Tribute Vale Brian Boulton

Vale Brian Boulton

The dried fruits industry has lost a true champion in the sector, with the recent passing of Brian Boulton.

From the mechanisation of harvest to the introduction of new varieties and improved viticultural practices, Brian had a hand in the transformation of the dried grape industry for 60 years. A third-generation dried fruit grower from Vinifera, Victoria, Brian spent 40 years as president of the Mid-Murray branch of Dried Fruits Australia (DFA) and almost 20 years as a member of the DFA board, stepping down from that position in 2019. For Brian, growing was a family affair, as he and his wife Iris and their two children, Brendan and Jenny, managed 37 hectares of sultanas, Sunmuscat, currants and raisins.

Brian was a valued contributor to DFA and previously the Australian Dried Fruits Association, and his dedication and experience will be sadly missed. Brian was a true stalwart of the dried fruit industry, and a gentleman to go with it, always looking at how DFA could do more for the growers – whether in research and development (R&D) or water issues in the Murray-Darling system. He believed strongly that R&D was the future of dried fruit and that water was the lifeblood of our industry. We were fortunate enough to catch up with Brian and Iris, along with a few of their family and close friends, at the Tooleybuc Club for lunch and to present him with a family portrait as a small thank you for his contribution to ADFA and now DFA over many years. His efforts will always be appreciated. Rest in peace, Brian.

Mark King, DFA chair

I first met Brian at branch meetings of the ADFA in the late 1980s as a representative of the Mid-Murray branch.

I quickly realised he was the heart and head of the industry in that area around Vinifera, Victoria.

Brian became a member of the Board of Management of ADFA and held his seat for many years. The head office of the ADFA was in Mildura, which was a 2.5 hour drive each way for Brian to attend a meeting, and he rarely missed any, even in the busy times of harvest. His trips to Mildura were two to three times a month, sometimes overnight for extended committees and meetings. He served as my deputy chair for about five years when I was chairman in the early 2000s.

His support and advice was very genuine and greatly appreciated. Brian was heavily involved with the industry’s R&D, with experiments on his vineyard to get a comparison of Mid-Murray around Nyah West, to the vineyards in Sunraysia, being a slightly colder climate, delivering later growth stages and tougher drying times. Brian was also a trustee of the industry trusts, which allocated funds for marketing and research and his grower experience and personal qualities ensured value for money on the expenditure and real benefits in the long-term for the growers and packers. Brian’s wife Iris and family are owed a real debt of gratitude for helping and allowing him to be away from the farm on industry business for the benefit of us all.

Thank you, Brian.

Peter Jones, ADFA chair 2002-2009