Hopetoun Fish Cannery

Statement of Significance

In 1948 permission was given to Young and Hunt to erect a fish factory at Hopctoun Railway Station site.
Hopetoun Fisheries Co-operative Co Ltd was registered 15 April 1947.
It was built by Dan Hunt on the site of old railway station who transferred the business in Hopetoun from
Jerdacuttup River. (Hunt later drowned near Hopetoun).
The cannery took mainly salmon and a bit of garfish and herring. The fish were canned in their own juice
with salt. At one stage they experimented with peanut oil. A vacuum crimper was used to take out the air, the
tin was then sealed and then finally cooked by steam.
The Fisheries Inspector report of 8.5.48 states there were two parties who caught 120,000 salmon at the 12
Mile and 25.000 at the 13 Mile and up to 540 per day were treated. The 12 Mile party had 15-20 men
working, the 13 Mile had 8-12 men working. A new track was cut and telephone line was put through with
the help of Dan Hunt.
28.2.49 Fisheries Inspector, HJ Murray's annual report for 1948 states first fish captured 4 May, 400 salmon
tagged, several recaptured. Total salmon for the season from 12Mile 152,994, 13 Mile 29,476 and 210 local
angler fish. 53 fishermen were licensed and nine boats. The 12 Mile party had fished at Bremer Bay, caught
22,365 March/April then returned to Hopetoun.
Fisheries Inspector, AV Green, reported on July/October 1951 season that the salmon fishing was a complete
failure. The total catch was 392 pounds caught by Charlie Chipperfield, George Andre and mainly women.
CSIRO carried out studies io determine why the salmon disappeared. The salmon normally eat mulies (or
pilchards) and the mulies eat plankton and the plankton for some unknown reason disappeared. It could have
been a change of currents or some cycle not understood.
The cannery closed down in 1951 and building materials were sold off by Jim Egerton. Some were used by
Jim McCulloch to build extensions to the rear of the Port Hotel, Hopetoun. Some went to Bert Buegge's farm
on Hopetoun Road.

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