Texas Riverside Freezing and Rabbit Works
The Riverside Freezing Works and Rabbit Factory is currently being restored by the Texas Visitors Association and when restored aims to illustrate a very important era in the districts history. Plans for the Riverside Centre and Freezing Works include an interpretative display on the rabbit factory and other artifacts from the Texas district including local Aboriginal artifacts and items from the old Silverspur Mine. The Centre currently has part of the CR Wilson collection on display and is open by appointment only. Visits can be arranged by phoning (07) 4653 1435 or (07) 4653 1106.
A Brief History
The first part of the building was built in 1928 with final additions completed from 1930-1932. 33 men were employed in the early years and this enterprise has been credited with saving the town of Texas during the depression.
In the early years the unskinned rabbits were sent by boat to England. A special train came to Texas once or twice a week, depending on the demand with 6-7 ice wagons. The ice was made in the building hence the Riverside Freezing Works and supplied to the community for their ice chests.
8-9 trucks had daily runs along all the roads leading tho Texas to collect rabbits that had been trapped over night. The rabbits were placed in screen boxes made of hessian.
A trial to export rabbits to the United States was unsuccesful and after the demand for rabbits in England declined, they were sold all around Australia.
About 1955 the rabbit skins were sent to Akubra and the Sydney Fur Market along with fox and kangaroo skins. When mixamotosis was introduced in 1951, the rabbit plague declined but by 1958 the numbers had increased again as the rabbit had built up an immunity to the disease. The business ceased operating in 1992.
The Bits-N-Pieces Collection
How the Wilson Collection started?
Years ago, Melva, Ruth and I were unloading our garden cuttings at the Texas dump and we noticed an old enamel candle holder in the rubbish. After we recovered it, I explained to Ruth that this is the candle holder in the ‘Wee Willy Winkie’ story we read to you. We took the candle holder home, put a candle in to show Ruth how it lit up the room at night. Melva and I realised that Ruth did not understand what many of the stories and nursery rhymes were all about.
We found simple things, such as horse shoes, old enamel mugs, parts of harness etc to show Ruth and explain what they were and how they were used. As our children arrived, we continued collecting to show them the things we used in earlier times. Our collection grew and when our children were in primary school, one of our outings was to go and search for new things for our little museum. Forty years ago there were many undisturbed dumps on properties in the district and in the bush. Our friends would invite us to go to these dumps on their proerties, and while our children were young, ‘museum hunting’ became quite a weekend adventure for the whole family. Old hotel and camps that has been abandoned often had some interesting things such as open fire cooking utensils, cups, mugs and pieces of furniture, some of which were still in good condition. By the time our children went away to school, we had established quite a large collection which was housed in an old butcher shop I had moved from High Street and placed in our back garden.
Over the years Melva and I maintained an interest in collecting ‘bits & pieces’ and many people donated pieces they thought were interesting and wished to have preserved, including a complete photographic outlet made of wood to process film from old large format cameras. We also visited second-hand shops which were in most towns forty or so years ago. Old lamps, kitchenware and all sorts of bits and pieces were on sale at very low prices. In time the second hand shops became antique shops and prices increased ten fold. However we did visit the antique shops and often found pieces we needed to fill gaps that were missing from some of the collections.
When I reached 75, I decided to retire and as an interest restored the old engines I had collected over the years. I had bought some at clearing sales, others had been trade-ins from my businesses or given to me by friends. Thirteen were restored to starting condition and painted as near to the original colours. Most of these engines are between 50 and 100 years old and represent the main source of power after steam had finished. 
We wanted the collection to stay in Texas and handed it to the Texas Visitors Association for safe keeping. It is now on display at the Riverside Complex off Mingoola Road.
Roger Wilson
