Sunshine Harvester Works

Sunshine Harvester Works was a large manufacturing complex for agricultural machinery in Australia. The facility encompassed over a hundred buildings spread across extensive grounds, including administrative offices, storage areas, a clock tower, and gardens for workers.

The factory was relocated to this site in 1906 by H.V. McKay from Ballarat and grew into the Southern Hemisphere's largest manufacturing operation. A labor dispute here in 1907 resulted in a landmark court decision that established minimum wage standards for Australian workers.

The factory was a major employer that shaped community life through its daily operations and workforce. Workers relied on bicycles to travel between different departments, reflecting how deeply the plant was woven into local routines.

The complex is located in a Melbourne suburb and is accessible as a historical industrial site. Comfortable shoes are recommended since the grounds are extensive and walking between buildings requires time.

The site was so important to the area that the entire suburb was renamed after it in 1907, not the other way around. Local residents petitioned to change the original name from Braybrook Junction to Sunshine in recognition of the factory's influence.

Founders: H. V. McKay

GPS coordinates: -37.78100,144.83200

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:58