This cast-iron Bonanza Apple peeler, corer and parer was imported for use on Warrangong Station, Koorawatha, c.1918. It was used to prepare apples for sun-drying by John Norrie and his staff. The Goodell company in Antrim, New Hampshire, USA produced a variety of devices to aid in the processing of apples and other fruits. The Bonanza Apple peeler, corer and parer was first patented in 1891 and continued to be made into the early 20th century.

John Ledingham Norrie was born on 12 October 1881 at Monquihitter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He arrived at Sydney on 12 December 1902 on the ship Medic.

Upon his arrival he attended Bathurst Agricultural College, winning prizes in Agricultural Botany, General Farm Student in Orchard, and market gardening. He also came first in his class in 1903.

He then became Assistant Orchardist at the Bathurst Experimental Farm before being transferred to Pera Bore, near Burke, to examine the effects of bore water from the Great Artesian Basin on fruit growing. In 1907 he was appointed a fruit inspector by the NSW government under the provisions of the Vine and Vegetation Diseases (Fruit Pests) Act, 1906.

He married May Ritchie at Cowra in 1909 and their first daughter Margaret Isabel was born there on 30 December 1910. Their other daughters’ births were all registered at Cowra where May’s parents lived. These were Jessie Edith in 1912, May Katherine in 1915 and Joan Marion in 1924. John’s wife, May, died in 1932.

By 1918 John had taken over the management of horticulture at Warrangong station.

He is recorded as winning prizes for his ‘eating apples’ and ‘cooking apples’ at the Koorawatha Horticultural and Industrial Society’s autumn show in May that year. In 1921, he purchased a 120 acre portion of Warrangong station for £2100 with 55 acres planted as orchard, which he called ‘Melrose’. He became a well-known orchardist and grazier in the district and is credited with being one of the pioneers who developed the soldier settlers’ prune industry around Young.

At age 60 in May 1942 John enlisted in the Volunteer Defence Corps which was a part-time volunteer military force of World War II and he served until the end of the war. He died on 5 June 1974 at Canowindra.

After the Bonanza apple corer’s life at Warrangong and Melrose, John and May’s daughter, Joan, lent it to the Wirrimah Rural Co-operative. In June 2017 Peter Duffy of the Young Men’s Shed repaired it to make it useable again, for which the Young Historical Society is very grateful.