Avondale Agricultural Research Station

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A display in the museum

Avondale Agriculture Research Station is one of thirteen research farms/stations operated by Western Australia's Department of Agriculture. In addition to its research Avondale has historical buildings, a farming equipment museum and operates as an agriculture education centre specialising in introducing primary school children to farming and it history in Western Australia.

Avondale situated on land where the Dale River joins the Avon River 10 km northwest of Beverley. It is located on land originally assigned to the first Governor of Western Australia, Captain (later Admiral Sir) James Stirling and Captain Mark Currie RN in 1836. The original holdings came to be known as Avondale Estate.

1 Early farm years
2 Department of Agriculture
3 References
4 External link

[edit] Early farm years

During the 19th century the Estate grew to over 52.63 square kilometres in area, when in 1910 the estate was purchased by the Lands Department. After World War I most of the Estate was subdivided and sold to return soldiers as repatriation farms. The original homestead block faced an uncertain future for many years, until 1924 when it was given to the Department of Agriculture.

[edit] Department of Agriculture

Initially intended for the production of pure seed wheat and oats, very little seed was produced for several years. Avondale was used as an assembly and holding ground for dairy cattle, prior to them being sent to group settlers in the state's south west. Avondale remained the group settlement depot until the early 1930s. Cattle holdings were slowly replaced with seed production and research.

[edit] Research

Braxy-like disease originated in the Beverley-York region in 1915. Over the next 15 years it spread across most of the state's farming districts. Flock losses generally were around 5% though there were reported cases of 30% loss. In 1918 Professor Dakin of the University of Western Australia identified the disease as a toxaemia of bacterial origin but was unable to establish the source.

Dr Harold Bennetts was appointed the state's first veterinary pathologist in May 1925. Bennetts commenced an immediate investigation into the disease. In 1930 a field laboratory was built at Avondale, a flock of 1000 sheep were purchased to enable feed experiments. In 1931 Bennetts had identified Bacillus ovitoxicus as the cause of the disease. With this knowledge he was able to develop the infectious enterotoxaemia vaccine. For his efforts Bennetts received a CBE from the Queen.

[edit] Other efforts

During World War II, Avondale farm provided useful research into farming flax in Western Australia, though Avondale was not the most suitable location for growing flax. In 1942 there was some pioneering in the use of contour banks. Through the 1950s Avondale was involved the development of Dwalganup strain of clover as a livestock feed and to rest paddocks. On into the 1960s and 1970s Avondale was involved with the breeding and trial of various cereal crops for use within Western Australia.

[edit] 1976 to present

Jacko one of the Clydesdales at Avondale, due to an injury Jacko has retired to a farm near Northam

In 1976 as part of the preparations for WAY 1979, Western Australia's sesquicentennial celebrations, the Department of Agriculture decided that the historic Avondale farm should be restored to its original state to display the achievements of Western Australian farmers. In response to the announcement farmers from around the state responded generously with donations of old machinery and equipment. Most of this machinery was restored by Department of Agriculture mechanics.

In 1978 it was announced that Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales was to visit as part of the celebrations. An invitation to visit and open Avondale's agricultural displays sent and accepted. On the 16th March 1979 Prince Charles officially opened Avondale by planting a tree near the entrance to the farm.

Avondale's displays are open to the public with picnic facilities available, the farm continues its research into the future of farming in Western Australia. Included in the displays are the original homestead, various buildings including the stables complete with Clydesdales. There is a road maintained around the farm with information boards on each paddock explaining its current usage.