Obituaries Australia

Joseph Mack, n.d.

from Pastoral Review, 16 August 1926

Just two months after the death of Mr. Frank Mack, of Narramine, N.S.W., comes the news of the demise, on 21st July, of his elder brother Joseph, of Berrybank, in the Western District of Victoria.

The second son of the late Joseph Gardner Mack, a pioneer pastoralist of Victoria, the subject of this notice was born at Mamra, near Colac, on 5th June, 1845, so he had passed his 81st birthday. When he was five years of age his parents settled at Berrybank, between Cressy and Lismore, a property that has remained the home of the Mack family ever since. The original homestead, built in the early fifties, is still standing.

Mr. Joseph Mack received his education at the old Skene Street, Geelong, school, that subsequently became the Geelong College, under the late Dr. George Morrison, and at Scotch College, Melbourne. On leaving school he joined his father at Berrybank, where he became a noted breeder of Merinos. The flock was brought to a high state of perfection, and entries from the Berrybank stud were a feature of the Melbourne and district sheep shows thirty and more years ago. Mr. Mack also sent exhibits as far afield as Wagga, N.S.W., where he won the ram championship three years in succession. Like his brother in New South Wales, Joseph Mack early realised the possibilities of his land for wheat growing, and the sheep area was reduced during the nineties. Since the beginning of the present century a good deal of the property has been cut up and sold for closer settlement.

From his school days on Mr. Mack was always a keen and clean sportsman. Cricket claimed most of his attention as a young man, and he played for Geelong against the first English team to visit Australia. He was also a member of the Geelong football team in the sixties. A first class rifle shot, he was one of the founders of the Lismore Club. Mr. Mack took a close interest in coursing, was in fact a pioneer of open coursing in Victoria. Many large and important meetings were held at Berrybank in the days before the property was cut up.

Mr. Mack did not spare himself in regard to public services. He was a member of the Hampden Shire Council for a matter of 25 years, and president for about five, being the first Australian-born chairman. As a devout member of the Presbyterian Church he supported its activities liberally, and was always ready to give help and guidance to new settlers in his district.

He is survived by five sons and five daughters.