Vignette 26: The first Waite laboratories

South Australia’s innovative spirit is fuelled by its history of enterprise and its commitment to research and development. In 1927, Sir John Melrose’s (1860–1938) contribution of £10,000, alongside grants from the Empire Marketing Board and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, provided for the first permanent laboratory buildings at Waite.

Melrose was a pastoralist. He made inventive stock imports, such as the horned Dorset sheep, which enhanced lamb production. He lost his sight at 41 but continued to manage his farming properties with help from his daughter Lillie. He learned Braille, and under a pseudonym, he wrote for livestock journals. Melrose was knighted in 1928 for his philanthropy.

The laboratory buildings at Waite, which Melrose helped fund, have contributed to the significant growth of agriculture and animal studies.

The University of Adelaide: 150 Years of Making History.  Giving with impact.  p.41