On Friday 11 May, the Waite Research Institute hosted Peter Waite Day at Urrbrae House. Held each year since 2011 on the Friday closest to Peter Waite’s Birthday (May 9), the afternoon is an opportunity for people from across the campus organisations to come together over a few drinks and celebrate being part of the Waite community.
The rain cleared just in time for the much-loved and fiercely contested Bocce tournament to go ahead. This year we saw ten teams from CSIRO, the AWRI and the University of Adelaide fighting it out for the Peter Waite Bocce Trophy. Several teams had been spied practicing at lunch time in the lead up to the event. Team Fermtastic Four from the ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production were the eventual winners, putting an end to several years of dominance by the Fertiliser Mafia.
Special mention goes to ‘The Waiters’ for best costume and ‘The Ball Tamperers’ for best new team name.
A huge thanks to the staff at Urrbrae House for hosting us. It’s apt that we gathered at the family home of Peter Waite, because it is his generosity and foresight that we acknowledge every year on this occasion. Peter Waite’s philanthropic gift to The University of Adelaide, which led to the establishment of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute in 1924, has enabled and funded important agricultural science outcomes and continues to support our endeavours.
It was especially great to have Joslyn Fox, Mark Ward, Ian Reed and David Price join us from Urrbrae Agricultural High School this year. Peter Waite also bequeathed land to the State Government for the establishment of the school and they are very much a part of the Waite Community.
Thanks to everyone who joined in. You now have 12 months to practice your bocce ahead of the tournament next year!
