David Hall

Soil Scientist David Hall has more than 30 years’ experience in soil management research as a researcher and project leader. His fields of research have encompassed the use of amendments (gypsum, lime, wetting agents, clay, organic compounds), tillage (deep shallow) and cropping rotations to modify and improve soils productivity.

I originally went to Armidale to study towards a B.Sc.Ag ('82). This was a full time degree and I stayed on campus at Earle Page College. My home was in Gippsland and so it was a big move to come to Armidale. One I have never regretted. One of the key reasons for Armidale was that it made sense to study agricultural in a rural environment particularly when you had working university farms for practicals bordering the campus (Kirby, Laureldale).

UNE at that stage had renowned Faculties of Agricultural Economics and Rural Science. The B.Sc.Ag degree enabled me to study in both faculties. At the end of my degree economics and soil science were my majors. It looks as though soil science won out in the end given that I completed a  M.Rur.Sc ('92) degree and have been practicing soil science ever since. UNE lectures were pretty intense. In my first lecture I was told to look at the person on either side of me because they will not be there by the end of the year. Not quite sure what the attrition rate was but it was high. Overall the lectures were good and backed up with a lot of excellent practicals.  I do remember being told that the B.Sc.Ag degree was far inferior to a B.Rur.Sc by the academic coordinator and that "you will never have the satisfaction of having a Rural Science degree". Well I proved that wrong.

What inspires me? From a soils perspective you read the challenges that the early settlers faced in WA and how poor and unproductive the soils were. Charles Darwin in 1836 when at King George Sound (Albany) described the soils as sandy and the vegetation  poor and he never wanted to walk in such an uninviting environment ever again. We are now able to grow high yielding crops on these sands. This transformation through good soil and agronomic management is the inspiration.

My wife Julie and two of our three children moved to Esperance in 1993 and have never looked back. Interestingly my office in Esperance had three UNE graduates so there was always some connection. My wife Julie is also a UNE graduate. Outside of work I play squash and have been the Club President, ridden the Munda Biddi track on my mountain bike, and sail a flying fifteen and have been involved in junior rescue/coaching.