Annette Grillo and Shirley Buckle paid tribute to Dot (insert). Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Hanwood fruit packaging company Rinaland has paid tribute to its long-serving former employee Dot Reddacliff, who passed away aged 101 in July.
Ms Reddacliff worked for Rinaland until she was in her late 70s, making her one of the oldest fruit packers in Australian history. She was 20 years older than the next oldest employee at the time of her retirement.
Quality manager Annette Grillo said her incredible work ethic made her sorely missed, particularly in light of modern day labour shortages.
“They don’t make that many Dots these days … I wish we could clone her and bring her back. Dot was incredibly hard working. Nobody would say a bad word about her. She was reliable and pleasant.
“Back then, we were very much a family-orientated company. We were all relatives or close friends. Dot fit right in.”
Dot hard at work in the 1980s. Photo: Supplied.
It was in 1970 that Ms Reddacliff moved from Queensland to Griffith to live with her daughter, Rinaland employee Shirley Buckle, after Dot’s husband Harvey passed away. Ms Reddacliff immediately started working alongside her daughter, beginning her fruit packing career at the tender age of 58.
“It was all done by hand in those days. She would pack onions and melons and everything else. Even in her 70s, Mum was really strong,” Ms Buckle said.
“Sometimes up to 1,200 bags of onions would get loaded by hand onto the trucks. I remember working past midnight some days, into the early hours of the morning.”
Annette’s mum Mary Grillo, who started the company with husband Ross, said it was women like Dot who got her business moving.
“Women did the packing, men did the stacking. But the women often did the men’s work. If women didn’t do the work, it wouldn’t get done.
“Dot could do anything. Wherever I put her, she could do it. She would make the cardboard boxes or handle all type of fruit and vegetable. She also had a great sense of humour which made the work day fun.”
Dot receives some flowers after turning 100. Photo: Supplied.
Mary Grillo, now aged 82, continues to work and keep a watchful eye over Rinaland.
Annette reflected on how much things had changed since Ms Reddacliff started at the company.
“The ladies would wear skirts and thongs in the warehouse. You can’t imagine that happening now.”
Ms Reddacliff remained active in the community after her retirement, doing extensive volunteer work. In 2011, she was named Griffith City Council’s citizen of the year.
“If only we could have 100 Dots today to plug our shortages,” Mary said.
Rinaland are also known for their generosity to the community, making regular donations to groups such as Meals on Wheels, Kalinda School and Riding for the Disabled. The Grillo family have been active supporters of the push to establish a new cancer treatment centre in Griffith.
More information on Ms Reddacliff and Rinaland can be found on Rinaland’s Facebook page.
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