Obituaries Australia

James Wilson, n.d.

from Pastoral Review and Graziers' Record, 17 December 1956

Mr. James Lockie Wilson, C.B.E., for many years a leading figure in Australia's beef cattle breeding industry, died at his home at Toowoomba, Q., last month at the age of 76.

Mr. Wilson's forebears came to Australia from Scotland about 1830, and his father, David Wilson, gained early experience in the pastoral industry as overseer on Mt. Larcom Station, Q. Subsequently, he owned Raglan Station, Q., before going into business in Sydney, where the late Mr. J. L. Wilson was born in 1880. He was educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School and at Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Richmond, N.S.W.

Mr. Wilson served with the Australian forces in the Boer War from 1899 to 1901, and also saw active service in World War I as a sergeant with the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company, which achieved prominence by its effective operations near Ypres, in Belgium.

In partnership with the late Mr. P. J. C. McDouall, Mr. J. L. Wilson bought Calliope Station, Gladstone, Q., in 1905, and here the now famous Calliope Hereford stud was founded in 1919. Later the Calliope Poll Hereford stud was formed, and for many years Mr. Wilson was a councillor of both the Hereford and Poll Hereford Societies. Both studs are still being carried on at Calliope by Mr. Wilson's son, Mr. R. S. Wilson.

For many years, Mr. Wilson had taken a leading and active part in a wide range of activities, most of them associated with primary production, but probably his most outstanding work for the primary industries was in his capacity as a councillor of the Royal National Association of Queensland for about 26 years. He was president from 1948 to 1951 and during that time initiated and finalised numerous worthwhile improvements. He was on the executive of the United Graziers' Association of Queensland for 27 years, including three years as vice-president, and for many years was chairman of the Cattle Committee. He was for five years a member of the Australian Meat Board, and, with the late Mr. Edward Archer, was responsible for the formation in 1936 of the Central Coastal Graziers' Association of Queensland, of which he was president for many years. His other activities included membership of the Gladstone Harbour Board from its inception in 1914 until 1940, a councillor of the Calliope Shire for many years, and president of the Gladstone Show for a long period.

Mr. Wilson, who married Miss Jessie McDouall, eldest daughter of his partner, also owned other pastoral properties in Queensland, including Calliungal, near Wowan, while he had an interest in Balcomba, Gladstone. He is survived by his son, Richard, and three daughters—Miss Molly Wilson, Toowoomba; Mrs. H. N. Ballantine, Galloway Plains, Gladstone; and Mrs. Max Hamlyn, Lockerbie, Beaudesert, Q.