Lactalis Local Community – Graeme Hamilton Interview
Lactalis Australia is an Australian dairy company that began with the opening of the Pauls milk factory on the banks of the Brisbane River in 1933. While a lot has changed since those humble beginnings, our founding principle of providing premium nutrition remains just as important today.
For 90 years, we have led the nation’s dairy industry, partnering with over 450 Australian farms and employing over 2100 people who share in our pride. To ensure we continue to produce the finest, freshest quality products, we partner with farms across Australia, and the communities that surround them, who are as proud about what they do as we are. In South Australia alone, we collect approximately 60 million litres of milk a year from over 22 dairy farms, with that milk going into much loved brands like Pauls, OAK, Ice Break, Vaalia, Tamar Valley Dairy, Président and Lemnos.
It’s these real Aussie farming families that form the backbone of Lactalis. One such family being the Hamilton’s of South Australia’s Mount Gambier region. Graeme and his wife Michele, along with son Craig, operate the aptly named Hamilton’s Run across 400 hectares, milking close to 500 Australian Red dairy cows every day.
Talking to Graeme about his farm, it becomes clear that the respect he has for the land and the passion for his practice runs in his blood. Graeme’s family purchased their first piece of farming land in 1860, which is still used to this day for rearing cows. The secret to the farm’s longevity over generations, he says, is a closely cultivated connection with family. In his words, “When you work together with someone, you learn to know them intimately. It’s all the more special and personal when it’s your own family.”
But, if you thought farming was simply a matter of milking the cows alongside your loved ones, you’d be underestimating what actually goes into running a successful dairy farm. Graeme and his family take on the best advice to ensure the long term, sustainable future of the farm and the well-being of his cows. Graeme has an innate sense of responsibility to the country he calls home and a profound care for his cows. “Having content cows is the first driver when you get up in the morning. Some might say our cows are spoilt!”
After almost 90 years of working with farms across Australia, Lactalis knows that the key to premium, nourishing dairy produce is the care that goes in, and this is something that Graeme is also immensely proud of. In his words, “The greatest sense of pride comes from people asking who we supply our milk to.”
At Lactalis Australia, we want our consumers to know that when they pick up one of our great tasting dairy products, they are supporting real farms and the communities that surround them.
Lactalis New South Wales
Lactalis Australia is incredibly proud of its local heritage and traditions dating back to 1933 with the original Pauls brand in Brisbane.
While a lot has changed since those humble beginnings, our founding principle of providing premium nutrition remains just as important today.
For 90 years, we’ve led the nation’s dairy industry, partnering with over 450 Australian farms and employing over 2100 people who share our pride. We’re dedicated to making the finest tasting products, using the goodness of Australian milk in every white milk, flavoured milk, cream, custard, yoghurt and cheese product that we produce. Our iconic brands include Pauls, OAK, Ice Break, Vaalia, Tamar Valley Dairy, Président, and Lemnos.
At Lactalis Australia, Aussie farming families are at the heart of everything we do. We collect approximately 90 million litres of milk a year from over 50 farms in New South Wales. Our range of dairy products are then made from this milk in both New South Wales and in Queensland. Our closest farm to Sydney is the Tate family farm in Albion Park. Representing their local community, the Tate family pour their passion into each litre of milk which they supply to Lactalis Australia every day.
The Tate family has been farming in Albion Park for over 70 years. Phil and his brother Craig (the Tate family dairy farmers) are fifth generation dairy farmers continuing what their grandparents began with just 119 acres of land and milking six cows by hand. The family now owns approximately 700 acres and has led some 550 cows through drought, flood and the ever-increasing reality of urban encroachment to contribute over 5.5 million litres of milk a year to Lactalis Australia.
You could forgive these hard-working farmers for being a little discouraged in the circumstances, but Phil takes it in his stride, telling us that ‘being a dairy farmer is about resilience. No matter what gets thrown at you, you just have to get down and get on with it.’
For Phil, it is just part and parcel of life on the land, with every day starting at 3am for the first milking. This is followed by Lactalis Australia arriving to collect the milk every day at 8am. The brothers then turn their attention back to the running of the farm and the wellbeing of the cows. After all, the cows ‘are the number one part of the business’ according to the Tate family. ‘Without them, we’d be nothing’, Phil
tells us. A second milking takes place at 2pm, before the day ends at approximately 6pm each night. Ensuring the cows are comfortable and in great condition, is of great importance to the Tate family. After all, the secret to really great milk is the time, effort and love that goes into it. The result is delicious fresh milk of remarkable quality, produced on Sydney’s doorstep.
At Lactalis Australia, we want our consumers to know that when they pick up one of our great tasting dairy products, they are supporting real farms and the communities that surround them.
