Lumen Winter 2016 - Flipbook - Page 33
“I greatly enjoyed the varied work and
visiting the affected paddocks at Black
Springs, although I remember a very
obstinate transport clerk who always
assigned me a short-wheelbase Land
Rover with no fuel and on two occasions,
bald tyres,” she recalls.
And with females in the field a rarity,
there were other challenges for Mary who
was treated with some scepticism by
many horticulturalists and farmers.
“I remember the Barossa bureau
conference where I had addressed
a large group of vine and stone fruit
producers and the vote of thanks at the
end commented that it was an interesting
topic and a good talk, ‘especially as I was
a woman’,” says Mary.
When Mary and Geoff married in 1966,
she had to seek parliamentary approval to
continue working as an advisor at Loxton.
Following a period away from the
workforce after starting a family in 1968,
Mary moved into different areas of work,
including juice quality control, biological
control of red scale and teaching at three
Riverland high schools.
She returned to Adelaide and found work
in a busy garden nursery where her ability
to identify plants and treat diseases and
pests made her very popular with clients.
Geoff came to the University from a
farm at Pinnaroo in the Murray Mallee and
had always been interested in studying
agriculture. He recalls the halcyon days of
university in the 1960s with fondness.
“I enjoyed studying with a great group of
people and appreciated the commitment
shown by the lecturers. The breadth and
depth of the course set me up for a very
fulfilling career, working with farmers and
fellow scientists,” says Geoff.
Following graduation he joined the SA
Department of Agriculture as a cadet
and was posted to Loxton in 1965 as a
soils officer, working in broadacre and
horticulture. In 1969 the family travelled
to Melbourne where Geoff did a Diploma
of Agricultural Extension under a Wheat
Industry Scholarship and in 1970 he was
posted to Naracoorte as a Research
Extension Liaison Officer.
After a spell with the Victorian agricultural
department he returned to SA and held
various posts before leaving the public
sector in 1994 to become CEO of the
Adelaide Hills Regional Development
Board for five years. Geoff also ran his own
consultancy from 1999, working in the
commercialisation of technology and funds
management in research and extension.
Mary and Geoff’s four sons all went to
university, three of them studying agriculture
at the University of Adelaide and two of
them going on to marry other ‘aggies’.
They now have nine grandchildren.
“There was certainly no pressure for
them to follow in our footsteps,” says
Geoff. “But they were probably influenced
by our wide-ranging family discussions
and from observing our diverse,
challenging and rewarding careers.”
And the ‘aggies of ’65’ have maintained
a family-like closeness, coming together
for reunions over the years to reminisce
over their shared experiences.
Geoff and fellow graduate Tim Smeaton
recently compiled a memoir which
includes biographies and photos of their
classmates. It’s an impressive catalogue
of interesting and productive careers that
were founded in the lecture rooms and
labs of the University 50 years ago.
Bottom left: The Thomas family from left: Dave,
Andy, Geoff, Mary, Ben and Steve
Inset top: Agricultural Science students final year 1964.
Geoff Thomas, back row, second from right. Mary Thomas
(nee Wauchope) front row, third from right
The University of Adelaide | Alumni Magazine 31
