Time

Subject

Proper names
Tape 1, Side A

0:25
Born 3 March 1931; life in the Great Depression; father’s work; mother’s role; car; family life in suburban Adelaide; schooling; tram travel; wartime experiences; education

Waite Institute; Smith Dorrien St, Galway Estate (Netherby); Mr Tideman; Adelaide Electric Supply Company; Osborne; Unley Infant and Primary Schools; Duthy St; Prince Alfred College

6:15
Secondary schooling; interest in agriculture, including family and friends interests

Prince Alfred College; Waite Institute; Fullarton Rd; Oakbank; Mr Tideman; Dick Rundle; Parafield; Mt Barker; Ken de Garis; Naracoorte; Adelaide Hills

9:30
Not an option to attend Urrbrae High School

Urrbrae High School; Mr Tideman

10:45

Life in suburban Adelaide; boyhood activities on farms

Smith Dorrien St; Glen Osmond

13:15

Career options; Adelaide University course, 1949

Prince Alfred College; Waite Institute; Mr Tideman; Adelaide University

15:10

Attending university; altruism in the agricultural science course; university life; church focus; primary class reunions; Adelaide University degree vs Roseworthy College diploma; returned service personnel

Malvern Methodist Church; Unley Primary School

21:15

University newspaper; sport at church and university; Student Christian Movement; attending Roseworthy College by train and car; staying at Roseworthy; focus of subjects studied; awareness of government involvement in agriculture; Agriculture Department cadetship in soil conservation; working in university holidays; field tours

On Dit; Roseworthy College; Waite Institute; Adelaide University; North Tce; Rex Oram; Rothemstead, England; Koomooloo Station; Turretfield Research Centre; Hallett Cove

31:35

Geology field trip

Sir Douglas Mawson; Fred Pfeiffer; Canberra; Hallett Cove


Tape 1, Side B

0:05

Geology field trip; public speaking

1:50

Dissuaded from farming; experience on properties

Koomooloo Station; Turretfield

4:30

Move to soil conservation; cadetship in the Department; work and life on Eyre Peninsula

Reg French; Peter Geytenbeek; Roseworthy; Adelaide; Eyre Peninsula; Ungarra; Lock; Cleve; Cowell; Arno Bay; Jamestown

10:40

Awareness of environmental impact in the 1950s; Soil Conservation Advisory Committee

12:05

Cadetships in the Department; small agricultural science course; Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme; myxomatosis release program; CSIRO; work options – research, teaching, AMP Scheme, companies

Oram; Jim Davidson; Eddie Waterhouse; Sydney; Goondiwindi; Deniliquin; Canberra; Australian Agricultural Consultant Management; Mr Young; [Newton] Tiver

20:40

Graduation in 1953; holiday; work in the Department’s Soils Branch and in country

Bob Herriot; Tasmania; Frenchmans Cape; Jamestown; Adelaide; Peter Barrow; Geoff Robinson

22:50

Work in regional departmental office; soil survey; weeds; relations with farmers; soil conservation in Upper North; demonstration sites; field days

Jamestown; Booyoolie Station; Herriot; Yongala; Barrow; Quorn; Melrose North; Flinders [Ranges]; Hawker; Willochra Plain

28:55

Provision of services to the public; government vehicles; wartime restrictions

Jamestown

Tape 2, Side A

0:20

Work in regional office; nature of staff in the Department

Jamestown; Barrow; Robinson

4:25

Involvement in office politics; lunchtime events; sports

Simpson’s Building; Clayton Church, Norwood; Jamestown

7:20

Life and work in Jamestown; departmental houses; the office and staff; office flooded; work by disciplines; gaining information on the area

Barrow; Robinson; Malvern Methodist Church; Mr and Mrs Thomas; Gloucester Rd, Jamestown; Adelaide; Mr Boucaut; Yongala; Herriot

18:15

Learning on the job – contour mapping, weed science; university training and practical work; agricultural economics

Roseworthy College

21:25

Office vs field work; visiting farms; re-vegetation work; Soil Conservation Act, 1937; soil conservation boards; animal and plant control

Jamestown; Merngenia Station, Dawson. Burra; Broken Hill; Ross Burford and family

27:10

A conciliator under the Native Vegetation Management Act; Agricultural Bureau system; field days

Native Vegetation Council; Barrow; Robinson; Quorn; CWA; Jamestown; Paskeville; Karoonda

Tape 2, Side B

0:04

Field days

Jamestown

0:40

Locust plague, 1955; chemical treatment

Jamestown; Port Pirie; Yadlamulka Station; Port Augusta; Hawker; Shell Chemical Co.

4:30

Visiting the head office; Soil Conservation Branch meeting; in-service training in the Department; visits to regional offices from had office; contact with Ministers

Adelaide; Roseworthy College; Australian Administrative Staff College; Mount Eliza; [Sir Allan] Callaghan; Jamestown; Tom Casey; Peterborough; Port Augusta

9:35

Work extended into pastoral and grazing areas; Pastoral Board

Merngenia Station; Arden Vale Valley; Quorn; Mr Kidman; South East

11:15

Visits from senior staff

Herriot; Jamestown; Cleve; Port Lincoln

12:55

Resignation from the Department, 1956; chemical company work

Shell Chemical; Adelaide; Shell Building, North Tce; David Bruce; Mrs Tideman; Clare; Melbourne

19:45

Reaction from Department and colleagues to resignation; return to the Public Service; weed control legislation; cadetship issues

Shell Chemical; Hector Orchid; Lex Walker; Callaghan; Jamestown

24:55

Rejoining the Department, 1958; weed control/science

Tape 3, Side A

1:00

Appointed Senior Weeds Officer; Weed Control Act; weed problems pre- and post-World War II

Callaghan

6:20

Employment of graduates in the Department and Public Service; Weeds Unit doing research, teaching and regulation

11:10

Graduate vs diplomat staff; working with companies

Shell Chemical; Ciba-Geigy

16:45

Herbicide standards; national standards but State testing; Australia Standing Committee on Agriculture; Agricultural Council

Europe; Technical Committee on Agricultural Chemicals; Australia Standing Committee on Agriculture; Agricultural Council

23:30

Technical Committee on Agricultural Chemicals, 1966–1969; Australian Weed Committee, 1966–1977; unit in the Department for pesticides, herbicides etc.; Skeleton Weed Research Committee; skeleton weed issue; visit to Montpelier; controlling Salvation Jane in SA

Technical Committee on Agricultural Chemicals; Agricultural Council; Australian Weed Committee; [Australian] Skeleton Weed Research Committee; NSW; Victoria; SA; WA; Queensland; CSIRO, Canberra; Montpelier, France; Tony Wapshire; Spain; France; Malcolm Catt; Murray Mallee; Murray Bridge

Tape 3, Side B

0:05

Control of skeleton weed; Chief Agronomist in charge of the Weeds Research Section; growth of Weeds Science Group; staff on weeds work; extension services grants; temporary officers

Canberra; Australian Skeleton Weed Research Committee; Murraylands; Max O’Neil; Europe; Pacific War; Wheat and Barley Research Councils; Walker

10:45

Appointed Principal Agronomist and Chief Agronomist; overseas training on weed problems; represented Australia at the first International Weeds Science Conference

South Africa; Australian Weeds Committee; Adelaide Hills; Grahamtown University; Montepelier, France; Switzerland; Ciba-Geigy; Warganingen, The Netherlands; United Kingdom; Adelaide; ICI; England; Canada; Oregon State, America; Davis University, California

14:30

New weeds legislation; weed science; weed control courses

Weed Control Act, 1956; Mr Ninnes; Education Department; Glenunga High School; Clare; Coonalpyn

19:35

Education/instruction campaigns

Agricultural Bureaus

21:10

Regulatory work; adult education system

23:55

Devising and implementing regulations; proclaimed lists; mixing weeds and crops; implications of weed control; modern focus on native vegetation

Weeds Advisory Committee; Pest Plants Act; Canada

Tape 4, Side A

0:30

Department’s overseas activities; appointment as Chief Agronomist; move to employing university graduates

4:25

Change in SA’s agricultural production; research and development work; building up branches and units within the Department

Agronomy Branch; Plant Pathology Unit; Entomology Unit

9:10

Crop estimates program; statistical records

12:20

Pasture-breeding group; medic cultivars; herbage seed industry; lucerne aphid pest control

Eric Crawford; West Coast; Murray Mallee; Adelaide Hills; South East; Ted Higgs

18:35

Weekly ABC rural session talks

20:00

Journal of Agriculture (1897–1976)

Agricultural Bureau

23:30

Overseas travel and study; biological control research programs (soursobs, African daisy, skeleton weed); agricultural chemical industry; minimum tillage; extension work; international Weeds Science Conference; Asian interest in SA agriculture; marketing experience; long service leave in England; dryland farming expertise to the Mediterranean area; Department’s Overseas Projects Unit

South Africa; France; Switzerland; Holland; United Kingdom; Canada; America; Grahamtown University, South Africa; England; Davis, California; Tom Casey; Indonesia; Korea; Hong Kong; Libya; Barrow; Iraq; Jordan; Ksar Chellala; Algiers; Algeria

Tape 4, Side B

0:04

Overseas dryland farming project, 1984–85; competition for project work; Australian vs European techniques; industry co-operation in SA; published a history of overseas projects

Iraq; Erbil; Jordan; Libya; Seed Co-op.; Shearers; Sagric [International]; Bob Hogarth; Duntroon

10:25

Return to Department in Plant Industries

11:10

Growth of Sagric International; value of the projects; Gulf War; expansion of Sagric International’s expertise – Torrens Title system

Jordan; Bob Asser; Ain Kawah Project, Iraq; Libya; Bashir Jodah; Algeria; Iran; Indonesia; The Philippines; Thailand

18:45

Benefits accruing to SA from overseas projects

Libya; Rome; Iraq; Cyprus; Spain; Algeria; Jordan; Libya; France; Italy

22:10

Sharing techniques; origin of wheat and taming sheep; fencing projects

Iraq; Glyn Webber

24:45

Administrative arrangements for the projects

Tourist Bureau

26:40

Support for projects

International Dryland Farming Congress, Adelaide

27:20

Continuing work on weeds in the Department and in TAFE; senior jobs in and for the Department; legislation of agricultural chemicals; Departmental Executive

National Weeds Science Committee; Australian Plant Production Committee; Wheat Industry Research Council; Barley Industry Research Council; Animal and Plant Control Commission; Soil Conservation Advisory Committee; National Coordinating Committee on Aquatic Weeds; Herbage Plant Liaison Committee; Monarto; Peter Trumble; Barrow; Jim McColl

Tape 5, Side A

0:30

Description of a working day (6.6.1976) at Executive level; secretarial, typing and administrative assistance; liaison with staff; hours of work

‘Black Stump’, Grenfell St; Marie Caskey;

6:10

Day’s activities; locust plague

Standing Committee on Agriculture; Plant Production Committee; New Guinea; New Zealand; Viv Lohmeyer; Plague Locust Commission

9:50

Management training course; first use of a computer

John Radcliffe; Australian Staff Administration College; Mt Eliza, Victoria; Melbourne; Milton Friedman; Walker

16:10

Day’s activities; vermin inspectors

Lands Department

17:35

Certification of seeds

18:40

Staff for overseas work

Andrew Michelmore; Libya

20:00

Tea lady

Caskey

20:50

Preparing radio scripts (mesquite and monitoring SA agriculture; and plant industry topics); early recorded segments; lunchtime radio; in-service training

Flying Doctor; Broken Hill; Caskey; Jon Lamb; Jamestown; John Butterworth; Port Pirie; Barrow; 5CL

Tape 5, Side B

0:05

In-service induction

Roseworthy College

0:55

Interaction with radio and television media – noogoora burr; Minister’s interference

New South Wales; [Brian] Chatterton; McColl; Kevin Boyce

4:50

Role of press secretaries and ministerial advisors

6:00

Day’s activities; open door policy; role of secretary; typists; filing; lectures in a dietician’s course

Caskey; Dr Stewart; Flinders University

11:40

Preparing internal budget estimates; regionalisation; end of a ‘usual’ day; private car; marking government cars

Wakefield St

18:20

Meeting free day; noting telephone calls; office bound

Northfield

20:50

Industry funds; discussions with staff on projects

Wheat Industry Research Council; Barley Industry Research Council; New South Wales; CSIRO; Western Australia; Victoria; Alan Dubé; Waite Institute

27:05

Tea lady; lunchtime in the city; staff get together

28:35

Measured daily routine; working conditions, wages and benefits; sense of loyalty and career building

Tape 6, Side A

0:17

Job security; loyalty; ill-suited employees; welfare role; notion of family; socialising through work; social club; Christmas party; sport

Madge; Walker; Northfield; RSL Club, Angas St

9:30

Canteen in Simpson’s Building; new building’s facilities; working conditions in Simpson’s Building (lighting, heat, herbicide storage, traffic); workshop; Government Garage

Grenfell St; Simpson’s Building; PMG; Pirie St; Blackwood Research Centre; Parafield; Turretfield; Government Garage, Moger Lane; Wakefield St; Gawler Pl

18:00

Storing herbicides; plague locust campaign, 1954; improved safe use of chemicals; few accidents in workplace

South East; Hector Orchard

22:10

Smoking in the workplace

O’Neil

22:50

Sick leave; work behaviour and self-discipline; women in the workforce

Jamestown Hotel; Education Department; Mrs Elizabeth

Tape 6, Side B

0:05

Professional women in the workforce

Roseworthy Agricultural College

1:15

Dress standards at work

South Africa; Roger Wickes; Barry Windle