“Chicory,” it’s a word you might associate with coffee, but have you ever wondered where it comes from? Here, in Melbourne, stands a Chicory Kiln. It is a monument to a time when this humble root played a surprisingly important role in Australian agriculture.
This Chicory Kiln whispers tales of Phillip Island. There, in 1870, Chicory farming took root. Farmers grew the plant for its root. They primarily used it as a coffee additive or substitute. Imagine the aroma of roasted chicory mingling with the salty sea air.
Initially, farmers sent their crops by sea to Melbourne for processing. But that soon changed. The first Chicory Kiln on Phillip Island appeared in 1873. By 1920, at least 25 kilns dotted the landscape. This Chicory Kiln before you is a testament to that boom.
Operating a kiln was no easy task. Each one needed three tonnes of firewood to dry one tonne of chicory root. This demand sadly led to deforestation on the island. General farming combined with chicory harvesting proved tough. Many early hopefuls abandoned their land. They turned it over to sheep and cattle grazing.
Even digging out the roots was hard work. In 1884, a local farmer invented the “chicory devil.” This tool, with its spade-like blade, helped until 1930. Later, horse-drawn ploughs and tractor-drawn rippers took over.
Phillip Island’s climate proved perfect for chicory farming. The soil, lack of frost, rainfall, and sea air created ideal conditions. Peak production arrived in the 1940s. At that time, over 75% of Australia’s chicory came from Phillip Island and its surroundings.
But, as with many agricultural booms, this one faded. By the mid-1970s, chicory farming declined rapidly. Only one operating kiln remained on Phillip Island. The last crop of chicory grown there was in 1987.
Kilns themselves are simple structures. A square brick building. Topped by a steep corrugated iron roof with a flue. Inside, workers washed and sliced the roots. A cutting machine prepared them. An elevator raised them to the drying floor.
This drying floor was a heavy wire mesh. It sat three metres above a wood-fired furnace. Each kiln could dry about 50 bags of sliced roots in 24 hours. After drying, the chicory went to coffee and tea merchants. They roasted, kibbled, or ground it for blending with coffee.
Chicory offered a caffeine-free alternative. It also enriched and darkened coffee brews. The chicory’s natural character made it attractive in reducing caffeine in coffee blends.
Today, many old kilns still stand, reminders of this agricultural past. This Chicory Kiln serves as a link to that time. A time when chicory farming shaped the landscape and economy of Phillip Island. It stands as a symbol. A symbol of ingenuity, hard work, and the ever-changing nature of agriculture. As you stand before this kiln, imagine the bustling activity. Hear the crackle of the fires. Inhale the earthy aroma of drying chicory. It’s a taste of Melbourne’s hidden history.