Texas Qld Inc - Rabbit Factory

In the 1930’s, the great depression devastated the Texas Township. Little or no work was available and government assistance was limited. The feral rabbit population made working the land virtually impossible, resulting in many turning to rabbit trapping to make a living. Soon after the rabbit industry began to flourish and became an economic lifeline for the community. Their vast population proved a large and valuable source of meat and furs to sell and export to England.
Founded in 1930, the Rabbit Factory is said to have saved the town of Texas, Qld during the great depression in the 1930s. Families with no or little income were trapping rabbits, getting payed up to $1 for a pair. The rabbits had such an impact on the community that people were buying properties just with ‘Rabbit Money’.
Processing 30,000 rabbits in the first two weeks, the factory increased their production steadily over the years, employing over 30 men and exporting the rabbits to the UK and later on sending the fur to Akubra in Sydney.
The Texas Rabbit Factory added extensions to the building over the years, including a freezing works. In the freezing section of the factory, ice was made with which the rabbits were stored and later on transported to the consumer.
With the introduction of the Myxomatosis Virus in Australia, rabbit population was minimized and the factory minimized staff to a handful of workers. The factory ceased to operate in 1992.