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Quilpie Branch

Company: Primaries
Date Opened: November 1934
E. Ryland, First Manager

Quilpie Branch history has been contributed to by these Primac Gurus:
Richard Handley, Claire MacDonald (Jack Tannock’s daughter), Richard Street, Campbell Cooney, Ross Keane, Scott Lusby, and Steve Truman.
If you have information or photos to contribute to the Quilpie Branch Timeline / History please use the form at the bottom of this page to submit it. All contributions are appreciated and will be acknowledged.

Prior to 1940 (World War 2)
Jack Tannock,
Position unknown (Went off to War from Quilpie Office. Served with his brother AD Tannock in PNG and then the Middle East. Upon returning he opened the Dirranbandi Branch for Primaries)

“Quilpie office – said to be taken in 1947. Note the sign above the awning advertising the Primaries offices in Charleville (opened January 1927) and Cunnamulla (opened July 1934).”

Richard Handley

1961
Tom Scanlon, Branch Manager (Transferred OUT to Manager Blackall Branch)

1970
John Moody, Branch Manager
David Milford, Stock Sales (Transferred OUT to Stock Sales role at Dirranbandi Branch)
Richard HandleyStock Sales (Transferred IN from Stock Sales role Dirranbandi Branch)

1971
John Moody, Branch Manager
Richard Handley, Stock Sales

“How times have changed! On Clover in the Cooper channels at Durham Downs 1971. No 4 wheel drive, no mobile phone and no form of communication apart from telegrams through OPR Charleville, Mt Isa and Broken Hill. Used to load up the trusty Kingswood and head off for a couple of weeks with swag and tucker box. This was a very smart Kingswood – bucket seats! A hand me down from Bruce Campbell.”

Richard Handley

“Quilpie – from May until November every night loading a cattle train, normally 43K and 2KB, for a 2.00 am departure. Fridays were different because there were two trains.”

Richard Handley

1972
John Moody, Branch Manager
Richard Handley, Stock Sales (Transferred OUT to Officer in Charge Barcaldine Branch)
Mitch Wright, Stock Sales (Transferred IN from Blackall Branch)

The mail must go through. (Maybe 1972) Crossing the Diamantina River on the “outside road” between The Bluff ( Roseberth) and Birdsville after a flood. Did a mail run with Geoff Bonsey from Quilpie to Pandie Pandie shoveling lots of silt and sand.

Richard Handley

“We were away about 10 days so a few rums around the fire at night!

In this photo you can make out truck, way back in in the background, having another run at the sand hill.

1973
John Moody, Branch Manager

1974

1975 Primaries Mactaggarts Co – Operative Assoc LTD
Bill Roberts, Branch Manager
Lionel Arthur, Stock Sales
Mike Quinn, Merchandise (transferred IN from Mactaggarts H/O, Cannon Hill, left the company in the same year to join Doug Haigh’s Stockmans business in Papua New Guinea)

This photograph is courtesy of Andrew Paynter (son of Keith) who was kind enough to forward it to me a few years ago.

John Wilkinson

1976

1977
David Yates, Branch Manager
Allan Reid, Stock Sales

1978
David Yates, Branch Manager`(Transferred out to ??)
Allan Reid, Branch Manager (Promoted to Branch Manager)
Danny Duff, Stock Sales

Here’s a blast from the past for you. Primac Quilpie (Probably Primaries McTaggarts?), 1978, Manager David Yates and Stock Salesman Danny Duff at the property we owned at the time Warrabin/Earlston. The girl in the centre of the pic is my sister, the guy just out of shot my old man Geoff Cooney, and the butchers knife was to assist with some on farm butchering in the shape of a well fed steer.

Campbell Cooney

1979
Allan Reid, Branch Manager (Transferred OUT to Branch Managers position at Cunnamulla Branch)
Ross Keane, Branch Manager (Transferred IN from Stock / Auctioneer  at Roma Branch)
Danny Duff, Stock Sales (Transferred OUT to Stock Sales Longreach Branch)
Paul Doyle, Stock Sales

1980
Ross Keane, Branch Manager
Paul Doyle, Stock Sales

1981
Ross Keane, Branch Manager
Cam Benjamin, Stock Sales
Duncan Turner, Stock Sales

1982
Ross Keane,
Branch Manager (Transferred OUT to Branch Manager position at Charters Towers)
Scott Lusby, Branch Manager (Appointed by Director Gordon Reid Longreach and was previously employed at Dalgety’s)
Duncan Turner, Stock Sales
Roxanne Richardson, Office / Accounts

1983
Scott Lusby, Branch Manager (Transferred OUT to Mt Isa Branch as Branch Manager in November 83)
Duncan Turner, Stock Sales
Roxanne Richardson, Office / Accounts

1984
Darrol Crouch, Relieving Manager
Steve Truman, Branch Manager (Transferred IN from Stock Sales position at Taroom Branch April 84)
Duncan Turner, Stock Sales
Anne Ray, Office / Accounts
Robyn Brookes, Office / Accounts

1985
Steve Truman,
Branch Manager
Duncan Turner, Stock Sales (Transferred OUT to Merch Manager at Blackall Branch)
Robyn James, Stock Sales (Quilpie Local, no agency experience, good bloke & stockman resigned after 6 Months)
Mark Freund, Stock / Merch Sales (New Hire by Norm Jenner came from the Oakey area)
Robyn Brooks, Office / Merch Sales

1986
Steve Truman, Branch Manager (Transferred OUT to Branch Managers position Cunnamulla Branch )
Neil Croft, Branch Manager (Transferred IN from Surat Branch as Branch Manager)
Mark Freund, Stock / Merch Sales 
Robyn Brookes, Office / Merch Sales

1987
Neil Croft, Branch Manager
Mark Freund, Stock / Merch Sales
Robyn Brookes, Office / Merch sales (Robyn resigned)
Ann Marie Hamlyn, Office / Merch Sales (Married Andrew Tully)

1988
Neil Croft, Branch Manager
Mark Freund, Stock Sales (Resigned and worked locally as a fencing contractor)
Richard StreetStock Sales (Re-joined Primac after 2-years out )
Ann Marie Hamlyn, Office / Merch Sales

1989
Neil Croft, Branch Manager
Richard Street, Stock Sales
Ann Marie Hamlyn, Office / Merch Sales

“Richard Street – Quilpie 1990, a roadside catch up with a client,Thargomindah Road”

1990
Neil Croft, Branch Manager
Richard Street, Stock Sales
Grant Mclauchlan, Stock / Merch Sales
Ann Marie Hamlyn, Office / Merch Sales (Resigned from the company)
Louise Mitchell-Hill, Office / Merch Sales (Married Mick Hall)

1991
Neil Croft, Branch Manager (Transferred OUT to Branch Manager at Biloela Branch)
Richard Street, Branch Manager (Promoted to Quilpie Branch Manager)
Richard Brosnan, Stock / Merch Sales
Louise Mitchell-Hill, Office / Merch Sales

1992
Richard Street, Branch Manager (Transferred out to Surat Branch as Manager)
John Houghton, Branch Manager (Transferred in from Stock Sales position at Cunnamulla Branch)
Richard Brosnan, Stock / Merch Sales
Louise Mitchell-Hill, Office / Merch Sales

“Quilpie office 1992 – Photo by Richard Street”

“Looking down Brolga Street Quilpie – Photo Richard Street 1992”

1993
John Houghton, Branch Manager
Richard Brosnan, Stock / Merch Sales (Transferred out to Stock Sales postion at Blackall Branch )
Louise Mitchell-Hill, Office / Merch Sales

1994
John Houghton, Branch Manager (Resigned & left the company)
Steve Gaff, Branch Manager (Transferred in from Stock Sales Goondiwindi)

Other Staff ??

1995
Malcolm O’Halloran, Branch Manager

Other Staff ??

1996
Malcolm O’Halloran, Branch Manager

Other Staff ??

1997
Malcolm O’Halloran, Branch Manager

Other Staff ??

* Last updated 02/07/2021 SGT

Know more about the Quilpie Branch history, timeline or people? Please use the form below to add too, or edit this page information.

Posted in : Primac Branches