Spinning a legacy: The story of Macquarie Textiles in Albury
A nostalgic exhibition highlighting the legacy of Albury’s first major manufacturing company, Macquarie Textiles, has opened at the Albury LibraryMuseum.
Documenting the journey from humble beginnings in 1923, Local Threads: A History of Macquarie Textiles in Albury, showcases almost 100 years of textile history.
The exhibition brings together images, objects and documents from the Museum and Social History Collection and items on loan from members of the community.
Founded in 1923 by local graziers as an outlet for their wool, Amalgamated Textiles, as it was known then, was Albury’s first big manufacturing company and provided employment for about 700 workers at its peak, stimulating local economic growth.
Exhibition curator Sandra Endresz said the Albury LibraryMuseum collected, conserved and researched key artefacts and oral histories, playing a crucial role in capturing and sharing the story of Macquarie Textiles.
“This exhibition will give members of the public an opportunity to reminisce about the people, products and innovations behind one of the major players in Australia’s textile industry.
“The objects on display, and in the Collection, are preserved for future generations. We also hope this exhibition will encourage others to share their stories and memories of their time at the woollen mills.”
The company became known as Macquarie Worsteds Ltd in 1957, and as Macquarie Textiles Group Ltd in 1994.
By 2000, Macquarie Textiles was Australia’s largest woollen and worsted textile mill, manufacturing wool-rich fashion fabrics, machine knitting yarns, woollen blankets, upholstery cloth, industry cloth, safety cloth and weaving yarns for both domestic and overseas markets.
Macquarie Textiles closed its doors permanently at the end of 2020.
You can view the exhibition at the Albury LibraryMuseum until 19 April 2026.
To learn more, visit Local Threads: A History of Macquarie Textiles in Albury | AlburyCity