About us
Early colonists were keen to expand into the vast lands of South Australia for food and fibre production. This was necessary for their own use but also for trade. The first agriculture included:
- cereals, especially wheat, which grew well on newly cleared land
- sheep brought in from neighbouring colonies
- horticultural crops, including many varieties of fruits, vegetables and vines, which were established as favourable land was cleared.
All was well until the 1870s, when declining soil fertility and drought threatened these fledgling industries. The government set up a commission in 1875 to develop ways of providing technical and agricultural education for the colonists.
The commission recommended forming a Department of Agriculture, but this was not acted upon until the turn of the century. In the meantime, a Professor of Agriculture was appointed, and Roseworthy Agricultural College opened its doors in 1885.
Droughts in 1885 and 1886 accelerated the formation of an Agricultural Bureau system controlled by a Central Bureau. This became the forerunner of the Department of Agriculture.
History of Agriculture website
In the early 2000s, work commenced on capturing this history. A small working group was established, and a Steering Committee provided strategic direction and support. The group sorted through many thousands of photographic images, conducted oral histories, and planned how to present them online.
This website now includes documents, manuscripts, personal accounts, and transcripts about the development of agricultural industries, and the government in South Australia, through to the present day. It recounts the historical roles played by:
- the Department of Agriculture
- Agricultural Bureaus
- learning institutions
- agricultural producers and innovators
- other government agencies.
The material contained within this website is a product of many volunteers, most former Department members. There are over 70 topic contributors and many more who have provided material, and reviewed documents prepared.
We would like to sincerely thank all involved, particularly Dr John Radcliffe, Arthur Tideman, Trevor Roberts, Barry Windle, Roger Wickes, Barry Philp, Tricia Fraser, Don Plowman, Phil Cole, Kevin Gogler, Rita Novia, Mark Barber, Bill Giles, Paul Moran, Neil Collins, Paul Heap and Bernie O’Neil.
We recognise the substantial work of volunteers Arthur Tideman, Trevor Roberts, and Tricia Fraser in assembling and describing the large collection of photographs and related historical documents.
We also acknowledge the valuable work of historian Bernie O’Neil, in collecting much of the historical material used in this website and undertaking the oral histories.
New users of the site are encouraged to make a contribution.