Golden North History

Golden North history
Scroll through this timeline to remember and re-live some of the highlights of almost 100 years of ice cream production in South Australia. This timeline charts developments from the selling of fresh cream and milk, to the first production of ice cream, to its status as an official icon of South Australia.

WILLIAM BOWKER AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO LAURA, 240KM NORTH OF ADELAIDE

1870

WILLIAM BOWKER AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO LAURA, 240KM NORTH OF ADELAIDE

Laura is 240km north of Adelaide

THE BOWKER FAMILY STARTED SELLING FRESH MILK AND CREAM FROM THEIR DAIRY

1880

THE BOWKER FAMILY STARTED SELLING FRESH MILK AND CREAM FROM THEIR DAIRY

Milk cans

FIRST PRODUCTION OF ICE CREAM AT THE FACTORY IN LAURA (WHERE IT IS STILL PRODUCED TODAY)

1923

FIRST PRODUCTION OF ICE CREAM AT THE FACTORY IN LAURA (WHERE IT IS STILL PRODUCED TODAY)

Golden North Factory 1939

GOLDEN NORTH INTRODUCED PASTEURISED MILK TO THE MID NORTH OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA FOR THE FIRST TIME

1938

GOLDEN NORTH INTRODUCED PASTEURISED MILK TO THE MID NORTH OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA FOR THE FIRST TIME

Golden North pasteurised milk

GOLDEN NORTH BECOMES THE FIRST MANUFACTURER TO INTRODUCE THE HALF GALLON (2 LITRE) CONTAINER OF ICE CREAM

1940

GOLDEN NORTH BECOMES THE FIRST MANUFACTURER TO INTRODUCE THE HALF GALLON (2 LITRE) CONTAINER OF ICE CREAM

Original Golden North vanilla ice cream container

GOLDEN NORTH DAIRIES WAS INTRODUCED

1948

GOLDEN NORTH DAIRIES WAS INTRODUCED

Golden North milk bottle

GOLDEN NORTH OPERATES THE LONGEST MILK RUN IN THE WORLD

1950

GOLDEN NORTH OPERATES THE LONGEST MILK RUN IN THE WORLD

Milk run is from the Barossa Valley to Tennant Creek, over 1200 miles

BOWKER FAMILY SOLD GOLDEN NORTH TO THE SA SOUTHERN FARMERS GROUP (FARMERS UNION)

1983

BOWKER FAMILY SOLD GOLDEN NORTH TO THE SA SOUTHERN FARMERS GROUP (FARMERS UNION)

Farmers Union logo

GOLDEN NORTH INTRODUCED INTO THE ADELAIDE MARKET IN THE UNIQUE ‘SLICE AND SERVE’ SAUSAGE PACK

1984

GOLDEN NORTH INTRODUCED INTO THE ADELAIDE MARKET IN THE UNIQUE ‘SLICE AND SERVE’ SAUSAGE PACK

Ice cream sausage pack

GOLDEN NORTH SOLD TO A GROUP OF FOUR SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSMEN

2001

GOLDEN NORTH SOLD TO A GROUP OF FOUR SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSMEN

Photo Source: State Library of South Australia collections.slsa.sa.gov.au. Golden North Office, Laura, South Australia c 1944

GOLDEN NORTH BECOMES AN OFFICIAL ‘ICON OF THE STATE’; 2006 BANK SA HERITAGE ICON LIST

2006

GOLDEN NORTH BECOMES AN OFFICIAL ‘ICON OF THE STATE’; 2006 BANK SA HERITAGE ICON LIST

BankSA Icons List

GOLDEN NORTH WAS SOLD TO THE CURRENT OWNERS COMPRISING OF 5 SA FAMILIES

2008

GOLDEN NORTH WAS SOLD TO THE CURRENT OWNERS COMPRISING OF 5 SA FAMILIES

Source: ABC

GOLDEN NORTH BECOMES 100% PALM OIL FREE

2012

GOLDEN NORTH BECOMES 100% PALM OIL FREE

Palm Oil Free logo

GOLDEN NORTH CELEBRATES 90 YEARS OF ICE CREAM PRODUCTION

2013

GOLDEN NORTH CELEBRATES 90 YEARS OF ICE CREAM PRODUCTION

Golden North staff at Laura

FIRST EXPORT SHIPMENT TO CHINA

2015

FIRST EXPORT SHIPMENT TO CHINA

Vanilla Ice Cream ready to ship

WINS THE FOOD SA CONSUMER AWARD (MOST POPULAR SA FOOD BRAND VOTED BY CONSUMERS)

2016

WINS THE FOOD SA CONSUMER AWARD (MOST POPULAR SA FOOD BRAND VOTED BY CONSUMERS)

Consumer award

GOLDEN NORTH INDUCTED INTO THE FOOD SA HALL OF FAME

2016

GOLDEN NORTH INDUCTED INTO THE FOOD SA HALL OF FAME

Hall Of Fame

GOLDEN NORTH WON CANSTAR BLUE AWARD – AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE ICE CREAM TUB

2018

GOLDEN NORTH WON CANSTAR BLUE AWARD – AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE ICE CREAM TUB

2018 Canstar Award

WINS THE FOOD SA CONSUMER AWARD THE SECOND TIME (MOST POPULAR SA FOOD BRAND VOTED BY CONSUMERS)

2018

WINS THE FOOD SA CONSUMER AWARD THE SECOND TIME (MOST POPULAR SA FOOD BRAND VOTED BY CONSUMERS)

Satisfied consumers!

FIRST EXPORT SHIPMENT TO VIETNAM

2019

FIRST EXPORT SHIPMENT TO VIETNAM

First shipment to Vietnam

GOLDEN NORTH WON CANSTAR BLUE AWARD 2 YEARS IN A ROW – AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE ICE CREAM TUB

2019

GOLDEN NORTH WON CANSTAR BLUE AWARD 2 YEARS IN A ROW – AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE ICE CREAM TUB

Favourite ice cream tub, again

GOLDEN NORTH WON CANSTAR BLUE AWARD 3 YEARS IN A ROW – AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE ICE CREAM TUB

2020

GOLDEN NORTH WON CANSTAR BLUE AWARD 3 YEARS IN A ROW – AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE ICE CREAM TUB

Still your favourite ice cream tub

GOLDEN NORTH WON CANSTAR BLUE AWARD 4 YEARS IN A ROW – AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE ICE CREAM TUB

2021

GOLDEN NORTH WON CANSTAR BLUE AWARD 4 YEARS IN A ROW – AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE ICE CREAM TUB

Four years in a row. Thank you.

GOLDEN NORTH INDUCTED INTO “THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER AWARD LEGENDS FOR LIFE”

2021

GOLDEN NORTH INDUCTED INTO “THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER AWARD LEGENDS FOR LIFE”

Deadset legends, indeed.

5 YEARS RUNNING! CANSTAR BLUE MOST SATISFIED CUSTOMERS – ICE CREAM TUBS

2022

5 YEARS RUNNING! CANSTAR BLUE MOST SATISFIED CUSTOMERS – ICE CREAM TUBS

Five years. Definitely a cherry on top!

GOLDEN NORTH CELEBRATES 100 YEARS ANNIVERSARY

2023

GOLDEN NORTH CELEBRATES 100 YEARS ANNIVERSARY

100 years of production in South Australia

Your Ice Cream

Golden North Ice Cream is a completely South Australian Made and Owned company. Our products are made with only the highest quality ingredients and of course, a lot of love.

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