Home » People & achievements » Prominent People (A-Z) Prominent People A-Z Listing Search Department: All - Industry - Government 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. F French, Reginald James (Reg) 1925 - 2010 Reg was a well-respected agricultural researcher with the Dept of Agriculture. His efforts led to significant improvements in sustainable and profitable management of agricultural systems and our land resources. Image: PIRSA Ag History PIRSA Ag History G Giles, William Grant (Bill) 1948 - 2013 Bill had a long history in service the livestock industries. His early work was supporting the introduction of the Charolais breed of cattle into South Australia, followed by contributing to the early development of carcass classification leading to Computer Aided Livestock Marketing. Bill worked in locations across South Australia, including Struan, Ceduna, Pt Augusta and Kadina before taking up positions in Adelaide. PIRSA Ag History Goyder, George Woodroffe 1826 - 1898 Surveyor and conservationist. Surveyor-General (1861 – 1894) and conservationist. Chairman of the Railways Commission 1874-75, and of the Forest Board 1875-83, and a keen proponent of water conservation. An able administrator and considered the most efficient public servant in the colony at the time. In the 1860s Goyder assessed pastoral properties and his line of travel, which amounted to nearly 5,000 kilometres on horseback, marked off a line indicating the limit of reliable annual rainfall. It separated lands suitable for agriculture from those suitable for pastoral use. Although disregarded by the Government, in less than ten years he was proved right. . Image: SLSA Image B72791/5 Adelaidia Website H Hawker, Charles Allan 1894 - 1938 Politician and pastoralist. After returning from WW1, Charles Hawker was given Warrakimo Station in the Flinders Ranges by his father, and in 1925 he bought a further property, Dillowie near Hallett. From 1927, Charles Hawker became involved in politics, and in 1929 he became the member for Wakefield in the House of Representatives. In 1932 he became Minister for Markets and Repatriation, and later Minister of Commerce. From 1935, he travelled widely to the UK, France, Germany, Japan and China gathering information on trading opportunities for Australia. Charles Hawker was killed when the aircraft Kyeema crashed at Mt Dandenong, Victoria on 25 October 1938. Image: SLSA Image B11121 1935 People Australia Website Australian Dictionary of Biography Website Adelaidia Website Hincks, Sir Cecil Stephen 1894 - 1963 Politician, farmer and soldier. After WW1, Cecil Hincks was employed by the Wheat Harvest Board at Pt Victoria, then bought a farm at Urania in 1928. He was elected to the House of Assembly in 1941 and returned unopposed until his death in 1963. In 1945 he was appointed to a committee responsible for assessing land for resettlement of ex-servicemen. He was involved with the repatriation program including development of the Loxton Irrigation Area. Hincks Conservation Park on Eyre Peninsula commemorates him. Image: SLSA Image B11908 1946 People Australia Website Australian Dictionary of Biography Website I Irving, Marshall Roland 1911 - 1986 Marshall Irving was a veterinary officer with the Dept of Agriculture and rose to be Chief of the Division of Animal Industry. He became Director of Agriculture and guided the department to focus on applied research and extension. However, his tenure was constantly interrupted due to ill health and he retired in 1975. Image: PIRSA Ag History PIRSA Ag History Itzerott, Archibald Graham Fraser (Graham) 1914 - 2003 Graham Itzerott was Chief Dairy officer in the Dept of Agriculture where he improved many of the services to the dairy industry, helped establish the Northfield Dairy Research Centre and laid the foundation for the State to be a premier cheese-producing area. Image: The Advertiser PIRSA Ag History J Jefferies, OAM, Brian 1927 - 2017 Brian had a big impact on the breeding of sheep in Australia and a number of overseas countries. He was responsible for the breeding of the Corma sheep in Australia as well as genetic improvement projects in Uruguay and Argentina. He holds degrees from Roseworthy Agricultural College and Adelaide University and took a very practical approach to supporting the sheep industry. Image: The Advertiser PIRSA Ag History Adelaide University Jenkins, Sir George Frederick 1878 - 1957 Politician and grazier. Sir George completed his education at Roseworthy Agricultural College and began a successful pastoral career in the north and north-west of the state where his pastoral holdings were considerable. He was the Minister of Agriculture in two administrations, considered a moderate and practical minister who fostered research into soil conservation and passed the crucial Soil Conservation Amendment Act 1945 which controlled indiscriminate clearing. He developed an advisory service within the Department of Agriculture and extended educational programs and facilities for rural industries. Jenkins was also a driving force in the rapid growth of the State's softwood forests. Image: SLSA Image B4614 People Australia Website Australian Dictionary of Biography Website Obituaries Australia Website Jennings OAM, John Percival 1923 - 2003 John Jennings spent all his career in the Dept of Agriculture, mainly in the Riverland, in viticulture and horticulture and was involved in the planning of irrigation areas near Waikerie. Image: The Advertiser PIRSA Ag History Wikipedia K Kelly, Robert 1845 - 1920 Pastoralist and politician. Robert Kelly was a pastoralist at Merrindie station, Giles Corner. Elected to parliament, he became a member of the pastoral lands royal commission in 1891. In 1893 the government passed the Pastoral Act and set up the Pastoral Board to which Kelly was appointed to mediate between the Crown and pastoralists. In 1905 Kelly became a member of the newly inaugurated Land Board and, also the Advances to Settlers Board. From about 1915 he administered the Drought Relief Act, which prevented the wholesale abandonment of much of the mallee country. Image: SLSA Image B1503 People Australia Website Australian Dictionary of Biography Website Knight, Geoff 1953 - 2018 Geoff had a distinguished career in public service, including work in the social justice area, Treasury and policy. With little background in the primary industries sector Geoff was appointed as the Chief Executive of Primary Industries and Resources and then the head of the Department of Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy. Image: The Advertiser PIRSA Ag History Krause, Malcolm Rex (Rex) 1924 - 2021 Rex’s wheat breeding work had a major impact on the grains industry in South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria. While the wheat breeder for 25 years based at Roseworthy Agricultural College he released a number of varieties, the most significant being Halberd which was released in 1969. Attended Roseworthy College before receiving a Farrer Scholarship to Adelaide University. After returning to Roseworthy, Rex was appointed as the Principal Research Officer in the Department of Agriculture. Image: Adelaide University PIRSA Ag History Roseworthy Campus Association Australian Grain Technologies Adelaide University L Ladd, Dr Jeff 1931 - 2009 Dr Jeff Ladd was a world renowned soil scientist at CSIRO Urrbrae whose studies on carbon and nitrogen in soils played an important role in determining soil organic matter levels, the wheat soil system and the ecologically sustainable production of cereals. Image: The Advertiser PIRSA Ag History Lee, Dr Ken 1927 - 2007 Dr Ken Lee was a soil biologist at CSIRO Urrbrae whose leading research showed that earth worms and other insects could improve soil structure and nutrients to increase agricultural production. Image: The Advertiser PIRSA Ag History Previous Page 3 of 4 Next Share this page
