The Horlicks Milk Hole

[Green Hornet]

Not wanting to hijack @DerekD's post on The Slippery Chip, I thought I'd put up my own about the Milk Hole for those interested.

The Milk Hole was the Shoalhaven River's version of the Bondi Murk. The Horlicks Factory produced a powdered drink that you'd mix with warm milk which was supposed to help you sleep and was situated on the North side of the river just downstream of the Shoalhaven Bridge at Nowra. In the 1970's and back long before the EPA, every so often the factory would discharge a milky waste directly into the river that would put many species of fish into a feeding frenzy.

All the usual fishing methods worked, though if you were in the know and could access some from an employee there, this gooey product Horlicks added to their brew would outfish all other baits 20:1. It was just known as gluten and was like a clear chewing gum that stuck to your fingers like glue and would make a huge mess of everything you touched.

Perch, bream and blackfish could be caught a fish a cast, though as a sports fisherman the real prize was the large bully mullet attracted to the area. Mullet between 3 and 4kg were common and were a whole heap of fun trying to land one on 2kg line with their amazingly fast runs and high jumps. At times the riverbank would be lined shoulder to shoulder with all types from us light line guys to others swinging large, home made jag hooks on long heavy surf rods. 

The EPA clamped down on the factoy in the early 80's putting a halt to the discharge and the fishing there was never the same again. Horlicks shut it doors soon after and is currently the site of the Manildra Ethanol Plant.

Thanks @wazatherfishermanfor raising the subject and bringing back so many good memories of the good ol' days.

 

[Rebel]

I was raised on Horlicks. YUM. True story.

Edited November 10, 2022 by Rebel

[wazatherfisherman]

Just to add to Pete's story- there was a state estuary comp won by teams fishing this exact spot and using the sticky stuff for bait. Can't remember the year, somewhere around 1977-8

[bessell1955]

So the discharge was loved by the fish!

[JimT]

reminds me of a spot called The Chute which was behind the old Prince Henry Hospital. Spot was south of what I remember was Doctors rock and Greeny and I think north of The Pinnacle.

Apparently the chute was where the food waste was literally dumped into the ocean from the hospital. So naturally fish were used to a free feed.

So when we fished there it only needed a small amount of burley to liven things up... circa early-mid 1970's ?

Jim

Edited November 10, 2022 by jot

[mrsswordfisherman]

24 minutes ago, jot said:

reminds me of a spot called The Chute which was behind the old Prince Henry Hospital. Spot was south of what I remember was Doctors rock and Greeny and I think north of The Pinnacle.

Apparently the chute was where the food waste was literally dumped into the ocean from the hospital. So naturally fish were used to a free feed.

So when we fished there it only needed a small amount of burley to liven things up... circa early-mid 1970's ?

Jim

I was there in 75 and 76 training to be a nurse. I lived in and we frequented the nurses beach for swimming. 
I think I know where The Chute might have been.

[Green Hornet]

12 hours ago, bessell1955 said:

So the discharge was loved by the fish!

It sure was. It used to turn the water a white milky color for a couple of hundred meters downstream and acted like a huge berley trail before it dissipated.

[Green Hornet]

7 hours ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

I was there in 75 and 76 training to be a nurse. I lived in and we frequented the nurses beach for swimming. 
I think I know where The Chute might have been.

Did you ever do any of your training at Westmead Hospital Donna?
I did a couple of years of my apprenticeship as a maintenance carpenter on the nurses training section there around 75/76.

[mrsswordfisherman]

37 minutes ago, Green Hornet said:

Did you ever do any of your training at Westmead Hospital Donna?
I did a couple of years of my apprenticeship as a maintenance carpenter on the nurses training section there around 75/76.

No Pete I did not. I was based at Prince Henry, Prince of Wales and the Eastern Subs Hospital. 
I am sure you enjoyed that time - nurses are always busting things than need tradies attention!

[Green Hornet]

1 hour ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

No Pete I did not. I was based at Prince Henry, Prince of Wales and the Eastern Subs Hospital. 
I am sure you enjoyed that time - nurses are always busting things than need tradies attention!

……and tradies are always hurting themselves requiring some TLC haha.

It was a great place to work, especially for a young, single fella.

[JimT]

18 hours ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

I was there in 75 and 76 training to be a nurse. I lived in and we frequented the nurses beach for swimming. 
I think I know where The Chute might have been.

My parents ran the corner store opposite the main entrance to PHH 1974-77. All I remember is a lot of sandwiches and rolls were made every lunch time........... our sandwich hands were Nelly B and Betty C.

I use to fish on the weekends and then sold my XS fish to the pensioners in the retirement home near us, to pay for my fishing addiction.

Jim

[mrsswordfisherman]

3 hours ago, jot said:

My parents ran the corner store opposite the main entrance to PHH 1974-77. All I remember is a lot of sandwiches and rolls were made every lunch time........... our sandwich hands were Nelly B and Betty C.

I use to fish on the weekends and then sold my XS fish to the pensioners in the retirement home near us, to pay for my fishing addiction.

Jim

Jim we all loved that store. I would go and buy my bread and milk and make toast with vegemite in my little room

[JimT]

as it turns out, the nurses accommodation on Pine Ave is now a Lend Lease over 55's 1,2 and 3 bedroom units and Mum lives in one of them. Would not have guessed she would be back after 40+ years.

[JimT]

23 hours ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

I was there in 75 and 76 training to be a nurse. I lived in and we frequented the nurses beach for swimming. 
I think I know where The Chute might have been.

nurses beach, that would be Little Bay Beach?

Often saw nurses on the rocks on the southern headland chasing a more "all over tan"