Michelle Priest became Canberra’s last remaining milko when 82-year-old Joe Clift was forced out of the industry due to growing compliance costs. Photo: Michelle Priest.
Michelle Priest started doing milk runs as a teenager and has even made deliveries while in labour.
Having run her own delivery business since 1997, she became Canberra’s last remaining milko when 82-year-old Joe Clift was forced out of the industry due to growing compliance costs in August 2024.
Servicing the suburbs of Campbell and Reid, you’d think the business might be booming for the monopoly milko.
“I’ve actually lost some business since Joe stopped because [my supplier] Bega Drinks and Dairy has stopped selling certain items, like Canberra Gold, the unhomogenised milk,” Ms Priest said.
“If we can’t supply customers with the products they want, they go to the shops instead.
“Things are also quite tough with regulation. They’ve really tightened the requirements you need to do just to be allowed on site.
“But as long as I have customers wanting their milk delivered, I’m going to keep going.”
The environment was very different when the now 55-year-old launched P & M Priest Milk Vendors with her husband 27 years ago.
“There were more than a hundred milkos in Canberra back then. When we first started, we had a milk authority who looked after us.
“Now, because it’s been deregulated, you get dictated to with the various things with which you have to comply.
“Another big change is that all Canberra’s milk production is now done in Penrith.”
Michelle Priest’s milko van has been running for 17 years. Photo: Supplied.
The retired Joe Clift had also told Region that running milk is much more of a slog than when he started in 1998.
“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.
Region contacted Bega Drinks and Dairy to ask if the company supported the concept of milkos and if and why it has increased regulation for them, but we did not receive a response.
Ms Priest says she looks back on the early days of her business with fondness.
“I delivered milk in a great community, we went to the same church and everyone knew their milko.
“I was actually pregnant for most of my first three years in the business.
“For my third child, I was in labour for four days; I thought I’d hurry it up by just working.”
She said her husband didn’t like the job as much as her, so she took over the business and ran it by herself, working six days a week.
“These days, I mostly drive, but I still get out and run every now and then.
“I want to thank my customers for keeping us going for so long. It’s an important service, especially for some elderly people who don’t drive; some of them have to catch a taxi to get to the shops.”
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. She says she’s unable to deliver to other suburbs.
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