1957 Vintage Crush 14220 tons

Allocation was 3912 tons to Wine and 10308 tons to Spirit. Ratio 27.51%

Average Baume 12.66°

"Cec" Lever appointed as Secretary from the position of Accountant.

Brian Mitchell started as distiller.

Concerns about the state of the Babcock and Wilcox boiler that had seen service since 1927 decided management to invest in an oil fired boiler which would decrease the need for wood supplies and also provide a better control of steam pressure with the unit's pressure controls.

The Cleaverbrook 150 HP Oil fired Boiler was ordered through Horsell and Jarmyn Ltd, Adelaide SA from the maker, Tomlinson Steel in Perth W. A. Berri Library has photos and I have a story and photos.

Below shows the oil pump that was installed at the east end of the Karoom siding and was used to transfer the oil from rail tankers to the storage tank adjacent to the Block 1 Tanks. Pictured lower left, I assume, are two representatives of the pump suppliers, top left is a Workshop employee, centre Jack Grgic, and to his right, Doug Collett with hands on pump, Brian Barry and Ray Harrip in the right foreground.

This photo shows the oil pump that was installed at the east end of the Karoom siding and was used to transfer the oil from rail tankers to the storage tank adjacent to the Block 1 Tanks. Pictured lower left, I assume, are two representatives of the pump suppliers, top left is a Workshop employee, centre Jack Grgic, and to his right, Doug Collett with hands on pump, Brian Barry and Ray Harrip in the right foreground.

The 6,000 gallon oil tank being craned into position and features Jack Grgic lower left and perhaps Trevor Bartsch? standing on the tank. In the background left is the boiler room with chimney stacks for the Babcock and Wilcox on the left and the two Cornish on the right and further to the right is No. 3 Cellar.

From left is Ray Harrip, Jack Grgic and Stuart Cook with Block 1 tanks behind.

The top of the water tower in the left background and the persons in front of the boiler from the left are Stuart Cook, Ginette Karnna (nee Harrip) and George Rowe.

I can only decipher the name of the truck owner as Peakes and Smiley from Perth W.A. At the rear are the two boiler stacks.

Mr. Alf Chapman of Barmera was the crane owner-operator The boiler was lifted above truck which was then driven forward and "the plan" was to drive the crane forward and lower the boiler through the roof to a foundation in the boiler room!

Alas in moving the crane forward over a sloping surface the centre of gravity shifted too far and the crane toppled over and the boiler fell several feet to the ground and suffered considerable stressing of the end shells and tubes.

A view of the result looking towards the tower.

I am still to find out how the boiler was eventually placed into position. The tubes were expanded into the end shell walls and I understand that the first step was to try and expand the tubes and this apparently was successful with some tubes and the rest had to be replaced with new tubes and expanded into the shell head. I believe this took some months to fix.

The boiler is being commissioned with the Small Cornish boiler in the foreground and from the left is Doug Collett, Trevor Becker, centre and Jack Grgic.

£33,500 payout to the Shareholders for the 1939 vintage that was based on the Government fixed price scheme.

Approximately 30 Wooden Casks of 1,000 gallons capacity that had been funded by the Second World Reparation arrangements were installed.

September 21st saw severe frost hit the district and in particular the Monash and Lone Gum areas. It was the worst since 1927 with a recording of 24.5° F. October 9th saw another frost wipe out the dormant buds that survived the month before.

To add to the problems a severe hailstorm throughout the Riverland created more damage with the Barmera area worst hit.