The year 1925 marked the peak of the post-war boom for Western Australia, led by a thriving agricultural industry.
Sir James Mitchell was the Premier, and radio had just reached the masses for the first time just six months prior.
But perhaps most notably for Byford, 1925 was the year Harold and Thelma Masters established Masters Milk, launching the beginning of a WA legacy that endures to this day.
The Masters family set to clearing a ‘small’ 106-acre block along what is now known as Masters Rd after settling there in 1923.
By 1930, Harold’s herd of “31 dairy cows, a pure-bred Jersey bull, 14 heifers and three horses” averaged 50 gallons of milk daily.
Through sheer grit and savvy, the Masters grew their dairy, with Harold purchasing adjoining blocks for his two sons.
By the outbreak of the Second World War, the Masters presided over 200 acres of “rich pasture land” in the Darling Downs and 100 head of Jersey cattle which supplied communities around Subiaco, Nedlands, Hollywood and Claremont with milk “twice daily”.
An article which appeared in the Mirror on Saturday October 8, 1938, celebrated the prosperity of Masters Dairy, which had “grown with the district”.
“Standing about half a mile in from the main Armadale-Byford road is a beautiful homestead surrounded by extensive lawns and flower beds. It is the home of Mr E. G. Masters of dairy fame,” the article reads.
“Extensively equipped milking sheds are fitted with the latest apparatus, and 50 cows are continually in milk.
“The father of the family, Mr. H. J. W. Masters (a member of the Armadale Kelmscott Road Board) was, many years ago, a business man in Fremantle. He selected the site at Byford, and much capital and labor [sic] was expended before the scrub gave place to the rich pasture lands upon which the cattle now graze.
“Great measures are resorted to for the purpose of ensuring good hay and green food all the year round. Last year Mr Masters cut 300 tons of hay: and from his huge silo comes the ensilage that provides luscious green feed during the dry months.
“It is because of those measures that the milk from the Masters dairy is so rich and nutritious, the cream content being among the state’s highest.
“Special clovers and grasses are grown on the property, the cows are carefully selected, and everything possible is done to see that Masters’ milk, which has helped to build the name of the district, is the compeer of any other produced in the state.”
The business continued to grow until Wesfarmers bought out the Masters family in 1947.
An article in The Farmers’ Weekly on November 6, 1947, announced the merger of five metropolitan companies – Cartwrights, Central, Masters, Pascomi, and Premier – as Masters Dairy Pty Ltd.
“The object, it is said, is to provide the consuming public with purer milk, for which purpose the latest milk treatment machinery is to be purchased and installed at a purchase price of approximately £20,000,” the article reads.
“The five companies deliver about a quarter of the quantity consumed in the metropolitan area.”
In 1963, the main manufacturing building at Bentley officially opened which ushered in a new era featuring homogenised milk in cartons, and the flavoured milk for which Masters became famous for.
The following couple of decades saw Masters pioneer a range of industry firsts, including bulk pick-up tanker trucks, frozen milk in new waterproof cardboard containers which was exported to south-east Asia, and a trolley system which streamlined distribution.
Today marks a century since the Masters family first introduced their milk to the state. Although the iconic brand is now owned by Bega, Masters still occupies a special place in hearts and minds around WA.
To celebrate this local icon, an exhibition has just been launched at WA Museum Boola Bardip.
Open now until Sunday 30 March, the eight-week exhibition will feature a curated display of Masters’ legacy, featuring vintage advertising, historical artefacts and memorable items that reflect the brand’s heritage and impact in Western Australia.
Michael Partridge, a fourth-generation dairy farmer whose family has proudly supplied Masters for many decades, played a pivotal role in bringing the exhibition to life.
His contributions, including vintage packaging, old bottles, and butter churns, highlight the brand’s enduring legacy and connection to Western Australia.
“It’s not just about producing high-quality dairy; it’s about the shared history we’ve built and the trust Western Australian families have placed in us over the decades. Being part of this exhibition and sharing these pieces of Masters’ past has been a proud way to honour its 100-year milestone and celebrate a brand that holds such deep roots in our community,” he said.
