Stamp of approval for famous label

By Gus Underwood

Jan 23, 2024

Making Ky proud: Historians Pauline Laidlaw, Chris George, Barry Churches and Marg Richards. Photo by Djembe Archibald

Australia Post gave the stamp of approval for the iconic Kyabram KY canned fruit label to feature in a new batch of stamps released Australia-wide on Monday.

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The label selected by Australia Post is believed to be from the immediate post-World War II period and features a can of two ripe bright yellow pears with the famous KY initials blazoned above them.

Two other now-extinct former fruit processing companies, the Leeton-based Letona and a Cairns tropical fruit factory, also feature in the new release.

Pair of pears: The label selected by Australia Post is believed to be from the immediate post-World War II period and features a can of two ripe bright yellow pears with the famous KY initials blazoned above them. Photo by Djembe Archibald

One born and bred Kyabramite who is particularly excited about the recognition and publicity Kyabram will get from the release is octogenarian and town stalwart Barry Churches.

Barry’s family history – his grandfather and father were both long-standing Kyabram orchardists — is steeped in Kyabram’s fruit canned industry and the Kyabram Cannery, still Kyabram’s best-known institution, although it has not preserved local fruit since 1982.

Barry’s mother (Violet Holden) was also the first office girl employed by Charlie Crichton, secretary of the company from 1932 to 1936.

In her capacity to assist him, she met and talked to many buyers and wholesalers.

News stamp: The Kyabram Preserving Company ceased canning local fruit under the famous KY label in 1983. Photo by Djembe Archibald

Barry said his mother often told him that the KY label was the best in the industry because of the design, particularly the blue and gold colours, which made quite an impact.

Barry said that as a former orchardist himself and supplier to the Kyabram Cannery, he had collected plenty of KY memorabilia over the years.

He said as far as he knows, the Kyabram stamp will be the first recognition of this type for the town.

‘‘I don’t know of any other Australian postal stamp which features Kyabram,’’ Barry said.

The advertising surrounding the centenary book launch and reunion in late 2022 is believed to be the catalyst for Australia Post becoming involved, although it had shown interest in such a project prior to that.

New and approved: Australia Post gave the stamp of approval for the iconic Kyabram KY canned fruit label to feature in a new batch of stamps. Photo by Djembe Archibald

Key organisers of that centenary reunion, Chris George and Marg Richards, both said they felt honoured about Kyabram and its famous fruit cannery getting such Australia-wide publicity with the revival of its famous fruit label.

‘‘We supplied a variety of KY labels, and they made the decision on the one that they would use. The cannery centenary committee is very happy with their choice, ’’ Marg said.

Chris George, whose late father Ron Goode was a local orchardist who supplied the Kyabram Cannery up to 1998 before leasing out his orchard, echoed Marg’s thoughts about the publicity Kyabram would get from the release.

Chris’ great-grandfather Arthur Goode was an original supplier of fruit to the cannery back in 1922.

There are still a few Kyabram Cannery Centenary books available and can be obtained at kyabramcannerycentenary@gmail.com

The Kyabram Preserving Company ceased canning local fruit under the famous KY label in 1983.

Local fruit continued to be used for jam making and non-canning fruit production until about 2006, after which SPC fruit was used until 2021 when the last ever jar of IXL jam rolled off the production line.