Elders Limited - 1900-1910

1900-1910

Already an economic cornerstone of South Australia, by the turn of the century the company was looking west for expansion and in 1903 acquired a one third holding in the WA wool business of George Shenton.

The following year, with the company's expertise and encouragement, the new partnership took the business beyond its Fremantle headquarters and into rural WA, sending its Port Augusta manager JO Giles to organise a branch and livestock sales at Northam.

At the same time a Port Augusta friend of Giles, WJ Gillett, opened the Beverley branch in Western Australia.

The first sale at Northam yarded 235 sheep, five cattle and three pigs.

JA Primrose arrived the following year from Adelaide to set up the merchandise department and remained its manager for the next 38 years.

Elders WA had begun and the first steps had been taken towards a branch network that would eventually extend from Kununurra to Esperance and Perth to Kalgoorlie.