I previously posted some pictures of the site of the old Normanby Rum Distillery on the banks of the South Pine River at Strathpine.
Here’s a picture I took today of one of the few remaining bottles of Normanyby Rum, kept safely for posterity’s sake at the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum, at Old Petrie Town (North Pine Country Markets).
As a kid back in the early 70’s living in Bald Hills my mates and I used to swim across the South Pine River to poke around in the old distillery. Oh how I wish I had kept some of the dozens of old bottle labels we snuck home with.
G’day Brian
Thanks for sharing your memories.
I wish you’d kept a few labels too 🙂
I didn’t realize the ruins of the distillery were still there in the 70’s.
History isn’t that long ago, is it?
Neil
Hi, like Brian, my brother and a few mates would walk down there from spitfire ave in the early 70’s looking for carpet snakes in the rafters above the vats. We did lots of exploring and I remember the office building having yellow paint on the windows. I can also clearly remember the piles of labels there in the office. Of course we helped ourselves but i’m afraid they are long gone. Oh how I wish I could go back in time.
With recent newspaper articles featuring Bundaberg rum in mind, I mentioned to my wife that there was rum distillery just 500 metres from where we lived in Strathpine. OMG she said. That’s where that plaque is on the walkway. The plaque seems to have wandered off BTW (now absent). Anyway, I recounted the little I could remember i.e. vague recollections of train tracks and that my father enjoyed a drop if this historic brew. Nice to find something on google to provide some details. Be nice if someone posted a photo of the factory or maybe they have already. I’ll keep looking. Thanks.
Over the weekend we moved some of Nana’s things and came across an untouched bottle of Blue Jacket Normanby Rum.
Wow! That would be worth a fortune, wouldn’t it, Ben?
I think I have a original mirror advertisement for the rum
I recall, in the early 60’s, must have been about 1965, a friend’s folk the Robinsons, had a place on the corner of Norris Road and Telegraph Road at bald Hills. One day George had to go and get a 44 gallon drum filled with Molasses at the Normandy Distillery for his father to feed to stock. I accompanied him in has father’s old Standard ute.
Back then, there was a railway siding running from the Strathpine railway yards, across Gympie Road to the distillert.
That’s an amazing memory, Peter. Thanks for sharing it 🙂
G / Day Neil
I have been collecting rum for the past few years , things started with what do you want for your birthday Dad a bottle of rum would be nice and so began the collection As a queenslander i have mostley Bundy.
Amongst it all is a bottle of Blue Jacket Matured Normanby Rum 1ltr and a miniture 50 ml Rum and a 50 ml Port as well
I would appreciate any information please
Gary Dickfos
Hi Gary, Gary here. I’ve looking for a bottle for years now. you don’t have one that would sell me for my collection. I don’t normally collect bottles, but I’ve putting together the a little history about the Blue jacket Rum for a friend as her mother worked there and has a metal sign from there and that they I’m looking for a bottle with a label on it.
gjspencer62@gmail.com is my contact details.
Thanks Gary.
Hi I am interested in finding the location of the distillery but I don’t think I am going to be lucky enough because I fear that property may have been swallowed up when Westfield was built .
As you now travel over the railway crossing near the library there is a painting on a control box depicting rail tankers traveling beside a house .
I believe they where going to the distillery after having a conversation with a council historian some time ago .
That house I believe was my Great-grandfathers home he settled in the area 1869 as a blacksmith .
I am keen to learn more .
G’day David
Here’s a link to the location of the old slipway associated with the distillery.
https://goo.gl/maps/ys5GqQybCZ7ucVtM7
It’s on a walking path adjacent to the South Pine River behind Westfields.
The local history section of the Strathpine Library has some good photos, some of which have been reproduced in the book “Pioneering the Pine, A short history of the Pine Rivers Shire” by the late Leith Barter.
The book is also available to borrow or purchase from the Library.
Hope this helps.
Neil
I remember the bullocks pulling the tanks from the distillery across Gympie road beside the Shire Hall ,to the railway station.. One of the distillery owners sons was in my class in primary school & remember it closing. Remember Hooper & Mole Blacksmiths plus Piggets bakery & store. Jessica.
Yes my brother and some mates often snuck in there, when the river flooded the bottle labels would often float downstream. I recall the labels well, the building was timber like a Queenslander but unpainted and grey like an old fence post. We lived in bald hills ( level crossing ) and used to trap finches in a huge paddock opposite us
( now it’s the freeway ) 1 pub, Marcie’s store, Dr smouch, mangoes in every yard.