St Johns Wood, Queensland - The Dairy Farm

The Dairy Farm

In the early 1930s St John's Wood operated a dairy to produce milk for the residents. It was located within the residential allotments which were bounded along the street alignments of Buckingham Street (from No 45), Grand Parade, St John's Avenue and across the block at the gully (to No.45). This covered approx 2 ha (5 acres) and had a barbed wire fence enclosing the area.

This was operated by the Peake family. They lived in their house at No 57 Buckingham Street and the cow sheds were 50 m (164 ft) up hill. They had a herd of approx 25 cows which were producing 455 l (100 imp gal) of milk per day. As this was a somewhat small land area to accommodate the herd of cows and as there was lots of “feed” outside this, as well as there were only a small number of houses and lots of vacant land, at times the cows were let out, without a “ herdsman” to wander along the creek banks and across the properties then returning to the home paddock prior to milking. This occurred until 1939 when it ceased operating. The original house still exists and the current owners affectionately call it "The Dairyman's Cottage". Roy Mac Arthur was a "Billy boy" for Stephen Peake:

At most residences the lady of the house put a china jug, with a beaded cloth mesh cover, on the front steps to receive the milk. You were in big trouble if you spilt any milk on to the hardwood tread or flooring. A milk stain is difficult to remove.

• Dairy cows around 38 Piddington St, St Johns Wood. Ekka Wednesday 1938

• Map of Peake's Dairy Farm. Attribution: Morris Moorhouse