Walter John Colebatch

Walter John Colebatch was born in Kempley, Gloucestershire in 1877. Within 12 months his family had emigrated and settled in Adelaide. His father Thomas became the Director of Stores for the South Australian Government, and Walter was sent to Prince Alfred College for his primary and secondary schooling.

In 1895, after a gap year as a jackeroo, he entered Roseworthy Agricultural College on a Government scholarship, valued at 90 Pounds. He won a number of class prizes, the Angas gold and silver medals, and was recognised as Dux of the College, with what was acclaimed as the best academic record of any Roseworthy student up to that time.

With no suitable avenues in Australia, he sailed to Edinburgh, where for four years he studied for the degree of BSc in Agriculture whilst simultaneously undertaking the full course of veterinary studies at the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College. He taught at Oxford for a year before being appointed lecturer at the agricultural college in New Zealand’s South Island, Lincoln College (now Lincoln University), near Canterbury.

While at Lincoln, and just 27 years old, WJC accepted the offer to return to Roseworthy in 1904 as Principal of the college. As the New Zealand Government insisted he complete his three-year contract with Lincoln, he had to decline. On completion of his contract in New Zealand he accepted the position of dual posts with the University of Melbourne and the Victorian Department of Agriculture.

Colebatch returned to Roseworthy in 1911 as acting Principal while Professor Perkins undertook a year’s sabbatical. After the year at Roseworthy he spent the next three years as Director of the agricultural research station at Kybybolite, near Naracoorte. He was appointed Principal of Roseworthy in 1914.

After the Federal Government prevented his enlistment in 1916 to the AIF, he remained Principal for a further 11 years, 13 years in total. 

During 1927, with his wife gravely ill with cancer, Colebatch resigned from the college and the family returned to Adelaide. He was succeeded as Principal byW.R.Birks, also a former student of Prince Alfred College and dux of Roseworthy.

Colebatch became deputy director of the Department of Lands, and served simultaneously in several other posts until he retired in 1937. Relocating to Olinda in the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne, he turned plain paddocks into what the grandchildren described as a magical garden.

He died in 1958. The locality of Colebatch, between the Coorong and the Dukes Highway, is named after him in recognition of his contribution to agriculture in South Australia.

The WJ Colebatch Memorial Prize was first awarded in 1961.