Canberra’s 82-year-old milk home delivery man retires ... and now there's just one milko left

Canberra’s much-loved 82-year-old milk delivery man, Joe Clift, will end his service in August, saying growing compliance and insurance costs at his age mean his business is no longer sustainable.

His decision leaves just one ‘milko’ in the capital, Michelle Priest, who will continue to deliver to Reid and Campbell residents.

“I’m the last remaining milkman, and I’m not even a milk-‘man’,” Ms Priest said. “I guess Joe was the last one. He was great. I’ll miss seeing him at the depot.”

Mr Clift has been delivering milk to southside suburbs in his truck for the last 26 years. But his last runs will be on 8 August and 16 August.

“The depot called me to say my private accident and injury insurance had lapsed so I wasn’t allowed on the site,” he said.

“If you ring the insurance company and if you’re 65, they’ll insure you. But if you’re 82, they’ll say ‘no’, you need to get a broker. That would cost me $250 a week … there’s too many costs now.”

In the 1980s, Canberra had dozens of milkos who would run bottles to the doors of houses in almost every suburb.

But deregulation of the industry and increased competition put many small operators out of business.

“The Canberra Milk brand is still available, but it’s not produced in Canberra anymore. There’s also a lot more compliance. It’s been tricky to operate,” Mr Clift said.

“I’m disappointed that there isn’t someone who has the interests of Canberra consumers at heart.”

Mr Clift started his career as a milkman at the age of 56.

“I previously worked as a truck driver, but I lost my job, went bankrupt and lost my house. I couldn’t do anything else. I was too young to get a pension. I started working for a milk delivery company, earning $38 a week,” he said.

He then launched his own business to deliver milk for locally owned Capitol Chilled Foods Australia, driving a truck and employing teenagers to run bottles to houses.

“I worked for the late Garry Sykes, he was always very supportive,”

Canberra Milk is now part of the Bega Cheese corporation, which has sold milk to Mr Clift to do his deliveries.

“It’s become really difficult to make money. I’m making what I can to support my wife, who’s in a nursing home … but I don’t think there’s anyone in Canberra who would work 30 hours a week for $500,” he said.

The 82-year-old says he’s sad to leave the industry, but he doesn’t blame anyone.

“It’s not Bega’s fault. It’s not my customers’ fault. I’m just too old. I can’t survive with all the running repairs I have to do … I’ve been called a dinosaur for a few years, so maybe it’s time to rest up.

“I’ve done a life sentence of 26 years. I’ve kept a lot of people happy, but unfortunately, all good things have to come to an end.”

Longtime customer Ann Forrest is even more disappointed than her favourite milko.

“He’s never missed delivering milk once in the 26 years I’ve used his service. He’s also given responsible jobs to teenagers who are running the milk.

“He just loves serving the community. It’s devastating … we’re all just being forced to go to Coles or Woolworths to buy our milk.”

Residents in Campbell and Reid, though, will continue to be serviced by 55-year-old Michelle Priest.

“It’ll keep going for as long as I can. People really appreciate having their milk delivered,” she said.

If you’re in Reid or Campbell and would like to sign up for Ms Priest’s milk delivery service, you can message her on Facebook.