Laura residents left wondering what comes next after Golden North moves to Murray Bridge
Ice cream manufacturer Golden North announced yesterday it will move its operations from the mid-north town of Laura to Murray Bridge.
Golden North managing director Dimi Kyriazis said the move to Murray Bridge, 275 kilometres away, was to be better connected to its milk suppliers.
The company first opened its Laura factory in 1923 and has about 80 staff at the site.
Meryl cafe and Laura Emporium owner Frank Bernhardt said Laura revolved around Golden North, and its exit would be a blow to locals.
"It hasn't been thought out very well, the way they've done it," Mr Bernhardt said.
"They should have talked to people in the town and let them know things aren't going well, rather than just dropping a bomb.
Laura is a township of around 750 people, located a half-hour drive from Port Pirie and a two-and-a-half-hour drive north of Adelaide.
Mr Bernhardt said his shop would survive the company's move, but it would take away a big tourism drawcard.
"We call ourselves the Golden North outlet in Laura; we have every flavour," he said.
"We try to give people a Golden North experience where they can watch a video, read about the history, and have a sample.
Golden North's move will be completed in 12 months, and the SA government announced it will provide $1 million to support the town's transition away from Golden North.
Northern Areas Council Mayor Sue Scarman was shocked when she heard the move was final.
"They have spoken about moving several times previously, so we started to get used to them talking about it, but this time they're going," Ms Scarman said.
"They are the furniture in the corner of our town, they've been here forever.
"There's a big hole. Laura and Golden North are synonymous, but that will disappear and become history."
Golden North will move into the former Beston Global Food premises in Murray Bridge.
Laura factory operations manager Rick Willis has lived in Laura for 18 years, and his wife also works at Golden North.
"There was obviously a sadness because of what it's going to do to Laura," Mr Willis said.
"But from a business point of view, there was really only one option.
"It's only getting harder to be located so far away from where all our ingredients come from, which is just the nature of where we are."
Golden North has said it would give priority to the workers at Laura if they wanted to make the move to Murray Bridge.
Murray Bridge dairy farmer Warren Doecke said the move was positive for the region's dairy industry during a tough period.
Mr Doecke lost about 25 per cent of his milk income with the collapse of Beston Global Food last year.
"We could have lived with Bestons if we'd have had a really good season, and we could have lived with drought if we got our money out of Bestons," he said.
"To have another processor in the town is certainly a positive move."
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News.com.au
4 minutes ago
- News.com.au
The Block dud suburbs revealed: Shock data shows reno risks
The Block's horror track record at picking suburbs for its high-profile flips has sparked warnings would-be renovators could risk vast sums of money following their lead. New analysis of median prices in the year leading up to the show's auction days for the past 17 seasons shows homes in seven of the suburbs were losing money months before contestants picked up a paint brush or emotionally abused their partner. In ten of those seasons, the show's selected suburb was significantly outperformed by the wider Melbourne or Sydney market, depending where it was located. And it appears their latest destination in Daylesford is on track to join the list of money-losing suburb choices. Latest figures show the suburb's $818,000 median has dropped $72,000 in the 12 months to the end of June. On Phillip Island last year, price records show that in the 12 months it took the show to go from buying its Cowes site to hosting the auctions in November, the median house price had tumbled $35,000 (4.5 per cent) to $750,000. And by the time the show's Hampton East auctions were held in November 2023, the local median price had dropped more than $100,000 — despite the figures used to calculate that median including The Block's sales. One of the homes purchased by high profile billionaire Adrian Portelli has already gone on to sell for a more than $1m loss. Median price reductions typically reflect a reduction in the majority of home prices in an area, including higher-end offerings like those on The Block. The reality renovation show has also been criticised for over renovating to the point where homes are sold far below what the updates would cost, as well as for its impossible time frames and unrealistic auction results. Depreciation schedules calculated for the last season of The Block by quantity surveyors BMT showed all of the homes would eventually allow an investor to claim more than $4m in tax deductions as the value of the materials and fixtures added during the renovation declined. The highest price paid was $3.3m, but the rest sold for less than $3m, indicating the properties were overcapitalised by close to $1m. With another season commencing, property, building and renovation experts have advised anyone inspired by the reality TV program to watch Grand Designs or to head to social media or YouTube for a dose of renovation before starting their own attempt. Prominent buyer's agent Cate Bakos said after more than a decade, only picking 60 per cent of suburbs where values rose wasn't a good strike rate, and in many instances it should have been clear they wouldn't perform well. Ms Bakos said more recent choices to centre the show in regional Victorian townships including Phillip Island and this year's season in Daylesford had gone against wider trends of the state's regional holiday home hotspots' values facing a protracted down turn — and anyone looking for a flip should consider similar areas with caution. 'Buying near the peak for the regional areas is a bit silly,' Ms Bakos said. 'We had crazy growth during Covid, so I wouldn't have chosen regions as a location for The Block.' The prominent buyer's agent said it was important those considering a renovation while watching this season should be very conscious that the homes were heavily overcapitalised, and warned their auctions were unrealistic. 'I would argue that it's all questionable,' Ms Bakos said. 'Watch Grand Designs — that's a better insight, I think, than The Block into what can go wrong.' 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Instead, he advised a more practical approach starting with understanding what was missing but likely to soon be in demand in an area, working out what buyers would pay for it and then calculating if there could still be a profit — factoring in a buffer in case the market doesn't rise. 'Then, if the market goes in your direction and it works well, you will double your profits,' Mr Flux said. Caitlin Hamston and her partner Scott have flipped or built four properties across Melbourne's inner west over the past nine years. On two occasions they've lived in the homes during the renovations, a process they wouldn't recommend for anyone with kids. While they stick to areas they know, they will even give these a miss if conditions aren't right. 'If it was going backwards, we would avoid it,' Ms Hamston said. 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Expert Advice For Flipping Properties – Focus on areas you know with good amenities, schools and transport; – Work out what housing an area is missing, who will buy it and what they will pay; – Calculate a budget based on what buyers are likely to pay; – Aim to be selling a home close to the suburb's median price, to ensure the most potential buyers; – Expect to make mistakes and budget for them; – Consider potentially hidden holding costs including land tax, interest rate repayments and energy bills for the site; – Budget for realistic time lines to complete work; – Don't assume that lots of other people doing a particular type of home flip or development in an area means they are making a profit, check your own numbers; – Look for areas with high street appeal, then look for homes or blocks without easements or issues that could hamper your plans to renovate; – Get good trades around you that are reliable; – Consider higher cost improvements such as updating the facade and even adding a pool, if there is advice it will help boost a sale; – Avoid properties with low-return repairs needed, such as those that require underpinning; – Explore YouTube channels and even social media for advice from qualified builders and trades, not 'reality' TV; – Don't rush into things; – Try engaging with local community property development networking events; Sources: Property Developer Network's Rob Flux, Buyer's advocate Cate Bakos, serial flipper Caitlin Hamston THE BLOCK SUBURBS' TRACK RECORD Daylesford, 2025 (The Block auction to be held November) Median house price 2025 (June): $818,000 Median house price 2024 (June): $890,000 12-month change: -$72,000 (-8.1%) Melbourne average change: -$1106 (-1.3%) Phillip Island, 2024 (November) Median house price 2024: $750,000 Median house price 2023: $785,000 12-month change: -$35,000 (-4.5%) Melbourne average: $0 (0%) Hampton East, 2023 (November) Median house price 2023: $1,437,500 Median house price 2022: $1.55m 12-month change: -$112,500 (-7.3%) Melbourne average: -$30,000 (-3.3%) Gisborne, 2022 (November) Median unit price 2022: $1.2m Median unit price 2021:$935,000 12-month change: $265,000 (28.3%) Melbourne average change: $43,000 (5%) Hampton, 2021 (November) Median unit price 2021: $2.33m Median unit price 2020: $1.903m 12-month change: $430,000 (22.4%) Melbourne average change: $111,000 (14.8%) Brighton, 2020 (November) Median house price 2020: $2.71m Median house price 2019: $2.545m 12-month change: $165,000 (6.5%) Melbourne average change: $26,000 (3.6%) St Kilda, 2019 (November) Median unit price 2019: $528,809 Median unit price 2018: $514,000 12-month change: $14,809 (2.9%) Melbourne average change: -$20,000 (-3.5%) St Kilda, 2018 (October) Median unit price 2018: $525,000 Median unit price 2017: $542,500 12-month change: -$17,500 (-3.2%) Melbourne average change: $21,200 (3.9%) Elsternwick, 2017 (October) Median house price 2017: $1.87m Median house price 2016: $1.605m 12-month change: $265,000 (16.5%) Melbourne average change: $25,000 (4.8%) Port Melbourne, 2016 (November) Median unit price 2016: $643,750 Median unit price 2015: $652,500 12-month change: -$8750 (-1.3%) Melbourne average change: $20,000 (4%) South Yarra, 2015 (November) Median unit price 2015: $590,000 Median unit price 2014: $560,000 12-month change: $30,000 (5.4%) Melbourne average change: $26,500 (5.5%) South Yarra, 2015 (April) Median unit price 2015: $577,800 Median unit price 2014: $552,000 12-month change: $25,800 (4.7%) Melbourne average change: $18,100 (3.9%) Prahran, 2014 (October) Median unit price 2014: $504,000 Median unit price 2013: $522,500 12-month change: -$18,500 (-3.4%) Melbourne average change: $27,000 (6%) Albert Park, 2014 (April) Median unit price 2014: $701,000 Median unit price 2013: $430,000 12-month change: $271,000 (63%) Melbourne average change: $29,627 (6.8%) South Melbourne, 2013 (July) Median unit price 2013: $511,000 Median unit price 2012: $535,000 12-month change: -$24,000 (-4.5%) Melbourne average change: $40,000 (9.2%) Bondi, 2013 (March) Median house price 2013: $1,567,500 Median house price 2012: $1,247,500 12-month change: $320,000 (25%) Sydney average change: $42,000 (7.4%) South Melbourne, 2012 (July) Median house price 2012: $894,500 Median house price 2011: $985,000 12-month change: -$90,500 (-9.2%) Melbourne average change: -$15,000 (-3%) Richmond, 2011 (August) Median house price 2011: $845,000 Median house price 2010: $805,000 12-month change: $40,000 (5%) Melbourne average change: $35,000 (7.6%)


West Australian
6 hours ago
- West Australian
WA to be thunderstruck as AC/DC, Ed Sheeran, Ashes and WWE head to town from September
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News.com.au
9 hours ago
- News.com.au
Mount Waverley home stuns with $2.33m auction result
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