Chicory Kiln's Phillip Island

Today we went in search of some of the old Chicory Kiln's on Phillip Island, as there are numerous brick towers dotted all across the Island. Many of these structures are in dis-repair but are rustic and still very appealing to the photographer so well worth seeking them out. We found many of them, some large, some small, some more rustic than others but all easily photographed from the road.

John and Soloman West were said to have built the first Kiln C1873 on the Island, the parsnip - like root plant grew well in the Island's rich volcanic soil. Chicory was grown on the Island for over  100 years and was one of the earliest crops to be grown on the Island.  The last operational kiln closed in the early 1980's, Chicory farming was very labour intensive and became uneconomical due to cheaper imports.

After the chicory was harvested with a chicory devil (a special fork) it was washed, sliced then roasted in the kiln's over a fire until dried. After being ground into a fine powder, it was used a  bulk additive to coffee and it was also made into a caramelised essence and was often used as substitute for coffee and was quite a popular beverage.