Our History
Where It All Began
The modern turf industry as we know it today began in the 1930s on the banks of the Hawkesbury River and in the outer semi-rural suburbs of Sydney.
The importation of Kikuyu and its subsequent planting at Hawkesbury Agricultural College in 1920 led to its adoption for dairy pasture use throughout neighbouring areas and later in many parts of the country. The Hawkesbury Valley’s climate allowed for rapid growth and establishment, which quickly led to the cutting of turf and runners from these properties for continued propagation – albeit mainly for pasture establishment.
The benefits and relative ease of transplantation and establishment by this method soon led to the rise of Kikuyu not only for pasture but also for garden areas. So the ‘instant lawn’ market was born.
Pioneers of the industry, including Charlie Courtney, John Polley, Gordon Johnston and Frank Turnbull, harvested Kikuyu and Couch turf from various locations in the Richmond area through the 1930s. In those days, long battens were placed on the ground 12″(30cm apart), and an axe was used to cut into the turf along with the battens. A spade was then used to cut under the turf, which was rolled and stacked to retain moisture before being loaded onto a horse-and-cart for delivery.
Pasture or paddock turf remained the norm until the 1950s, when the advent of both the horse-drawn and Victa mower allowed for the establishment of cultivated turf operations.
The principles of turf cutting have remained the same since this time; however, the practice has changed enormously over the past 60 years.
The introduction of the ‘Ryan’ Turfcutter in the early 1960s, the Brouwer Turfcutter in the 1980s and the development of ‘sod’ planters in the 1990s all led towards the establishment of a highly productive and efficient ‘cultivated’ turf industry.
Before 2006, the turf industry funded a research and development (R&D) program through Horticulture Australia Limited, now known as Hort Innovation, with voluntary contributions from producers, sports turf associations, the turf maintenance and landscape sector, and allied suppliers. Before the introduction of the 2006 levy, there was no industry-funded marketing and promotion (M&P) program.
In 2006, Australian Turf Producers elected to support the introduction of a horticultural products levy for Research & Development and Marketing, and a Turf industry strategic plan was developed to guide the best use of levy funds to benefit the industry. The industry’s strategic investment plans are reviewed annually, and approximately every 4 to 5 years, a new strategic investment plan is developed in consultation with turf growers and Turf Australia