Donor Profile - Maurice Wyndham

There is a powerful synergy in Maurice Wyndham’s posthumous support for the University of New England’s imaginative Boilerhouse project.

A prominent New England grazier, Maurice Wyndham had a passion for learning and a reputation for thinking outside the square. He had a keen interest in geology, science and education and was an active member of the New England Rural Development Association. This outreach program brought landholders and UNE staff together in remote communities to discuss topics such as pasture improvement and animal health and welfare.

“My father was a keen observer and questioned everything,” says his daughter Margaret Chapman.“ He and Professor Alan Voisey (head of geology at UNE) undertook some of the first detailed geological mapping of the district, including Devil’s Chimney and the basalt dyke near the top of Doughboy Mountain.”

But Maurice and his wife Kit had many friends within the industry. They purchased Abroi in 1946, when it was overrun with rabbits and heavily eroded, but had no money left to buy sheep or cattle. “We did have some old machinery that had been used for growing wheat before the war, which we used to plant crops. But most failed because of too much or too little rain, and the shallow soils eroded quickly,” Kit wrote. “Unable to afford CSIRO superphosphate and clover seed directly into the sward,
and added ryegrass, cocksfoot and phalaris once this was established. Production increased dramatically, and within 10 years we also bought Guy Fawkes Station, near Ebor. Once again, the overgrazed native grasses responded quickly to aerial applications of super and seed. Soon, both properties were known throughout the district for their green pastures and high carrying capacity.”

When quarantine regulations prevented Maurice from privately importing semen from heavily muscled Charolais
cattle for crossbreeding, he encouraged UNE to secure import approval for a research program. He and a neighbour – Owen Wright – were also the first to spread superphosphate and seed from the air, and trialled contour banks in an effort to control rapidly eroding gullies.

“My father was a pioneer in many ways,” says Margaret. “He loved sharing his ideas, knowledge and experience
with others. Although his sight was very limited in later years, he never lost his vision.”

Maurice was 93 when he died in 2000. Money he initially donated to establish a fund to help UNE host international conferences now (with interest) totals $265,000 and will soon help transform the old industrial building that once heated the university campus into a state-of-the-art centre for 21st century learning. The $15 million Boilerhouse facility will feature play-based experiences for children that support early brain development and inspire a culture of collaborative exploration. This will include the ‘Dig Deep’ geological experience the Wyndham Trust is supporting through the Boilerhouse Founding Friends program.

“Dig Deep is a perfect tribute to my father and his remarkable life,” Margaret says. “He understood that he had to start by correcting soil deficiencies to grow healthy plants and animals – everything needs to be in balance.”

“I am looking forward to being involved in such an exciting project and am confident my father would approve. He wanted to bring the university and the wider community closer together, and my husband Rob and I are delighted to see this wonderful, dramatic building being repurposed. The Boilerhouse will not just be for young children and their parents, but for everyone.”

Two world-class architectural firms are now collaborating to develop the Boilerhouse experiences, as well as opportunities and spaces for integration with UNE research and education in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths). But seeing this landmark project through to completion will demand extra funds.