John Walker and Co (of Queensland)
Engineers, Iron and Brass Founders of Union Foundry, Ballarat, Victoria and Maryborough, Queensland.
1863 John Walker and three friends set up the Union Foundry of John Walker & Co in Ballarat.
1867 A branch was opened in Maryborough.
1879 The Ballarat assets were disposed of.
1884 The business became a limited company under the title John Walker & Co Limited.
1888 The business was renamed Walkers Limited. They produced most of the parts for machinery at sugar mills.
1980 Walkers Limited was sold to Evans Deakin Industries. It was included in the purchase of Evans Deakin by Downer Group in March 2001 and today the Maryborough factory continues to operate as part of Downer Rail.
In 2003 Bundaberg Foundry Engineers Ltd completed the acquisition of the Walkers Sugar Business and moved to change the operating name to Bundaberg Walkers Engineering Limited in January 2008.