I would like to pay tribute to Frank Hadley, following his death last week.
Frank made his name as a cotton pioneer, co-founding the modern Australian industry with Paul Kahl, based in Wee Waa, but he was much more than that.
He was also an astute and generous mentor of young farming families, using his ownership of extensive farming properties to encourage them into agriculture through sharefarming.
I can’t give you the number of young, inexperienced farmers he helped, but I know of quite a few, and my late husband and I were among them.
Back in 1976 he provided us with land for sharefarming, giving us a go when anyone with an eye only on the bottom line would have turned us away.
His terms were sometimes more generous than usual while these young farmers were establishing themselves, and most of them were able to get onto their feet to make a productive life on the land, raising their families in what they believe is the best possible environment.
Frank Hadley’s obvious legacy is the cotton industry, but just as significant for many individuals are the generations of families who were able to achieve their dreams of life on the land because of his big heart, thoughtfulness and understanding.
Margaret Hurle
Manilla
