From Ovaltine to canned peas, the towns community spirit fuelled both pride at home and the fight abroad.
As steam billowed from towering boilers and the hum of machinery filled the air, every drop of milk, every harvested pea, and every ounce of effort carried the pride of a nation into the hands of those fighting for freedom. In Spreyton and Quoiba, mateship wasn’t just a value—it was the fuel that kept hope alive.
In Tasmania’s North West, the small towns of Spreyton and Quoiba became pivotal during World War II. Known for their fertile fields and close-knit communities, they rose to meet wartime challenges with resilience, ingenuity, and a united purpose. Families offered their skills, land, and tireless labour to supply what the war demanded—food, resources, and hope.
At the heart of this transformation stood the Ovaltine factory in Quoiba, a towering testament to what determination and community spirit could achieve. Built in response to the company’s British factory’s inability to meet demand, Quoiba was chosen for its rich dairying land, abundant water, and access to ports.
Construction of the four-story factory began in late 1941 and, despite wartime obstacles, it stood ready by March 1943. Advanced machinery imported from England turned local milk, eggs, and barley into Ovaltine, with its entire production shipped to sustain soldiers abroad.
The factory’s role extended further. Faced with a growing need for preserved food, it began dehydrating vegetables—a process entirely new to the region. With no prior experience, locals mastered the operation through ingenuity, fuelled by towering coal-fired boilers that drove its machinery.
Weekly, over 200 tonnes of dehydrated vegetables were produced, an achievement made possible by the region’s farms and a community determined to support the war effort.
Through their extraordinary efforts, the people of Spreyton and Quoiba proved that even in times of global adversity, the strength of community, mateship, and resilience could change the world.
‘Red Cross’ care packages were a proud contribution...
By the late 1940s, this industrious spirit carried into the Devon Cannery in Quoiba, operated by H.J. Heinz Co. The cannery produced over 1,800 tonnes of canned peas each season—enough to match the weight of 10 blue whales.
While peas were its focus, the factory also canned thousands of other vegetables for the forces during the war, many of which were included in the much loved ‘Red Cross’ care packages sent to ANZAC POWs, further deepening the region’s legacy of pride and contribution.