TATURA’S prosperity is largely thanks to its ability to attract large industry to the small town. Kevin ‘Gunna’ Ryan, Tatura legend and former councillor for Greater Shepparton and the Rodney Shire, said, “All the councils in the old Shire of Rodney days worked on the principle of a town is only as good as the industry it has got – that has an impact on jobs, on young people.
“In those days, you had to go away to learn anything, and of course, most people never came home. Concentrating on the industry within the town gave people something to come home to.”
Farming and the secondary agricultural industries are the leading sectors in Tatura and throughout its 150-year history. As the settlement grew in the 1800s, small enterprises such as hotels, a butcher, and a bakery began to emerge. A cannery was established in 1919, though it was later relocated due to complaints about the odour, but in 1946 iconic Australian brand Rosella would make its home in Tatura in a significant gain for the food processing industry.
The post-war economic boom saw many gains for industry, with local brands like Bartlett’s Cordial, which was made in Tatura, experiencing success and providing both local jobs and locally produced products that became a staple in the community.
While some brands have closed or have left the town, today industry is still well alive in Tatura. In addition to many small businesses in retail and hospitality sectors, Tatura is home to Gathercole’s Abbatoir,w Tatura Milk, Unilever and Goulburn Murray Water’s headquarters, as well as trades, legal services, real estate, and a whole lot more, generating jobs, productivity and economic growth for the town.
“There’s no doubt that everything has come from industry – that’s why Tatura is such a powerful town, because of its industry,” Kevin said.
