William Gilbert (pastoralist)

This article is about the pastoralist and vigneron. For the South Australian politician and philanthropist 1829–1919, see William Gilbert (politician).

William Gilbert
Born(1850-10-12)12 October 1850
Died29 March 1923(1923-03-29) (aged 72)
Pewsey Vale
Occupation(s)pastoralist and vigneron

William Gilbert (12 October 1850 – 29 March 1923) was a South Australian pastoralist and vigneron.

He was born the only son of Joseph Gilbert (1800–1881) of Pewsey Vale near Lyndoch and his wife Anna née Browne (1812–1873). He was educated at St. Peter's College, and in 1864 enrolled with Cambridge University.[1]

In 1872 he helped Ted Bagot (1848–1881) and his foster-brother James Churchill-Smith (1851–1922) drove 1,000 head of cattle from Adelaide to the MacDonnell Ranges where he had acquired three leases centred on Owen Springs Station and Edward Meade Bagot another two, on Emily Gap and Undoolya Stations; this was recognised as one of the great droving feats of Australian pastoral history.[2] He took up management of Owen Springs station in 1873 and in 1875 was managing of all his father's properties.

When his father died he disposed of Owen Springs, the freehold of 32,000 acres at Mount Bryan, and the Oriecowe run on Yorke Peninsula in order to concentrate on stock improvement at Pewsey Vale. It was not long before his wool was fetching record prices. He had considerable success with wines also, though according to one source, he treated winemaking more as a hobby than a business. Having increased output in one year to 17,000 imperial gallons (77,000 L)[3] this would rank as a very serious hobby.

Shortly before his death in North Adelaide, he transferred the Wongalere property near Williamstown to his son William, who had been developing its vineyard. William junior sold Pewsey Vale shortly after inheriting it to pay probate duties.

  1. ^ "A Pioneer Pastoralist". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 30 March 1923. p. 12. Retrieved 14 July 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Eden Springs Vineyards – Region – Fine Australian wine from High Eden sub-region". Edensprings.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2014.