OBITUARY

Mick Poole died on 04/09/2022.

Mick Poole passed away peacefully on Sunday 4 September 2022 aged 79 after a 5-month battle with painful cancer. Mick’s career in CSIRO followed a successful career with the Department of Agriculture in Western Australia. After retirement from CSIRO he held positions at the University of Western Australia, the WA Biodiversity Science Institute and Swan River Trust.

Mick graduated in Agricultural Science from the University of Western Australia in 1964, sponsored by the cadetship programme of the West Australian Department of Agriculture (WADA, now Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development).

He held positions as leader of various research teams, as Ministerial adviser, Director of Enterprise Development, and then Executive Director of Plant Industries, until leaving in 1994 to take up a new position in CSIRO.

Mick was appointed to CSIRO as Executive Chair of the Centre for Environment and Life Sciences (formerly Laboratory for Rural Research) that included staff from the Divisions of Animal Production, Entomology, Forestry, Plant Industry and Soils. He also served as Merger Chair of CSIRO Land and Water and a Program Leader for the Division of Plant Industry. As in WADA, Mick brought scientists and industry to work together to focus on issues of regional and national importance. For example, he brought together scientists and farmers to improve the production of crops, particularly wheat, for the high-rainfall zone of WA in a project funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

Mick’s contributions to agriculture have been recognised with the awards of Urrbrae Medal, Farrer Medal, Centenary Medal and Member (AM) of the Order of Australia. Mick was a Fellow of the Agricultural Institute of Australia (FAIAS) and became a Fellow of ATSE in 1999. During his time he was an active member of the ATSE WA Division and Agriculture Forum. Mick was an active member of our Academy and we are sincerely grateful for his involvement. 

Mr Micheal Leslie Poole is recognised nationally for his contributions to Australia's crop industries. He has carried out applied research and provided leadership for the development of the Canola industry in southern Australia, the oaten hay industry in Western Australia, adoption of reduced tillage systems and crop/weed concepts that have been widely used throughout southern Australia. Mr Poole also provides leadership and advice to industry and government through membership of important boards and committees, particularly the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Plant Industries Advisory Group of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Resource Management.