Back to search results »

Back to search page »

H V McKay Sunshine Harvester Works

Location 1 Devonshire Road, SUNSHINE VIC 3020 - Property No 25 File Number 1777 Level Included in Heritage Overlay

[1/4] 1777a - Brimbank City Council [2/4] 1777b - Brimbank City Council [3/4] HO3 HV McKay Sunshine [4/4] HO3 HV McKay Sunshine

Statement of Significance

The significance of the Sunshine Harvester works is derived from several areas. First is the association with H.V. McKay and the products manufactured by his company, particularly the Sunshine Harvester, which became the prime machine for grain harvesting and revolutionized the wheat industry in Australia. Secondly, the works was the largest agricultural implement factory in Australia and one of the largest manufacturing industries of any kind. The factory buildings reflect the growth of the company and changes and development in manufacturing methods. Thirdly, it is associated with the key 1907 'Harvester Judgement' by Justice Higgins which established a 'fair and reasonable' national minimum wage. The McKay workers were also key players in further industrial action in 1911 and 1946 where the metalwork unions were involved in major strike action against the Company management. A remnant of the 1950s administration block is the clock tower which symbolically stamped upon the Sunshine works the imprimatur of the Canadian corporate giant Massey-Harris-Ferguson Ltd (later Massey Ferguson (Australia) Ltd.), which absorbed the McKay company in 1955.