Please be advised: this website contains the names, images and voices of people who are now deceased.

Collections WA has a responsibility to preserve and make accessible the history and culture of Western Australia in all its various forms. The intention of Collections WA is to support research, and to reveal actions of the past that have impacted upon communities, families, and individuals.

In doing so, Collections WA acknowledges the need to respond sensitively and appropriately in cases when accessing this material may be confronting to Aboriginal visitors and clients.

Please also note: Some historical materials within this portal may include language or opinions that today are considered inappropriate or even offensive. Collections WA does not endorse this language and apologises for any distress caused.

Continue

Continue showing cultural advice

Stop showing cultural advice

Collections WA brings together collections from libraries, galleries, museums, archives, historical societies, cultural organisations, community groups and other collecting organisations across Western Australia.

Busselton Historical Society > Records

Floating Dairy Thermometer

« Prev Item Next Item »

c. 1940

Subcollections

Overview

The glass thermometer is housed inside a wooden frame that is stoppered with a cork at the base.

This thermometer, made in Germany, floats upright for hands-free observation. It is marked with red lines and notes at the following Fahrenheit temperatures:
32 FREEZING, 60 CHURNING, 85 CHEESE, 150 SCALDING, and 212 WATER BOIL.

Historical information

A floating dairy thermometer is a typically mercury-free device designed to float vertically in liquids, allowing for continuous hands-free temperature monitoring in tasks like cheesemaking, yogurt production, and pasteurizing milk. It provides at-a-glance, precise 1°C accuracy measurements, often featuring a weighted bottom and a large, easy-to-read scale.

Details

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2022.236

Item type

Objects

Themes

Mining and Resources

Material

Glass

Wood

Height or length

410 mm

Inscriptions and markings

"Made in Germany"

Keywords

Dairy Industry

Thermometer

Place made

Germany

Year

Primary significance criteria

Scientific or research significance

Last modified

Friday, 27 February, 2026

Completeness

100

Related Objects

Related Objects

Parent records

Dairy Room - Artefacts1

Busselton Historical Society

Busselton Historical Society

More items like this

Search all items »

Minimum Maximum Thermometer
Busselton Historical Society

Search all items »

Other items from Busselton Historical Society

Thermometer

Thermometer

Thermometer

Media reuse | View full size | Item feedback

Scan this QR code to open this page on your phone ->

Full size unavailable (you're already seeing this image in its highest resolution available on Collections WA)

Loading...