Kodak Australasia closes manufacturing plant

[Freakscene]

The past is a foreign country

The past is a foreign country

Holy cow, I never knew that. Thank you for telling me this, I'll let my friends know.

In terms of the site contamination, if your friends live there now, the risk is reduced. The site was decontaminated - the top 1-2m of soil removed and replaced with clean material before the current estates were built. If I lived there and I wanted a vegetable garden I'd still test the soil and/or buy new clean soil and put it in raised beds with an impervious underlayer, but I would do that anywhere in a city (I did it at my house in Adelaide).

What was it like there?

It was excellent. The management were good, there was a lot of activity, and the courses were well run. In the 1990s I am sure Kodak were unaware that they had invented their own demise in the 1970s. But I was also young, out on my own for the first time, with more resources than I ever expected to have, and with no real stresses. So it was a great time for me.

How big was the property of the Kodak site?

The site was enormous: https://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/glo...k-endorsed-plan--viewshed-analysis-report.pdf

Do you have any old pictures?

Some of my photos are in here:
https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/search?query=kodak

Marty

 

[Archiver]

@Freakscene @ozmoose and everyone else who is on this thread, thank you so much for the glimpses into a history that is unfortunately being forgotten.

I'll definitely look through the Museum Victoria site for anything of interest. At least they are being preserved there. If only I could convince them that my work is of historical value, too, hahaha.

 

[jmilkins]

Small world. I was an MCV staffer for a couple of years in the 90s. We've just had a reunion and another is on shortly. I've asked, and will let you know. I remember both fondly.

 

[Dralowid]

There was once a Citroen factory in Melbourne assembling Ds's. Where was it?

 

[Freakscene]

There was once a Citroen factory in Melbourne assembling Ds's. Where was it?

Heidelberg West. They assembled Peugeot and Renault cars there too. My father collected a Peugot from there in 1956 and drove it home to Brisbane.

Marty

 

[Dralowid]

Spent months working in Melbourne, many happy memories. Loved that bunch of guys rebuilding a Liberator in a shed in Werribee!

 

[seany65]

I had no idea Kodak were ever in Australia.
Has there even been an Australian made camera?

Yes, there was a short-lived Australian designed and made camera called the "Kanga". It didn't really sell too well in The US or Europe as the photos always came out upside down and no-one made albums that could take them.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

There was once a Citroen factory in Melbourne assembling Ds's. Where was it?

ID-19 models were locally assembled in Melbourne but not the DS models with their more complex hydraulic spec. From memory they may have assembled some in South Africa too. And a couple of other places, Slough, obviously. There is a lovely light green Aussie assembled ID-19 resident in Tasmania that's well known to club members. Might possibly have an old photo or two of it somewhere.
Cheers
Brett

 

[Richard G]

I worked there for a while, and did my E6 QA/QC course there. I think about it most days, in one way or another.



Awesome.

A fate worse than a fate worse than death.

Marty

!!!

A fate worse than a fate worse than death.

!!!

I just cannot wait to use this wonderful invention.


My grandfather was a fitter and turner and 'engineer' and installed the temperature controlled baths at Kodak in Coburg. Wish I'd asked him more about it, back in the '70s. This might have been in the '50s that he did that.

 

[Freakscene]

!!!
A fate worse than a fate worse than death.
!!!
I just cannot wait to use this wonderful invention.

To provide fair attribution, it’s from The Princess Bride: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_Bride_(film)

But to be consigned to drive a JB Camira really is a fate worse than a fate worse than death. Brett really picked a choice punishment for the mispronouncing auctioneer/real estate sales person.

Marty

 

[Richard G]

To provide fair attribution, it’s from The Princess Bride: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_Bride_(film)

But to be consigned to drive a JB Camira really is a fate worse than a fate worse than death. Nick really picked a choice punishment for the mispronouncing auctioneer/real estate sales person.

Marty

One of my younger brothers had this car. Every device he touched did not last long. Never truer than with this car.