Summary

Colour aerial photograph of the surrounding farmland and housing at the construction site of the Kodak factory complex at Coburg, 1961. This view looks North-West from the Coburg construction site and the northern boundary of the site can be seen located along the backyards of the residences in Tilley Street and running down to the bank of Edgars Creek. The levelled earthworks to the front left of picture was reserved for the NW Car Park and entrance to the site off Tilley Street and to the front right of picture was reserved for Building 20, Colour Print & Processing. The steep West bank of Edgars Creek can be seen in centre left of picture with Livingstone and Arthur Streets running down to the bend in the creek.

Construction of the Kodak factory complex in Coburg began in 1957 on 23 hectares of former farmland. Since 1908, Kodak had been operating from the factory in Abbotsford and had gradually outgrown the premises. The Abbotsford factory remained operational while the Coburg plant was being built until it closed in1966. Architect Harry Norris of H A & F L Norris & Associates, created the design for the new factory and individual buildings for the manufacture of silver halide photographic products. The building contract was awarded to Lewis Constructions Pty Ltd. The still uncompleted complex was officially opened on 14 April 1961 by the Prime Minister, Robert G. Menzies with Dr. A Chapman, President of Eastman Kodak Company, in attendance. The complex was the national headquarters of Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd.

This photograph is part of the Kodak collection of products, promotional materials, photographs and working life artefacts collected from Kodak Australasia in 2005, when the Melbourne manufacturing plant at Coburg closed down.

Description of Content

Photograph of open farmland and suburban housing. To the right in the foreground is a cleared area of land, possibly part of the factory complex. To the right, in the fore and mid ground, there are suburban blocks of housing. In the distance there is a trail of smoke and a view of suburbia.

Physical Description

Colour photograph printed on medium weight paper with a white border.

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