History
John Gallienne, GSSA Life Member, compiled the history of the Society as part of his presentation "The Grassland Society - Soundly Based and Continuing to Support Livestock Industries Well" at the 60th Annual Conference in 2019.
John Gallienne has a background in agronomy including research and advisory work In Gippsland and beyond. His interests have always been in the area of Soil-Plant-Animal relationships. Initially working for the Department of Agriculture in West and South Gippsland on pasture and fodder cropping field trials and demonstrations. Later he joined Pivot Agriculture again working in agronomy with an expanded region that went from the south coast of NSW across to western Victoria, and also included Tasmania
For the past 25 years he and his wife have operated their agricultural consultancy practice working with clients in dairy, beef, sheep and intensive horticultural industries. He was Project Manager for the Dairy Australia GippsDairy Focus Farms Project for 14 years to 2017, and is currently facilitator for two Better Beef program groups plus a private beef producer group. He also works on projects for legal and financial institutions and local government.
Mac Troup Oration
Tim Prance, GSSA Past President, compiled the history of Mac Troup and the oration as part of his presentaton at the 63rd Annual Conference in 2022.
Mac was a founding member of the Grassland Society of Victoria (later to become Grassland Society of Southern Australia) in 1959. He was president of the Society in 1963. He was a very perceptive grazier and an astute observer of pasture growth, particularly sub clover.
The Mac Troup Oration is delivered at the Annual Conference by a distinguished speaker on a topic of interest to grassland farming.
