THE GOVERNMENT FARM – A 100 year history of Minnipa Agricultural Centre

Author and past Manager of the Centre, Bob Holloway has published a 259 page book on the 100 year history of the Minnipa Agricultural Centre, 1915 to 2015.

“This book is about people and about a place that formed a part of their lives at some time between 1915 and 2015. The Minnipa Agricultural Centre, as it is now known, was referred to colloquially as “The Government Farm”. With impressive foresight, the State Government decided in 1914 to establish an experimental farm near the town of Minnipa on Upper Eyre Peninsula to conduct investigative trials and demonstrations to give pioneer farming families some guidance into what may or may not work in the untried environment. Adelaide was days away and dingoes howled at night.

A hundred years later, the Government Farm still exists and the progress of agriculture in a low rainfall environment, from the heavy horse days to GPS guided machinery is recorded through the words of managers and research scientists.

The author, Bob Holloway, lived at the Centre between 1977 and 2006 and has recorded many of the incidents and developments that should be of interest to those who are familiar with the Centre and also many of those who know little about agriculture.”

The publication is for sale at $35 ($50 to be posted).

If you would like to purchase a copy please phone 8680 6202.