The Old Butter Factory was built 1926 by the Great Southern Creameries to service the needs of the local dairy industry. The building design is unique, featuring many different and interesting rooflines and an internal three level floor systems so using gravity to assist in the butter production. Production stopped in the mid 1960’s and the building quickly fell into disrepair then after the force of cyclone Alby in 1978 the building was left as a ruin. Michael and Alison Goundrey purchased the Old Butter Factory later that year and immediately started a restoration program converting the building into what would become the Goundrey Winery.
The first crushing of grapes at the Old Butter Factory from the Mt Barker vineyards took place in 1979 and became home to the Goundrey winery for the next 10 years before out growing the Denmark site. Goundrey Wines relocated to Mt Barker.
Today this unique and lovely heritage listed building is still owned by the Goundrey family and is a prominent landmark in the town.
After being overseas for the past 9 years Alison Goundrey has now come back to reinvent the expanded Old Butter Factory into one of Western Australia’s most interesting galleries representing artists and artisans from the region and further afield. |
