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Prominent People

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This section lists industry people who have made a significant contribution to the achievements and success of agriculture in South Australia and Australia. Where information is available from a readily available source, a link is provided.

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Nicholson OAM, Don 1931 - 2016

Don Nicholson was a pastoralist farming sheep on Roopena station who took an interest in the ecology of the land. He was a long time member of the Wool and Meat Section of the South Australian Farmers Federation. He was a strong supporter of pest control and became Chairman of the Dog Fence Board.

Image: PIRSA Ag History

Noble, John 1827 - 1914

John Noble was a pioneer Merino studmaster for the Hawker family at Bungaree. He carefully bred larger sheep with heavy wool. He introduced fencing into paddocks where the sheep could roam with improved results.

Image: Obituaries Australia

Norris, Ronald Anthony 1916 - 2005

Ron Norris was a prominent breeder of shorthorn cattle and was an innovator in the industry. He owned some large pastoral runs and also smaller properties within the Mt Lofty Ranges.

Image: The Advertiser

Norrish AO, Keith 1924 - 2017

Keith Norrish made a major contribution to soil science and became Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO. He founded the Minerology Group within CSIRO and helped determine why fertilizers and trace elements did not work in some soils.

Image: CSIRO

Northcote, Keith Hawke 1919 - 2004

Dr Keith Northcote was a distinguished soil scientist at the CSIRO who developed and published a national soil classification system in 1960. He refined this system several times over the years and was instrumental in conducting schools on pedology.

Image: Australian Soil Science Society

Norton, Ray 1927 - 2016

Ray Norton was an excellent farm manager and lecturer who began his career at Roseworthy Agricultural College and then at the Waite Institute at Urrbrae. He was instrumental in planning and developing the farm business at the Martindale property once that property was bequeathed to the University of Adelaide.

Image: Roseworthy Old Collegians Assoc

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O'Loughlin, Laurence Theodore 1854 - 1927

Farmer and politician. O'Loughlin represented farmers in the House of Assembly for the northern constituencies of Frome and then Burra Burra. He was commissioner of crown lands and held various other portfolios including agriculture. But it was in his administration of land policy that O'Loughlin was most notable. He pressed for a progressive land tax to promote closer settlement but at the same time fostered the development of less fertile but arable areas such as Eyre Peninsula and the Murray Mallee region. After standing as a candidate of the Farmers and Settlers' Association in 1918, he lost his seat and next year became chairman of the Wheat Board.

Image: Cyclopedia of South Australia

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Penfold, Mary 1816 - 1895

Winemaker. Mary Penfold, with her husband Dr Christopher Penfold, arrived in Adelaide in 1844 and purchased the Magill estate and Grange cottage. It was here that Mary planted and tended the vines. It was Mary’s practical approach to wine production that allowed Mary to make her first commercial wine in the 1850s and develop the business to be a major exporter of wine to the other colonies and overseas. Mary died in December 1895.

Image: SLSA b20490410

Penfold, Christopher Rawson 1811 - 1870

Vigneron. Dr Christopher and Mary Penfold arrived in Adelaide in 1844 and purchased the Magill estate and Grange cottage. It was here that Christopher tended his patients and Mary planted and tended the vines. Christopher supported Mary in the vineyard endeavour and was active in local government. He was in poor health for some years prior to his death in March 1870.

Image: Image SLSA B 22969

Perkins, Arthur James 1871 - 1944

Agricultural scientist and viticulturist. Arthur Perkins was appointed a member of South Australia's Central Agricultural Bureau and government viticulturist in 1892 based at Roseworthy Agricultural College. His appointment followed requests to the government for expert advice to farmers on viticulture, oenology and horticulture. His teaching of European viticultural methods, including pest and disease control and winemaking techniques, constituted Perkins' first major contribution to Australian agriculture. He also conducted many trials on cultivation of cereals, and was prominent in the improvement of cereals by systematic selection. In 1914 Perkins replaced William Lowrie as South Australian Director of Agriculture; his experience, persuasive powers and administrative skill were highly impressive and he was particularly concerned with agriculture economics.

Image: SLSA B6415 1928

Polden, Errol James 1918 - 2021

Errol provided strong leadership of the South Australian poultry (egg production particularly) industry for over half a decade. Following early experience as an egg producer, Errol joined the poultry team at the Parafield Research Centre to the north of Adelaide. His role within the Department of Agriculture was as a Poultry Advisor with responsibility for much of the State.

Prescott, James Arthur 1890 - 1987

Agricultural chemist. Prescott was appointed to the chair of agricultural chemistry at the newly established Waite Agricultural Research Institute in 1924 and travelled widely to familiarise himself with Australian soils to interpret the effect that climate, vegetation and other factors had on soils. He drew a map of the major soil zones of the continent. This work established him as the leading authority on soil science in Australia. In 1929 Prescott was appointed part-time chief of the CSIR division of soils, with headquarters at the Waite Institute and from 1938 was also director of the Waite Institute, where he administered research and education in a wider field of agricultural science. In 1956-70 he was a council-member of the Australian Wine Research Institute.

Image: University of Adelaide Library, 2440/47818

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Reynell, John 1809 - 1873

Pastoralist and vigneron. Reynell arrived in Adelaide in 1838 and took up Reynella Farm where he grew wheat and potatoes and bred sheep and cattle. The following year he was one of fifty settlers who formed the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia. His pastoral pursuits initially flourished but then collapsed during an economic recession. Reynell was convinced that the vine, olive and fig could be cultivated in South Australia and in 1841 he planted the first vineyard which then began an enterprise which continues. He pioneered the export of claret and burgundy to New Zealand.

Image: SLSA PRG 29/35/1/21

Reynell, Walter 1846 - 1919

Pastoralist and vigneron. Helped his father develop the vineyards above and spent two years on Beltana station working for (Sir) Thomas Elder. For many years he ran a land agency business in Adelaide and became manager of Elder Smith & Co., supervising the stock business of the firm and its numerous branches before returning to Reynella to tend the vineyards. He was a member of the Pastoralists' Association of South Australia, the South Australian Vinegrowers' Association, and director of Elder Smith & Co. and of the South Australian Brewing Co.

Image: SLSA B62972 1876

Richardson, Arnold Edwin Victor 1883 - 1949

Agricultural scientist. Educated at Roseworthy Agricultural College, he later joined the State Department of Agriculture where he bred the successful wheat variety, Gallipoli. Foundation professor of agriculture and first director of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute of the University of Adelaide from 1924, Richardson investigated the development of pastures and the economics of farm management in Australia. In the early 1930s, he won the confidence of farmers, pastoralists, industrialists, agricultural scientists and governments, and took up the appointment of deputy chief executive officer Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) directing research and development in Australian primary production. From 1946 till his retirement in 1949 he was chief executive officer of CSIR. His vision and energy were responsible for establishing the Waite Agricultural Research Institute as the leading agricultural research centre of the Commonwealth.

Image: SLSA B 61585 1945

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