Gray’s Bakery has a long association with Kerang, and that association has been further cemented with several historic items from the family business donated to the Kerang Historical Museum.
Family patriarch Laurie Gray and wife Marion purchased the bakery in 1962, moving to Kerang from Melbourne after they married.
Laurie’s grandson, Joel, is now the head baker taking over from his father, Christopher, who bought the bakery in 2000 from his parents.
A horse drawn bread cart that has been a feature in many events in town, a three wheeled bike with a box on the front and a Ford Transit delivery truck are on permanent display at the Kerang Historical Museum.
The delivery truck itself has quite the provenance, starting life with Tip Top Bakeries, then on sold to a baker in Maryborough, before making its way to Kerang.
Laurie said he had the items sitting in a shed for a number of years and when he asked his five children if they wanted them, they declined.
“I thought it would be good for people to be able to see them and bring back many good memories,” he said.
“It was no good for them being in the shed out here, so the museum was a good spot.”
Marion said the vehicles featured in local street parades, particularly the Kerang Corroboree on New Years Eves.
“It was a wonderful festival, the street was shut off and everybody went,” Marion said.
“Laurie baked lots of dinner rolls and we did them up in packets of six and he would come along in his horse and cart or on his bike and throw them out to the crowd.”
