Evans Quarries – Over 60 Years in the Business

THE DONOHUE FAMILY, celebrated over 60 years in the industry in 2013.

IN THE early 1950’s William [Bill] Donohue won a contract to supply beach sand to a company cleaning corroding cast iron water pipelines.

This sand was sourced from the Cape Paterson foreshore. He hand shovelled sand into his truck, delivering it to the rail line for delivery to Melbourne. Bill would cart enough sand to fill one 22 ton rail truck each day.

Also around this time the Borough of Wonthaggi were looking for reliable contractors and Bill was quick to suggest his younger brother Henry.

Bill and Henry purchased a second truck, this was the start of W & H Donohue Brothers Pty Ltd. the entrepreneurial brothers also purchased a house moving business in 1956 to diversify their business interests.

Bill concentrated more on the quarrying business, whilst Henry on the house moving business.

After long hours of repetitive work looking for a good source of gravel in the mid 1950’s Bill had found what appeared to be a substantial deposit of sand in a bank with a sharp rise behind it at The Gurdies.

In 1963 the Country roads Board announced that the Phillip Island Bridge was to be upgraded. This announcement, spurred Bill along in making his decision to install a ready mix concrete plant at Gurdies Quarry.

The first load of concrete was trucked out of The Gurdies on 7 December, 1963. the concrete plant was positioned perfectly to cover developments in the surrounding district. It was 16 miles from the San Remo Bridge.

In 1964 Bill started to expand and upgrade their local sand operation. Upgrading the operation entailed moving from hand digging sand out (clean any extra matter such as clay or different coloured sand) and hand shovelling into the rear of trucks to constructing a sand washing process to emerge as clean gravel and hand shovelling into the rear of trucks.

It took quite some time before this washing process was perfected, but with the assistance of another brother, Con, this became an extended family affair with wives and children ‘stirring’ the sand and helping out on weekends.

The sand produced was submitted to the Country roads Board for testing and it was of a superior quality. In the mid to late 1960’s the business was also awarded the tender to supply 8,000 cubic yards of concrete to the contractor to build the San Remo Bridge.

The business also supplied the concrete to Candowie reservoir at Almurta, the new High School at Wonthaggi and the General Motors Holden extension program to their testing grounds at Lang Lang.

Bill’s hard work, persistence and insight into the areas development had paid off, whilst Henry continued to grow the house moving side of the business.

In time these businesses, each under the guidance of a brother, would be co-existing independent identities and eventually formally part ways (Donmix was born).

With the State Coal Mine in Wonthaggi closing its doors in 1967 Bill saw the potential of expanding the concrete side of the business in Wonthaggi, he sought and was granted tenancy of the Power House Building and Site.

This was the next stage of the Company’s development with a second concrete plant being built, a workshop established and the enlargement of the concrete products operation. From here the business continued to grow and flourish.

In 1981 Bill, together with two of his sons, Kevin & Paul, expanded to buy a basalt quarry ‘Evans Quarries’ on Phillip Island. the quarry was established in 1956, with a second crushing plant being built in the early years of 1970.

We believe that Evans Quarries was one of the first quarry sites to use excavators to load rock at the face of the quarry during the mid-1980’s. The quarry was extended in 1990 and a new plant opened in February, 1998.

During September, 2013 there has been a new jaw crusher installed on site which is expected to increase production.

In June, 1997 The Gurdies Sand Washing Plant was officially opened which revolutionised the way that sand is being processed in Australia.

Being a founding member of the CMPA Kevin & Paul recall attending meetings organised by Ron Kerr in September, 1999, with the initial meeting to seek support being held at the BP on the old Hume Hwy at Cooper St in Somerton/ Campbellfield.

The support from the CMPA over the years has been invaluable, especially the networking between other quarrying companies to the development of the industry related publications and literature.

Donmix sold their interest in the sand quarry in 2012.

Bill retired in 1987 and sold the business to three of his sons Kevin, Paul & Bryan, who continue in their father’s tradition of providing a quality product with quality service, employing local people and supporting local projects, clubs and services.

The family owned operation now has the third generation of the William Donohue family tree employed in the Company, being Kevin’s Son Jarrod.

60 Seconds with a voting member . . .

What is your name?
Kevin Donohue.
Who do you work for?
Evans Quarries.
How many years have you worked for this business?
47 years.
How many years have you been involved in the Industry?
47 years.
What is your role?
Managing Director.
What does your job involve?
Managing Infrastructure of the Company.
What is the best part of your job?
Seeing evolution and growth of company and the variety of the work I undertake in the role.

EVANS QUARRIES PTY LTD
Kevin Donohue – Managing Director
Phone: (03) 5956 8346

You must be logged in to post a comment Login