3 February 1885    Roseworthy Agricultural College

Roseworthy Agricultural College was opened on 3 February 1885 and the first residential students were admitted. The establishment of the college followed a series of recommendations by a commission on agricultural education formed in 1875, although it was not until 1882 that John Custance, appointed Professor of Agriculture, took up residence. Construction of the main building was begun in 1883. 

Today the college occupies approximately 1200 hectares of land most of which is used as a teaching and demonstration farm. About 500 hectares are sown to wheat, barley, oats, oilseed and medic crops and there are gardens, orchards and vineyards from which the college produces a range of good wines. The farm also carries sheep, Poll Shorthorn beef cattle, Jersey and Friesian dairy cattle, pigs, poultry, horses and Angora goats.

The college has three faculties, Agriculture, Oenology and Natural Resources to train young people in the various aspects of life on the land. In the more than 100 years since the college was established much research has been carried out to improve the quality of crops and stock with some excellent results. In the mid 1970s the college began accepting women students which brought about a change in the inherent masculine identity of such institutions in the past.

The college is now part of the University of Adelaide.

Jeff Daniels (ed), Roseworthy Agricultural College: A Century of Service ,1983.