Abandoned butter factory coming back to life

A band of volunteers is restoring the historic building, to tell the stories from its heyday.

Tyson Golder, Ken Dawes, Ray Howson, Mark Edwards, Dennis Giles and Ken Beitz are working to restore the Roma Butter Factory. Picture: Jorja McDonnell

KEN Beitz has been fascinated by Roma's former butter factory since he was a boy - and his interest never waned after it shut down.

Now, 59 years on, the semi-retired builder is breathing new life in to the historic landmark.

"I would have been 10 years old when the factory closed, and I always drove past it after that, thinking this lovely old building is going to waste,” Mr Beitz said.

"So when the chance came to restore it, I jumped in.

"I have always loved doing up old buildings. So far I have replaced the top windows, and painting those letters is something I've wanted to do for a long time.”

The butter factory closed in 1960 due to a lack of local suppliers.

But a team of six people alongside the Roma Historical Precincts Inc are determined to restore the factory to its former glory.

The restoration will be done with a simple philosophy in mind, Mr Beitz said.

"When I did up one old house years ago, somebody said to me 'you have made that sad old house smile', and that is what we have to do to the factory,” Mr Beitz said.

"We are trying to bring the building back to where it was, that is the long term plan,” Roma Historical Precincts Inc secretary Ray Howson said. "In the short term we are trying to get it tidy, so on August 3 we can hold an open day.

"We are hoping to get people in the building to have a look, because a lot of locals haven't seen it at all.” The team are still looking for an electrician and a plumber.