Our guest on the podcast this week served the community all of his working life. Bruce Weir started work at a young age delivering milk to homes in pails and went on to own and operate the largest dairy in town. Bruce became a councilor, serving as Mayor several times and was awarded an OAM later in life which he well deserved. Bruce probably delivered full bottles of cream topped milk to your doorstep every night as you lay sleeping and we know you’ll enjoy this chat with him recorded in 2022. This interview was conducted a few months before Bruce’s passing in late 2022 at the age of 97.
Thanks to members of the Weir family for their assistance in creating this post.
Awsome story, my late dad Bob GARSED was a milkman who worked for Bruce & Ray Weir for many years when they were on 7th street.
I remember the milk bottles then plastic bags of milk which had a special holder they didn’t last long then they went to cartons and I loved the little bottles of milk that we got at school.
Hi. What a good memory you have – I’d forgotten about the crazy plastic bag days. You don’t happen to have any photos of your dad at work do you. Haven’t been able to find a shot of a milky so far 🙁
Great interview, great story, great man. Where did you get the sound effects. Being a light-sleeper, I could hear the hooves and jingles of money for hours and hours. Can also remember the Weirs’ Melrose Dairies in Ninth Street. My leadership skills began when I rose to the lofty rank of Milk Monitor at Mildura West. Didn’t drink it but. Keep up the Good Work.
Thanks Bob it was a joy to chat with Bruce. The sound effects track I made up from , like yourself, the memory of what I heard as a child. It seemed like I heard it every night but probably only a few in reality. I recall marvelling at someone working through the night. Still looking for a photo of a milkie and his horse to add to the story.
Loved his comments about the horses. They were human and part of the family. My uncle managed Chapmans Bakery in Langtree Avenue. How I loved those bakers’ horses. T
I remember fondly the honesty that was about during the home milk deliveries, you would leave money in the letter box overnight and in the morning, there would be fresh bottles of milk left at the front gate. If you forgot to put the money out, then you would still get your milk and would pay for it on the following morning.Never did we have any money or milk stollen.