General News
12 October, 2026
Weaving memories
Former employees of the Maryborough Knitting Mills Beaufort site will come together this Thursday October 15th to reconnect, reminisce and share stories from a workplace that was once a vital part of the town’s industry.
The reunion will provide former workers with an opportunity to reconnect and share memories dating back to 1963 and the years leading up to the mill’s closure.
Among those looking forward to the reunion is Lyn Gilbert, who began working at the Beaufort mill at just 14 years old, still able to recall when she made the decision to trade schoolbooks for sewing machines.
“I walked out of school and went down and threw my hat into the creek and went down and started a day or two after.”
Apart from periods away with marriage and raising children, Ms Gilbert spent close to 15 years working at the mill and remembers her time there fondly.
“It was just a wonderful place to work. Christmas was really special. We all put in over the year a bit of money, and you'd have some of the girls go off and buy gifts, it was great.”
The mill produced a range of clothing from shirts to men's underwear.
Ms Gilbert remembers the standards expected of employees were high during her time, with much of it working on overlockers and working as one of the garment examiners.
“It's not like today, if you made a mistake, it got brought back if the stitching wasn't done properly. Today you pick up half the stuff, and it's not sewn properly.”
With more than 120 former employees already tracked down and invited, Ms Gilbert said anticipation for the reunion was building.
“The girls I've spoken to are really looking forward to this reunion.”
There are also plenty of stories from the mill years that have survived the passage of time.
“There's so many stories,” she said.
Ms Gilbert recalled how one of her colleagues accidentally stepped into wet cement, prompting some choice words with the cement layer.
“She really let him have both barrels, she reckoned she was in there for two or three minutes. They realised if she didn't hurry up and get out, she'd be cemented in.”
The reunion will also hopefully bring together former employees across several generations, including one former worker who is now 100 years old.
“I'm hoping they can bring her, and another who's 94, and she's definitely coming. I'm really hoping the 100-year-old is well enough to come, she was a scream, she was lovely.”
Former employee Nola Hains also began working at the mill as a teenager in 1963.
At 16, Ms Hains had dreams of becoming a hairdresser or policewoman, but instead began her working life at the mill.
She still remembers initially working on the trimmer, a large machine used to remove loose cotton threads after garments had been sewn, before working on the tacking machines.
After more than 50 years, Ms Hains is looking forward to seeing former colleagues once again.
“I'll be looking forward to catching up with a lot of the others that are still around.”
The reunion will be held at the Beeripmo Centre in Beaufort from 2pm to 4pm on Thursday October 15.
The event is free, with attendees asked to bring a plate to share.
RSVPs are required before the close of business today - October 12th. Contact the Beaufort Historical Society at historicalsocietybeaufort@gmail.com or call 0402 090 414.
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