09/10/2026
Stories Above the Street
THE AERATED WATER FACTORY, AUSTIN STREET, c.1910
Long before supermarkets, refrigerated trucks and modern soft drinks, the little goldfields town of Cue had its very own soft drink factory.
Situated on the eastern side of Austin Street, opposite Bell's Emporium, the Cue Aerated Water Factory was once a thriving local business, producing bottled soda water, lemonade and other aerated drinks for a thirsty Murchison population.
In 1897, local manufacturer William Hynes registered his own distinctive trademark featuring a sunburst surrounded by the words William Hynes – Murchison, with Cue proudly displayed in the centre.
By around 1910, the factory was operated by George Corbett and Barry Fienberg. A wonderful photograph from this period shows the workers standing proudly outside the premises, with horses and delivery carts ready to distribute their bottled drinks around the district.
The bottles themselves were rather ingenious. Many early aerated waters were sold in glass bottles containing a small marble in the neck, known as Codd bottles. The pressure of the carbonated drink held the marble against a rubber seal, keeping the contents fizzy. Once empty, the bottles were collected, washed and refilled.
Fienberg eventually bought out his business partner, and the family connection continued through his son Maurice, affectionately known as Morrie. Remarkably, Maurice Fienberg was still recorded as an aerated water manufacturer in 1943.
Today, original glass bottles bearing the names of Cue's early manufacturers are highly prized by collectors. One surviving William Hynes bottle has even sold for more than $2,000!
The factory may be long gone, but a little piece of its history has returned to Austin Street. The recreated Aerated Water Factory sign includes the original 1897 William Hynes trademark, bringing a forgotten piece of Cue's commercial past back to life.
It's a fascinating reminder that Cue was once much more than a mining town. It was a bustling community of shopkeepers, manufacturers, tradespeople and families, with businesses producing everything needed to sustain life on the remote Murchison goldfields.
Do you have an old Cue aerated water bottle tucked away somewhere, or perhaps a family connection to the Hynes, Corbett or Fienberg businesses? We'd love to hear your stories or see your photographs.
Another little piece of Cue's remarkable history worth remembering.
https://www.cue.wa.gov.au/cue-aerated-water.aspx
