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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.

S

Schomburgk, Richard Moritz 1811 - 1891

Botanist, horticulturist and Director of Botanic Gardens. Schomburgk came to South Australia in 1849 and moved to north of Gawler where he planted a vineyard. By 1862 he had about five acres (2 ha) of verdelho and mataro grapevines from which he made a small quantity of wine, and also grew table grapes. In 1865 Schomburgk was appointed curator of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. He distributed plants and trees to public bodies and was responsible for the planting of Wellington Square, North Terrace, the Government House gardens, Marble Hill and the government farm at Belair. He spoke and wrote widely on the importance of forests for their effect on climate as well as for their economic value. His work on the introduction and acclimatization of plants and seeds of economic importance was amongst his most important contributions to the colony. His introduction of three new wheat strains, a phylloxera-resistant vine and new grasses that were drought tolerant were important benefits for farmers.

Image: SLSA B22973 1865

Seppelt, Oscar Benno 1873 - 1963

Winemaker and viticulturist. In 1902 Oscar took charge of operations at Seppeltsfield and his brothers managed branches in other States. The enterprise expanded rapidly. From 1914, Seppelt bought a number of local and interstate wineries and in 1916 he became managing director. While directing these developments, Seppelt retained his interest in the practical and scientific aspects of production. He designed and patented a wine-pasteurizer which began to be manufactured for sale in 1927. Seppelt was a member and chairman of the Federal Viticultural Council of Australia and chairman of the Wholesale Winemakers' and Brandy Distillers' Association. He supported the introduction of a diploma course in oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1936.

Image: seppeltsfield.blogspot.com

Seppelt, Joseph Ernst 1813 - 1868

Vigneron. Joseph Ernst Seppelt arrived in Adelaide in 1850 and purchased 158 acres of land in the Barossa Valley in 1852. He named the property Seppeltsfield and later made his first wine in his wife's dairy. The business expanded rapidly and Seppelt concentrated on the production of table wines, liqueurs and cordials. Seppelt did not live long enough to see the business prosper, as he died at Seppeltsfield in 1868.

Image: Image SLSA B 54745

Shearer, David 1850 - 1936

Agricultural machinery manufacturer and inventor. With brother John established a significant business supporting farmers with tough, durable equipment including grubbing machines, fixed ploughs, scarifiers, harrows, strippers and tillage implements. By 1902 a lighter, stronger stripper, with a wider cut, and farm wagons were being manufactured in Mannum and Adelaide.

Image: https://www.google.com.au/

Shearer, John 1845 - 1932

Agricultural machinery manufacturer and inventor. With brother David established a significant business supporting farmers with tough, durable equipment including grubbing machines, fixed ploughs, scarifiers, harrows, strippers and tillage implements. John invented wrought-steel ploughshares, which were patented throughout Australasia; these were an improvement on the brittle cast-iron shares in general use. By 1902 a lighter, stronger stripper, with a wider cut, and farm wagons were being manufactured in Mannum and Adelaide.

Image: trove.nla.gov.au: News Monday 31 January 1927 p 6

Sluczanowski, Philip 1952 - 1994

Mathematician and modeller. Philip was employed as a senior research officer at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Department of Fisheries from 1979), working on the population dynamics where he inventively applied optimal control theory to generate models of fisheries. He was also an early advocate of integrating fisheries data with computer-based interactive graphics packages. His modelling tools continue to be used for teaching fisheries population dynamics in universities around the world.

Image: SARDI

Smith, Richard Bowyer 1837 - 1919

Blacksmith; inventor stump-jump plough. Developed the stone- and stump-jumping plough in 1876 which went on to 'cause a complete revolution in tilling uncleared land' making it possible to sow grain without the necessity of removing all of the tree stumps.

Image: SLSA SRG112-9-10 1908

Smith, Robert Barr 1824 - 1915

Businessman and philanthropist. Thomas Elder (the visionary), and Robert Barr Smith (the business genius) founded Elder Smith & Co. as partners. From a firmly established mercantile and shipping base the company expanded into pastoral and mining exploration. They opened up vast tracts of agricultural land and set up a trading network of stock and station agencies supplying goods and services to developing communities, implements and equipment for pastoralists and miners, wool stores, shipping facilities and, when needed, financial assistance.

Image: SLSA B59765 1908

Smith, Sir Tom Elder Barr 1904 - 1968

Pastoralist and company director. Involved in the family's pastoral concerns, chaired the Mutooroo, Beltana and Milo pastoral companies and chaired the livestock section of the Food for Britain appeal.

Smith, Clarence Herbert 1855 - 1901

Reputed to have been the principle inventor of the stump-jump plough with his brother Richard. In 1880 Clarence established an agricultural machinery works at Ardrossan.

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Herbert_Smith

Smith, Samuel 1812 - 1889

Vigneron. Samuel Smith, the founder of Yalumba Wines, arrived at Port Adelaide in 1847 and moved to Angaston in 1849, where he purchased 30 acres and established a vineyard and orchard. He was soon producing wine from his own grapes and from some bought from his neighbours. His wines were soon gaining recognition and his vineyards were expanded considerably. Samuel Smith died at Angaston in 1889.

Image: SLSA PRG 1642/25/118

Steinwedel, August Wilhelm 1834 - 1924

August Steinwedel was a farmer at Dalkey SA. He selected a few tall plants from a crop of Champlain’s Hybrid, an American wheat variety which was otherwise a failure. The selection was named Steinwedel and this variety was grown extensively in the drier areas of the Australian wheat belt from 1890–1910. It was been used as a parent for yielding capacity and drought resistance.

Stott, Tom Cleave 1899 - 1976

Wheat-farmer and politician. Tom Stott farmed in the Murray Mallee and quickly foresaw the need for producers to organise themselves into pressure groups. Largely due to his efforts, the Farmers Protection Association (forerunner of the United Farmers and Graziers of South Australia) was formed in 1929 and the Australian Wheatgrowers' Federation in 1931 with Stott as secretary of both for many years. He sat in Parliament for an unbroken thirty-seven years advocating for farmers.

Image: State Library Victoria H38849/4386

Strangways, Henry Bull Templar 1832 - 1920

Lawyer and politician. Introduced land reform of crown lands after much conflict with pastoralists. This provided for the creation of agricultural areas and credit for land purchases.

Image: SLSA B11138 1875

W

Waite, Peter 1834 - 1922

Pastoralist and benefactor. Leader in the improvement and management of semi-arid salt bush country and donated his Urrbrae property to the University of Adelaide for agricultural studies (the Waite Agricultural Research Institute) and to the South Australian government for an agricultural high school.

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Waite

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