The history of textile manufacture in Australia 1788 - 2020
Creators: name: FERGUSSON, Stanley
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 330315
subject: Textile and fashion design
classificationCode: 430302
subject: Australian history

description: The objective of this research is to bring together the history of textile manufacturing in Australia from first settlement in 1788, until the present day. It will show how major domestic and international events have impacted on the industry. The role of the British Government, in controlling the development of the wool industry, in the earliest days of settlement in NSW and Tasmania, and its influence on the start of textile manufacturing is significant. The development of the wool fibre industry under John Macarthur and the Rev. Samuel Marsden is an important part of the textile story. The introduction of cotton fibre into Australia, and incentives paid by governments, led to the development of the cotton processing industry.  

The Victorian textile manufacturing industry in particular, developed after the Gold Rush, as a means of creating employment in regional towns when surplus labour became available, following the decline in the output of gold. After federation in 1901, the Commonwealth Government invested in textile manufacture in order that the country would be self-sufficient in textile materials for defence purposes. This policy was responsible for the establishment of a woollen mill in North Geelong that would provide fabric to cloth defence forces and other government workers.  

The industry grew rapidly during both WWI and WWII, when textile mills produced materials for military purposes. This growth resulted in large increases in the employment of women in textile factories. Increased flax production occurred during WWII, resulting in the development of the manufacture of linen, that continued until 1979.

Immigration, following WWII saw significant increases in textile manufacture, particularly in Victoria. High import tariffs on manufactured goods restricted the quantity of garments and textiles entering the country. The change in the Commonwealth Government in 1972 resulted in significant reductions to import tariffs in 1973 and the removal of import quotas that gave rise to a large number of retrenchments in the industry. Further reductions in tariffs took place in the late 1980's that resulted in a large number of textile mill employees losing their jobs as a result of industry closures. Exports of manufactured textiles were important, particularly in the area of cotton yarns, but these exports were severely damaged by increases in the value of the Australian currency. 

After the Gold Rush Victoria became the centre for textile manufacture within Australia. One reason for this was the Victorian colonial government's policy on trade, particularly as compared with NSW. During the colonial period, Victoria imposed tariffs on imported materials from both overseas and other colonies. New South Wales policy was one of Free Trade. The establishment of wool processing mills, spinning and weaving, took place in other states in order to process the wool that was grown in these states. 

This thesis relates to the rise and ultimate fall of an industry that was heavily dependent, initially on wool, then cotton and man-made fibres. It provided much of the wealth that developed Australian manufacturing.