1948 Bill purchases George Hearse’s carting operation, including two stalls at Victoria Market and sets up his own business. He wins his first contract to supply vegetables to a Melbourne Hospital.

1950 Bill plants his first orchard at Narre Warren North

1951 Bill’s company is now supplying 9 different hospitals

1952 Second orchard planted

1958 Company is incorporate. First coldstorage facility built.

1960 Second farm at Narre Warren Nth purchased

1965 Frank, Bill’s eldest son, joins the business; Montague Orchards stand established at Old Victoria Market

1966 Relationship with Australian Safeway begins

1967 Bill’s first fact finding mission to America. Bill and Jack Petty introduce controlled atmosphere storage to Victoria.

1968 Greg, Bill’s second son, joins the business

1970 Somerville Orchard purchasd

1971 Cold Storage facility at south Melbourne built

1972 Ray, Bill’s third son joins the business

1974 Merrigum cold storage facility purchased with partners; hillside orchards and peninsula fruit sales purchased

1977 Devil bend orchard purchased

1978 Natural waxing introduced

1979 Somerset orchard and fruit sales purchased

1979 Adjoining 90 acre property at narre warren north purchased

1980 Acquisition of 50% of Legana orchards in Tasmania

1982 Yarra valley orchard at Templestowe leased

1983 Total acquisition of Legana orchard completed

1984 Stand at Flemington market  Sydney purchased

1985 Kyabram Cold Storage established with partners

1987 New packing shed opened at Narre Warren

1988 Labelling on apples introduced

1989 Allansford Cold Storage established at Warrnambool: Batlow (NSW) and mountain view orchards purchased

1992 Port Melbourne Cold Storage Leased

1993 Share in Geoffrey Thompson export business purchased; all cold storage facilities computerised; labelling of pears introduced

1994 Major expansion of Allansford Cold Storage, Bacchus Marsh Orchard and Cold Storage purchased

Purchased Sutton Grange Rd

1985 AJ Carters Queensland Market stand purchased. Harcourt Orchard pioneers the modified Tatura trellis intensive planiting system; fruit of batlow packing and strage facility established with partners

1996 April purchased Sedgwick Rd Nth Harcourt

1997 Devonport.

1999 April purchased Bakers

          September purchased Browns

2002 February Purchase Walters/Taylors land NWN

          Tullamarine purchased

          April - Purchase Meryla,Batlow.

2003     Hail netting Narre ,Batlow and Harcourt.

                   April - Purchase Bilmont

2004     December Purchase 500 acres Harcourt 2005

              May - Purchase Vanzellas Batlow.

              Gym opening August September

2005     December Stone fruit grader installed NWN.

2005 / 2006     Expansion Allansford.