Murgon Branch

“Opening sale of new municipal cattle yards at Murgon 1969. From left of photo Trevor Maguire,
Alain Henderson and Jerry O’Sullivan (all Mactaggarts staff, later Primac), Bob Mickan
(J S Mickan & Son) and at rear in white hat, Gary Heiner (Mactaggarts).”

Photo, Jerry O’Sullivan

(Below information on how Primac Murgon came about and its early history kindly supplied by Jerry O’Sullivan in his own words)

The origin of Primac Murgon branch started as a private agency business called W H Hiscock & Co and I understand that the business commenced operation in the late 1940s or early 1950s. Bill Hiscock and his wife Betty founded the business after Bill had returned from war service during the Second World War on the Kokoda Track. Bill was an auctioneer and conducted regular weekly pig and calf sales and cattle sales at Murgon as well as selling farms and conducting clearing sales.

Bill formed an association with Mactaggarts through his cousin Jim Heading and this arrangement commenced in the early 1960s and proved very successful. During the period that Mactaggarts Kingaroy branch was managed by Frank Law 1969/1970, the Hiscock business was purchased by Mactaggarts and continued to operate as a Mactaggarts Murgon sub-branch under officer in charge, Ron Taylor who ran a very successful sub- branch for a number of years under the guidance of firstly Frank Law followed by Jerry O’Sullivan.

Two capable young agents were transferred to assist Ron in the early 1970s. They were firstly Barry Dixon followed by Reg Grace who both did an excellent job building the business before being transferred to other branches.

1970
Ron Taylor (RIP), OIC
Barry Dixon, Stock Sales / Auctioneer (Transferred IN from Kingaroy Branch)
Dianne Zelinski, Office Admin

1971
Ron Taylor (RIP), OIC
Barry Dixon, Stock Sales / Auctioneer
Dianne Zelinski, Office Admin
Maree Kuhn, Office Admin

1972
Ron Taylor (RIP), OIC
Barry Dixon, Stock Sales / Auctioneer (Transferred OUT to Branch Managers position at Surat Branch)
Reg Grace, Stock Sales / Auctioneer (Transferred IN from ?????? to replace Barry)
Dianne Zelinski, Office Admin
Maree Kuhn, Office Admin

Ron Taylor moved on in 1975 to other interests and was replaced by Trevor Francis as Officer in Charge about the time of the Mactaggarts/ Primaries merger in April,1975.

1975 Primaries Mactaggart’s
Ron Taylor (RIP), OIC (Left the Company)
Trevor Francis, OIC (Transferred IN from ?????)
Dianne Zelinski, Office Admin
Maree Kuhn, Office Admin

Within about 12 months Trevor was transferred to manager of Gin Gin branch. Trevor was replaced by Tony Struss who was in charge of the sub branch when live weight cattle sales commenced in the late 1970s. Murgon became a Primac branch about this time and Tony resigned to start his own business in Clermont.

1976
Trevor Francis, OIC (Transferred OUT to Branch Managers position at Gin Gin Branch)
Tony Struss, OIC (Transferred IN from ????)

1977
Tony Struss, OIC

1978
Tony Struss, OIC

Tony was replaced by Les Dunstan as branch manager and during this period Steve Groom was appointed as Auctioner/ Stock salesman.

1979
Tony Struss, Branch Manager (Left the company to start his own Private Agency Business in Clermont)
Les Dunstan, Branch Manager (Transferred IN from Branch managers position at Cunnamulla Branch)

Les was transferred to manage Capricorn Meats at Rockhampton (a Primac subsidiary) and was replaced as branch manager by Mike Wheeler who ran a very successful business assisted by firstly by Steve Groom and then Andrew Lewis. Mike was transferred to Brisbane Head Office about 1985 and replaced as manager of Murgon by the very innovative and extremely active Bill Edwards who had been well trained by Ross Stewart at Goondiwindi branch. Murgon branch hit its peak during the reign of Bill Edwards who was very ably assisted by Andrew Lewis who was bred to be a stock agent, son of Bill Lewis of Primaries fame.

“Mactaggarts Murgon office in Lamb Street 1971/72 which was previously Hiscock & Co.”

Photo Barry Dixon

“1980’s Bill Edwards & Andrew Lewis sorting some cattle out at the saleyards”
Photo supplied – Andrew Lewis

“The 1986 Primac Murgon Team – Back L – R, Vincent Booth – Merch Sales, Chris Mcinerney – Merch Manager, Andrew Lewis – Stock Sales / Auctioneer, Bill Edwards – Branch Manager.
Front L – R, Darren Jordison (RIP) – Merch Sales, Sue Warner (nee Magnusson)
Murray Otto – Roving Merch Horticultural Sales.”
Photo supplied – Andrew Lewis