Before Caboolture’s Fruit Yoghurt became a familiar sight on supermarket shelves, the grounds where it was produced had already played a pivotal role in the district’s dairy story, anchoring the local industry for decades.
The story began in the early 20th century, when a group of dairy farmers in the Upper Caboolture district grew frustrated with the prices they were receiving for their milk.
In December 1906, they formed the Caboolture Co-operative Dairy Association, pooling their resources to build a butter factory. The facility opened in October 1907 on a 1.1-hectare site on the north bank of the Caboolture River, just west of the railway line.
The factory’s early growth was rapid. Within its first two weeks, 59 suppliers were on board, rising to 114 in the following three weeks. By the end of 1907, it was producing around 13 tonnes of butter annually, and by 1913, output had climbed to 1148 tonnes.
The workload was so great that branch factories were opened in Pomona in 1919 and Eumundi in 1920.
By the mid-1930s, the original timber structure had deteriorated, prompting the construction of a new brick building in 1936. Around the same time, the co-operative began exploring the supply of fresh milk to Brisbane. During the Second World War, refrigerated shipping shortages reduced butter exports, leading the factory to expand cheese production.
The Rise of Caboolture Yoghurt
From the late 1960s, production shifted toward bulk and flavoured milk, with chocolate and strawberry varieties leading the way, followed by coffee, lime, pineapple, and vanilla.
Trials in cottage cheese production began in 1970, but as demand dropped, the focus shifted to yoghurt. Pot-set yoghurt trials started in 1969, and by the early 1970s, Caboolture Yoghurt had become the factory’s signature product, continuing until the brand’s peak decades later.
Today, the history of the Caboolture butter and yoghurt plant reflects more than just changing tastes; it tells the story of a district that adapted to markets, embraced innovation, and maintained a proud place in Queensland’s dairy industry.
Featurede image: Staff at the Caboolture Butter Factory, ca. 1910. This photograph was taken outside (north) of the main building. Note the steps on the right of the photograph leading up to the office building. | Image courtesy of City of Moreton Bay, Reference Number CLPC-P0961
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