Season 1: The Dairy Lane Project

About Season 1: The Dairy Lane Project

Berry N.S.W Australia is the No. 1 favourite town for tourists. Most don't know the history of the region. It was a vital centre of the dairying industry in Australia throughout the 20th century. Twin brothers Ted & Tom Walsh from Far Meadow (Berry) who moved to Jamberoo and perfected a new dairy breed-'The Australian Illawarra Shorthorn" in the early 20th century. It led in milk production for many years and it's bulls and later AI (Artificial insemination) were in great demand. An AI Centre was established in Berry in the 50s with visitors learning the technology & breeds from all around the world. Farmers travelled to Berry, Jaspers Brush & Meroo Meadow from all over the State and the nation to attend stud sales when rail was introduced. These villages form a 14km strip down the Princes Hwy. The lanes off to the left and right named after the pioneering dairy farmers from the 1850s onwards. Season 1 engages the descendants of those pioneers, Therese visits the farms they are still on, some 5 generations later and records their stories. To honour their contributions to the industry and innovations. Therese Sweeney has been producing digital history since the '90s: with camera's, sound, video & digitising residents private collections to archive and exhibit in our major cultural institutions in NSW. She has applied her formula to this project.This is an engagement with residents, Berry Museum & Shoalhaven Historical Society. 10 episodes in Season 1 explore the dairying history from Berry to Bomaderry, major fresh milk producers for the Sydney market, Berry being the oldest milk Co-operative in the nation. Farmers transporting milk to local factories via rivers, carriers with horse & sulky, then with the introduction of mechanisation; via post war vehicles, steamers at ports, then railway to milk trucks. theresesweeney.com.au (http://theresesweeney.com.au) sweeney.lib.uts.edu (http://sweeney.lib.uts.edu) Season 1: Supported by Turf Co Jaspers Brush https://turfco.com.au/ (https://turfco.com.au/)

Publisher

therese sweeney

Category

history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

27 Jan 2025

Latest episode

22 Feb 2026

Latest episodes

20 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Feb 2026

   John Miller, Rawlings lane Berry & Wharf Rd. Berry

   John Miller, 6th generation dairy farmer farms on Rawlings Lane Berry, running parallel to the Princes Hwy. Rawlings name was created when the Bypass was built and 16 acres were taken from John’s farm Broughton Mill toward the upgrade. Rawlings -the name-is unknown historically. Robert Miller was born in 1795, Erskine Scotland & migrated on the ship Othelo, arriving in Sydney August 1834 with his wife ElizabethMuir, born 1799. They had married in Paisley Middle Church Renfrew Scotland in 1829. They arrived in Australia with 6 children Mary, William, James, Elizabeth, Robert & John. A further 3 were to be born in Australia; Ann, George & Sara.Robert’s occupation was a dairy farmer. They came down to Gerringong in 1837. Their 2nd son William, b1823 at Paisley Scotland married Jane Miller b 1832 in 1856, Gerringong. They had 9 children, 8 boys 1 girl. Robert, John Ritchie, William H, Henry, James, George, Jane, Thomas & William Hill. William died in 1907 at Renfrew Park, their property in Gerringong. Their second eldest son John Ritchie b1859 married Margaret Bailey in Nov 1880. Gerringong. They purchased land at Robertson & had 5 children there. Then returned to Gerringong and had another 4 children. John died in 1940 at Gerringong. His fourth son William.b 1882 in Robertson was their eldest child. William married Winni Chisolm. Their son Keith J Chisolm Miller b 1923 married Nancy Morrison b 1929 -they had 4 children…3 girls and one boy. Their youngest child is John Miller who is the participant in the recording, a 6th generation dairy farmer. Whose farm on Rawlings Lane, is a new lane built as an entry point to their property when the ByPass was built. They lost 16 acres of their land, to the highway upgrade. The other family farm is located on Wharf Rd. Berry where the dairy operates today.

2. 

   9 Feb 2026

   Schofields Lane, Graham Park, Berry

   GG Grandfather John Schofield was deported in 1821-England. He was a fellow who got orphans to steal for him (like oliver twist). He himself stole a rheem of silk. English convict-Anglican. Alocated to the family Harley farm. Founders of Schofields the suburb north west Sydney. John married the squatters daughter Bridget Harley April 1829. They had 6 sons 6 daughters -one was Samuel who was Alberts father. Samuel had a market garden at rockdale then went into butchering as well. Albert lived on the land known as Schofields Lane today. He purchased the Butcher Shop in Berry and it came with slaughter yards and land equalling 188 acres. Arthurs eldest son Philip dairy farmed there with 20-30 cows. Pam and Bill (Philips kids) remember standing on slide with cans going to the milk truck. They milked jerseys-butter to cheese-berry co-op. George Williams had the farm across from them. After the introduction by Sweeney, covering the build up and history toward Graham Park Breeding Centre. David Armstrong a former Manager of Graham park is engaged to discuss the Centre under his direction. David lives in Berry and was recently widowed.

3. 

   19 Jan 2026

   The Hitchcock family, Mullers Lane Jaspers Brush

   Pam Coles (Nee: Hitchcock) grew up in the area now known as Mullers Lane Jaspers Brush on the south side of the Hwy. Pam's descendants began leasing then purchased 151 acres in 1912 dairy farming. She recalls the Skinners were there too. Pam's dad was Harvey and her grandfather Henry purchased the land. The land left family hands in 1969. Peter Muller also farmed the lane, his father Norman first farmed there in 1939. The Mullers were a well known family in berry and his great grandfather John did much for community and society. His first cousin Patrick was the fifth generation farmer covered in Lamonds Lane in Season 1. The Hitchcocks were a humble family, quite poor and subsistence farmers. Started with 50 cows down to a herd of 30 when Pam's dad, Harvey farmed. The listener hears some unique insights about life in Mullers Lane through the voice of Pam who is near 90 years old. Hitchcocks lane in Hungtingdale Park is named in honour of her family though they never farmed that land. Season 2 : Sponsored by Ian Zandstra from Pyree. A leader in dairying & advocacy in the Shoalhaven. Website: theresesweeney.com.au

Who has been a guest on Season 1: The Dairy Lane Project

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Lyn Brandon
• Karen Ison
• Colin Host
• Lyn Host
• Brian Host

Podcast Authority Score: 22 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

45

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.