JUST days after Fonterra announced 30 new jobs at its Cobden fresh milk plant, the number of positions created through redevelopment of Camperdown’s former Bonlac factory has been revealed.
The two-phase redevelopment is set to provide 77 new jobs when complete, with 28 positions created in the first stage.
Corangamite Shire gave the development the green light in October last year after no objections to the plans were received.
The site is already home to unrelated Camperdown Dairy Company, which produces fresh milk, butter and yoghurt in one of the old factory buildings.
Industry newcomer Camperdown Dairy International is behind the redevelopment, targeting export milk powder markets, with a throughput of 100 million litres of milk annually.
Demolition works are already under way and progressing to schedule, according to chief executive officer Phil McFarlane.
The majority of buildings on the site will be levelled, including a brick chimney stack, to make way for new state-of-the-art facilities.
Phase one of the project involves building a new spray dryer tower, warehouse, restoration of the heritage butter factory facade along Manifold Street to include a new administration building and relocation of the heritage-listed manager’s residence to a new area on the site.
Phase two includes building a second drying tower and associated processing equipment to produce infant formula.
Corangamite Shire mayor Chris O’Connor said that the investments in the local dairy plants further cement the Corangamite region as the premier area for dairy production in the country.
