ways to raise the status of women in society as well as working tirelessly with the unemployed in Port Adelaide.

Karyn was presented with a plaque by the Governor Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce and congratulated with flowers from Mrs Liz Scarce.

Bioremediation

Today I had a meeting with a group of locals and NRM Board to discuss the types of project that need to be undertaken immediately to mediate the acid sulphate soils in the Lake bed. We came up with a list which included training in the identification of acid sulphate soils, community nurseries and fencing. The NRM board will explore where there may be some funding for the project.

Media Workshop

Attended a great media workshop today with Liz Harful. Learnt some very valuable information about writing press releases and taking useful photographs. Have some homework to do on media releases before the second half of the training this Friday.

PLANT ID WORKSHOPS

Attended a plant ID workshop on Saturday at Clayton Bay led by local plant expert Nigel Mallen. It was a great day with 24 people attending. It was interesting to see the reveg that is happening on the bare lake bed. More rain this coming winter will enable more growth to continue covering over the acid sulfate soils.

$10m for the Lakes Communities

Very excited to hear that the Greens Senator Hanson Young was able to secure $10m for the Lakes for biroremediation and job opportunities. This was helped in part by the commitment that the community had already made to the bioremediation project. We look forward to being able to work with community groups around the lakes to deliver this project.