THE 50-year life of an empty, fire-damaged and vandalised Millicent landmark turned to rubble this week when it was demolished by machinery.
The Lossie Road factory was purchased by a local investor for $48,000 (plus GST) at auction earlier this year after Wattle Range Council ordered its sale to re-coup unpaid rates dating back to 2014.
The derelict building was extensively damaged by fire in 2014 with police stating at the time there were suspicious circumstances regarding its cause.
The blaze caused toxic smoke to blanket over a residential area and left a repair bill estimated as high as $500,000.
Following the fire, the factory was subject to extensive vandalism.
The unoccupied Lossie Road premises has had a chequered history over the past 49 years.
It was purpose-built for vegetable processing in 1969 and later processed lobsters for SAFCOL followed by potato chips for SAFRIES and then the Vistara fish farm and backpackers complex.
The owner Steven Gatt passed away several years ago and council appointed a Millicent agent to sell the industrial property.
