Queensland Woollen Manufacturing Company Ltd.

A notice in the local newspaper on 5 November 1874 advised that Qld Woollen Manufacturing Company would be registered under the Companies Act of 1863 and have its head office in Ipswich. A prospectus was available for prospective shareholders of this limited liability company. Dignitaries, businessmen and ordinary folk became shareholders, purchasing their shares via several installments over the next couple of years. John Macfarlane, William Ginn, John Hine, A. W. Foote, James Foote and C. F. Chubb were all shareholders in the early years.

From early days until about 1918 the company had an office in Ipswich CBD, first in Brisbane Street near the Palais Royal Hotel, and then in East Street within the Building Society property. (Probably Ipswich and West Moreton Building Society.)

The mill, built by William Cramb & featuring machinery from England, opened on Tuesday 16 October 1877 on over 7 acres of land located at North Ipswich, on the Bremer River. This was the first woollen mill in Queensland.

The mill manufactured woollen fabrics such as tweed, flannel, worsteds and serge cloth. The mill was the maker of the "Ipswich Flannel", commonly referred to as "The Ipswich Grey Flannel", a standard item of dress. Blankets, great coats and uniforms for defence personnel, railway employees and police were also produced. The company made uniforms for soldiers of the Boer War, World War I and World War II.  Locally, their fabric could be purchased from Ginn & Hooper. They boasted that they were the only firm in the world that processed wool from scouring to ready-made garment. However in 1911 Qld Woollen Manufacturing Company decided to sell off the dressmaking and tailoring section to Bishop & Woodward.

In 1890 a brick and iron building was added to the mill property. At this time, almost 70% of mill employees were females. An extension of the main building in 1915 was designed by George Brockwell Gill.

In 1968 Qld Woollen Manufacturing Company purchased Ipswich Woollen Mills at East Ipswich and subsequently became Australian Fabric Manufacturers. This enterprise was soon taken over by Max Frost however the mill closed shortly after in the early 1970s.

Queensland Woollen Manufacturing Co. was a major Ipswich employer for nearly a hundred years.

Hancock Brothers sawmill was adjacent to the woollen mill property at North Ipswich. In 1984 Hancocks purchased the older part of the mill to use for plywood manufacturing. In 1995 this business became Boral Hancock. It closed in 2011 and four years later Ipswich City Council bought the site.