Officially opened on 8 October 1971, the plant provided work for generations of local families and unprecedented opportunities for women and apprentices. It supported local sports teams and community fundraising efforts. Employees recall an active social club, good conditions and great friendships.
The rise and fall of the factory mirror Australia’s automotive industry. After forty-three years, thousands of employees, millions of transmissions, five owners and two administrations, the factory shut its doors in 2014.
An exhibition held in 2021 explored the history of the plant, its achievements and contributions, and the stories of its people. You can explore the exhibition through the virtual tour.
The closure of the factory on 31 October 2014 was the end of a significant period of local and manufacturing history. The LibraryMuseum undertook active collecting to ensure that the plant’s history wasn’t lost. The DSI Collection holds more than a thousand items relating to the plant, including objects, archival material, photographs, and oral histories.
Do you have a story to tell?
Do you have an experience relating to the factory – good or otherwise – you would like to share? We are collecting personal histories to expand our understanding of the plant and would be delighted to hear your experiences.
You can get in touch via librarymuseum@alburycity.nsw.gov.au or on (02) 6023 8333.
See any familiar faces?
AlburyCity’s DSI Collection contains hundreds and hundreds of photographs.
There are the official company records such images of the plant and new machinery, staff profiles, and incident reporting. Events such as award presentations, retirements, celebrations of company milestones and visiting dignitaries are also captured.
Then there are the Social Club photos. These chronical decades of events including Christmas parties, mid-year balls, golf tournaments and a workplace described as being “full of characters.”
We are in the process of digitising these images and are continuously uploading more to our online Flickr album. We invite you to browse the album and comment if you see any familiar faces so we can update our records to preserve these memories for future generations
