Don Wurfel's Grain Collection: Pinnaroo in the Murraylands region of South Australia

The Mallee Region looked much different in the days before the light narrow gauge railway line with it's small locomotive brought more and more wheat farmers to the district.

The decision to press ahead with a railway and open up the mallee for wheat farming followed years of parliamentary debate and a Royal Commission.

But by the beginning of last century the harvesters were in full swing and with the advent of the new miracle fertiliser - superphosphate - towns like Pinnaroo were awash in a sea of grain.

Much of that story is told at the Mallee Tourism and Heritage Centre where the late Don Wurfel's grain collection - gathered over a lifetime - underlines how wheat and barley transformed the Mallee. Don’s son, Trevor Wurfel explains:

“Father as a young boy was always interested in growing wheat on his farm and even at nine years old he'd started it and through his farming life he continued. He went to Agricultural College and so I think he was a frustrated wheat breeder.”

Don Wurfel collected them all - including wheat seeds from Peru and Portugal. As a wheat farmer he would regularly hand sow small plots of grain with names like Golden Promise and Free Gallipoli - ensuring fresh supplies of many historic seeds varieties.

Following the chaos of World War Two, several historic seed varieties had gone missing and a desperate call went out to the cockie at Pinnaroo in South Australia who had a two thousand strong grain collection.

“They continued to use old types of wheat for breeding purposes and they'd lost track of thirteen varieties. They'd canvassed all institutions around Australia trying to get these varieties. And in desperation they rang father and he had the whole thirteen. But not only the whole thirteen but also he had all fresh seed and viable seed for them.

Don Wurfel's Grain Collection is on show at the Mallee Tourism and Heritage Centre in Main Street Pinnaroo.

It's open from 10am until 1pm daily except Sunday or by appointment on 8577 8206. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au