When I was growing up we had porridge for breakfast every morning, summer and winter. The brand that mum bought was Creamoata. Its interesting that here in Gore, where we now live, is where the oats were processed and packaged. The iconic mill is right in the heart of Gore although a stock food company operates out of the building these days.
We drove through Gore on the evening of 14 August and the setting sun cast a nice glow on the building and added a little pink to the clouds. It was a great opportunity to get a photo of the old mill. *Click on the photo to enlarge*
The cute character on the building is “Sergeant Dan” and I found this charming poem about him at the Eastern Southland Gallery website:
“I am the man!” says Sergeant Dan,
“I care not one iota,
For who can be,
As strong as me,
When I have my Creamoata!”
Fleming’s Creamoata Mill complex, Gore, Southland, New Zealand
Text and Photo by Liz; Exploring Colour (2018)
Exploring Colour 
Are you still eating Creamoata these days, Liz?
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No. Stock food is made from that building now 😉 We do have porridge sometimes but we use Harraways rolled oats (its made near Dunedin).
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I read that the building now houses a different business, but I didn’t know if your childhood oats were still produced somewhere.
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Very good question Tanja and I did some quick research to find out. The product lines that included Creamoata got sold to a company that shifted production to Australia and eventually it got phased out all together. The Harraways product we eat now is very good!
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Thank you for the added information, Liz. I am glad you are still enjoying your oatmeal. 😊
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Its particularly good in the winter 🙂
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Fabulous Liz! Love the photo and the quote even more so!!
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Thanks so much Tina, I was very surprised to find the quote! Sgt Dan is quite a character and you can buy nice t-shirts here that feature him 🙂
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Benjamin has had oatmeal for breakfast every morning since he was just a wee one. It sounds as though your Creamoata was similar. What has replaced Creamoata? Little Sgt. Dan reminds me of the old time “Campbell’s Kids” of soup fame here…all sorts of things featured them, even Christmas tree ornaments. Did you have one of Sgt. Dan’s bowls for your porridge? Benjamin will enjoy this post and photo. Thank-you!
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Not a Sgt Dan bowl. I did have a lovely heavy bowl with a picture on the bottom and I think it was Royal Doulton because I can remember rabbits all around the rim. I always buy Harraways rolled oats (made on the outskirts of Dunedin in a suburb called Green Island). Thanks Ellen!
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I see mills like this and I immediately think of ‘Quaker Oats’. Growing up in NYC I had no concept of mills. However, that changed on a trip through Iowa. The Quaker company was in full blast. One of the strongest, sweetest, and over powerful smells ever !
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Interesting! Perhaps Gore used to smell of toasting oats, I have no idea!
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A lovely image, Liz, with the pink and blue layers in the sky behind the building. Great title for your post and what a connection to your childhood breakfast.
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Thanks Ellen! I’m very fond of the porridge mill. I’ve been wanting a photo and it was fortunate we drove through at just the right time!
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