Hickinbotham news

The Hickinbotham family, more widely known in South Australia for building houses, last week had the main hall at the National Wine Centre renamed in their honour. Hickinbotham Hall was specifically named after father and son Alan Robb Hickinbotham and Alan David Hickinbotham, or ARH and ADH as the family refers to them, to prevent confusion. Members of the state's wine and development industries were on hand at the renaming to honor ARH, who started one of the first oenology (wine making) courses in Australia at Roseworthy College, in 1936 - becoming, according to his plaque at the wine centre, "the father of Australian oenology education". Son ADH told the City Messenger he thought his father, who died in 1959, would be "quite surprised" by the attention. "He was a very humble sort of a person. He didn't really appreciate how he was appreciated," ADH said. ADH's own plaque at the centre tells how he co-founded one of SA's "most diversified and successful family-run businesses which spans construction, development, viticulture and large-scale wine production". He played football for Geelong and South Adelaide, coming runner-up for a Magarey Medal, and was club president at South Adelaide. Aged 81, he still goes to the games every week. ADH and wife Margaret live in Unley Park, with former journalist daughter Ruth Vagnarelli next door, while son Mike Hickinbotham, of College Park, is managing director of the Hickinbotham Group. Oldest son David lives in Clarendon and continues the family's wine legacy, managing 1700ha of vineyards and large wine exports. Professional photographer Julie Courvoisier lives in Sante Fe but returned home for the Hall renaming, while daughter Jane Grantham raises her young family in London.