Cunnamulla Branch

Cunnamulla Branch is one of only 8 country towns that had a Primaries and a Mactaggarts Branch.

1950 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis (RIP), Stock Sales / Auctioneer (Took up position after moving from Farmer and Clarke Kingaroy Office)

1951 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Stock Sales / Auctioneer

1952 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Stock Sales / Auctioneer

1953 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Stock Sales / Auctioneer

1954 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Stock Sales / Auctioneer

1955 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Stock Sales / Auctioneer

1956 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Stock Sales / Auctioneer

1957 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Branch Manager / Auctioneer
Bill Lewis, Stock Sales / Auctioneer (Promoted to Branch Managers role, office had a staff of 7)

1958 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Branch Manager / Auctioneer

1959 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Branch Manager / Auctioneer

Primaries, Cunnamulla Weekly Report, as printed in the 29th April 1959 edition of the Cunnamulla Watchman.

Newspaper clipping kindly provided by Richard Handley

Richard commented on his Facebook post 21 June 2024, “Paper kept because it had Barb’s ( my now wife) Anzac Day article published by in it.
Both make great reading”

1960 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Branch Manager / Auctioneer

1961 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Branch Manager / Auctioneer

1962 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Branch Manager / Auctioneer

1963 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Branch Manager / Auctioneer

1963 (Mactaggarts)
Bob Nicholson, Branch Manager
Bill Webb, Stock Sales

1964 (Primaries)
Bill Lewis, Branch Manager / Auctioneer (transferred out to Clermont Branch Manager with a staff of 14)
Bryan Hickey, Branch Manager (took over from Bill Lewis)

1966 (Primaries)
Bryan Hickey, Branch Manager
Laurie Woolett, Stock Sales
Royce Connolly, Stock / Merchandise (transferred out to??)
Richard Handley, Stock / Merchandise (transferred in from Roma Branch and replaced Royce Connolly, in October 1966 transferred out to Stock Sales position at Dirranbandi Branch)
Brian Reardon, Accounts
Jack Lang, Merchandise
Donna Wendelin, Office
Kay Walters, Office

Mid 1960’s (Primaries)
Bryan Hickey, Branch Manager
Laurie Woollet, Stock Sales
Jack Lang, Merch Sales
Alan McNaught, Merch Sales
Alan Morgan, Accounts
Brian Reardon, Accounts
Donna Wendelin, Office
Kay Walters, Office

1968 (Mactaggarts)
Allan Gillespie, Branch Manager

1969 (Mactaggarts)
Allan Gillespie, Branch Manager

Late 1960’s / Early 1970’s (Primaries)
Roy Huddlestone, Stock Sales (Transferred out to Branch Managers position at Winton Branch)

1971 (Mactaggarts)
Frank Law, Branch Manager (January 1971, Transferred IN from Branch managers position at Kingaroy Branch)

1974 (Mactaggarts)
Royce Connelly, Branch Manager
Mike Quinn, Merchandise (transferred in from Mactaggart’s Kingaroy Branch, did 6 months at Cunnamulla before transferring to Mactaggarts Brisbane H/O doing Stock Settlement and Cannon Hill Saleyards.)

1975 (Primaries)
John Wilkinson, Branch Manager

1975 (Mactaggarts)
Richard Crothers, Branch Manager (took over from Rocye Connelly. Not known where Royce went from here)

1975 Primaries Mactaggarts Co – Operative Assoc LTD
John Wilkinson, Branch Manager

Branch Managers meet to discuss the amalgamation in 1975. Left to Right: Keith Paynter Branch Manager Primaries Charleville Branch, Bill Roberts Branch Manager Primaries Quilpie Branch, Gordon Reid Primaries Longreach Branch, and Company Director, Richard Crothers Branch Manager Mactaggarts Cunnamulla and John Wilkinson Branch manager Primaries Cunnamulla.

Photo – John Wilkinson via Andrew Paynter

1976
John Wilkinson, Branch Manager (December 1976, transferred OUT to Branch Managers role at Clermont Branch)
Les Dunstan, Branch Manager (December 1976, transferred IN from Branch Managers position at Dirranbandi Branch)

1977
Les Dunstan, Branch Manager

1978
Les Dunstan, Branch Manager
Jack Lang, Stock Sales
Ken Telford, Wool Advisor (Transferred OUT to Branch Managers position at Dirranbandi Branch)
Andrew Lewis, Merch Sales
Lyn Vowles, Office / Accounts

1979
Les Dunstan, Branch Manager (transferred out to Murgon Branch)
Alan Reid, Branch Manager (transferred in from Branch Managers position at Quilpie Branch)

1985
Hugh Johnston, Branch Manager
Danny Duff, Stock Sales
Geoff Hickson, Merch Manager
Rodney Geppert, Merch Sales
Maria Sloane, Office / Accounts

1986
Hugh Johnson, Branch Manager (transferred out to Manager at Dirrandandi Branch. Hugh & his wife Betty ended up retiring in Dirranbandi)
Steve Truman, Branch Manager (transferred in from Quilpie Branch)
Danny Duff, Stock Sales
Geoff Hickson, Merch Manager (left the company and joined Elders at St George as a stock salesman)
Rodney Geppert, Merch Manager
Maria Sloane, Office / Accounts

1987
Steve Truman, Branch Manager
Danny Duff, Stock Sales
Bob Jakins, Stock Sales (New hire from NSW)
Bob McLaren, Stock Sales (Local and a new hire)
Rodney Geppert, Merch Manager
Andrew Paynter, Merch Sales (Keith Paynter’s son, did not stay long)
Chris Locke, Merch Sales (Local – Doug & Gwen Locke’s son)
Maria Sloane, Office / Accounts

1988
Steve Truman, Branch Manager (Bought the local Casey Gmac Holden dealership and left the company)
Bob McLaren, Branch Manager (Took over as the Branch Manager)
Danny Duff, Stock Sales (transferred out to Branch manager role at Mitchell Branch)
Bob Jakins, Stock Sales
Richard Simpson, Stock Sales (New hire)
Rodney Geppert, Merch Manager
Chris Locke, Merch Sales
Maria Sloane, Office / Accounts (resigned)
Robyn Lambert, Office / Accounts (replaced Maria)

Left to Right: Rodney Geppert Merchandise Manager, Robyn Lambert Office / Admin, Bob Jakins Stock Sales, Chris Locke Merchandise, Richard Simpson Stock Sales, Bob McLaren Branch Manger.

1989 – 1991
Bob McLaren, Branch Manager
Harvey Coe, Livestock Sales (transferred to Surat Branch as Branch Manager in 1991)
John Houghton, Livestock Sales
Michael Giles, Merchandise Manager (left Primac in 1991)
Justin Webster, Merchandise Manager (1991)
Kylie Penny, Office / Accounts
Joanne Maloney, Assistant Office / Accounts

Note: Updated branch information for 1989 – 1991 as supplied by Harvey Coe)

1992
Bob McLaren, Branch Manager
John Houghton, (Transferred out to Branch Managers position at Quilpie Branch)
Justin Webster, Merch Sales
?????, Office / Accounts

1993
Bob McLaren, Branch Manager
?????, Stock Sales
?????, Merch Sales
?????, Office / Accounts

“Primac Elders team in 1999 at Cunnamulla. Left to right: Adrian “Postie” Post, Danny Duff, Eileen Holman,
Chris Todd (Qld Livestock Manager), Mark Minnis, Bill Cowley and me (Dave Curry).“

Photo Dave Curry

Danny Duff achieves a personal milestone of 46 years with Primac & Elders!

“Quite a milestone for Guru Danny Duff Of those 46 years Danny spent a few with Primac at Cunnamulla then Mitchell & back to Cunnamulla with a stint in Quilpie & Winton Congratulations Danny from all the Gurus” Courtesy of Barry Dixon (Facebook post Primac Gurus 6/2/23

Danny has been around for as long as anyone can remember, but exactly how long has he been working with Elders?

Well he celebrated his 46th anniversary with Elders yesterday on the 1st of February!!

Congratulations Danny on what continues to be a long and successful career with Elders!

* Last updated 07/02/23 GDJ