AGRICULTURE Western Australia

(Bill) Joseph Scott. Born two months after the start of WWII and the youngest of eight children, he offers a glimpse into the early days of farming in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia. From droughts to the Iraqi war to dubious political policies, hard times were felt over the years. Yet Bill’s success in farming is clear – from live pig exports to Burma, to life membership of the West Australian Pig Breeders Association and serving as a Councilor of the Royal Agricultural Society. Looking back on his farming life, Bill considers his success the result of hard work, living within one’s means… and fortunate timing.
Australind man Bill Scott has reflected on his extraordinary life to publish an autobiography, Fortunate Timing: My Life on Kookaburra Farm.

The book details his early life on the family farm in Doodlakine, when times were simpler and hard work was the norm.

At just 20 years of age, Bill took over the running of his father’s successful Kookaburra Stud Pig Farm, a role to which he dedicated his life for the next 50 years, with his work leading to his nomination as councillor of the Royal Agricultural Society.

His work lead to his nomination as a councillor of the Royal Agricultural Society, which saw him coordinate the show which attracted approximately 480,000 people each year.

During his time exhibiting pigs at the show, Mr Scott was one of the first to supply piglets to the Pat-A-Pig exhibit and began handing out “I patted a pig” stickers which were a hit with generations of children.

The autobiography also details the tragic and happy moments of Mr Scott’s family life and his years spent in Australind after retirement, during which time he was awarded the South West Volunteer of the Year in 2014 and the Harvey Shire Meritorious Award for Volunteer Welfare Work in 2017.

He was recognised with these awards for his ongoing volunteer welfare work, which included his well known fundraising garage sales for St Vincent de Paul.

Mr Scott said it took three months to piece the book together, a task made easier by his family’s daily farm diary.

Mr Scott said his own children made new discoveries about his life when they read the book and he hoped it would help readers “gain an understanding of what times were like years ago”.

Mr Scott also hopes the book will show “there is a life after farming”.
pp. 99 illusts #270324