History
The Copland family in salt production.
Members of the Copland family have been producing salt in the Lake Charm region since the early 1880’s. Brothers’ Murray and Alec are the 5th generation currently working in the family business.
As far back as 1883 William Copland was harvesting and bagging salt from a natural salt lake called Lake Kelly, approximately 6km north of the Township of Lake Cha
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Following on from his father, Alec Copland (born 1868) worked in the salt industry, also producing salt from nearby Little Lake and Lake William. In these early days the salt was transported by horse and wagon to the Murray River and transported by paddle steamer. By 1891 salt was also delivered to the Lake Charm Railway Station to be sent by rail.
The third generation: William “Bill” Copland (born 1902) followed his father into the family business, by this time all salt was delivered to the Railway Station. Bill harvested salt from all three aforementioned salt lakes and also from Spencers Lake. Later, due to the high rainfall years of 1955/56 Spencers Lake became unusable due to flood water inundating it.
Bill’s son Ken Copland (born 1936) began working in the salt industry in 1956. Two years later in 1958, Ken formed a business partnership with good friend George Gillingham calling it the Lake Charm Salt Company. This partnership succeeded with Ken and George working as business partners for 38 years. During this time there was much change, the company expanded greatly, with up to 18 employees. With the advent of the Barr Creek Drainage diversion scheme set up by the Rural Water Commission in 1968-70, the three natural salt lakes of William, Little and Kelly were inundated with spent irrigation water causing all salt harvesting to cease. Sadly, as a result all employees were made redundant. In later years, when much drier conditions allowed, the business has managed several opportunist salt harvests from Lake William. From 1980 onwards Lake Charm Salt has again conducted salt harvesting from Spencers Lake.
Ken’s eldest son Murray Copland started in the business in 1981 and youngest son Alec Copland in 1991.
George Gillingham share of the business was bought out in 1996.
Ken Copland retired from the business in 2004.
In the last 20 years, Lake Charm Salt has progressed substantially with new automated equipment enabling a higher output of salt supplied to customers in a safe and reliable manner. The company is expanding again and currently employs seven people. Since 2010 Lake Charm Salt has been able to augment its existing salt supplies by harvesting salt from Duck Lake. With the addition of a new salt dryer, Lake Charm salt will be able to pursue larger customers. Who knows, maybe one day soon a sixth generation of the Copland family could enter the salt industry!