‘Quite outstanding’: Prominent Balah wool producer Sonya Irwin remembered by local golf club

Prominent Balah wool producer Sonya Irwin has been remembered by her friends as a fearless woman with a heart of gold.

Sonya Irwin had lots more planned before her untimely death, which has left friends in shock.

Mrs Irwin operated Balah Station, about 36kms north of Morgan, for four decades producing wool with her husband James and their children, Jamo and Skye.

However, tragedy struck on Wednesday evening when a routine farm job went wrong.

It is believed Mrs Irwin went to the dam to start a pump and give water to the livestock but something went horribly wrong and she drowned in the water.

Police pulled her from the dam and pronounced her dead at the scene.

Mrs Irwin’s death sent shockwaves through the community, including the Burra Golf Club, where she competed in the ladies competition.

Sonya Irwin was remembered by her golf girls. Di Day, Jodi Lehmann, Sonya Irwin, Judy Reilly, Sharyn Roberts, Andrea Rowe, Margie Stockman. Picture: Supplied.

Mrs Irwin was remembered as being “very likeable” and “approachable”. Picture: Supplied.

Former golf ladies’ captain and current team member Sharyn Roberts was shocked to hear the sad news.

Ms Roberts said Mrs Irwin was making plans to compete in various golf events this year.

“It’s just so bizarre to hear about Sonya’s passing,” she said.

“It was only this Tuesday we were discussing Country Week Golf where Sonya’s group was supposed to go to Murray Bridge in July … she had all these plans.

“She was really starting to improve her game too; she would have become quite outstanding.

“Although Sonya had something about her where it didn’t matter what she put her hand to, she could do anything, and she was never scared of anything. Real goer.”

Ms Roberts said Mrs Irwin’s absence will be impossible to miss among the golfers.

“She will be sorely missed by all us golf girls,” Ms Roberts said.

“It definitely leaves a big hole in our group because we only have about 12 regular ladies here in Burra … and although Sonya lived an hour away, she always made a tremendous effort to come out whenever she could.

“And she would also always make an effort to attend our community events and she would end up being the life of the party … she was just a very likeable lady and approachable.

“And if she couldn’t make it and she missed the event, she’d make sure she’d bake or make something instead.”

The golf club’s website notes Mrs Irwin shone during a winter ladies’ competition in 2023, blitzing the field to take the best score of the day in the Barossa Valley Open.

In addition to golfing, Mrs Irwin was an avid waterskier.

Mr and Mrs Irwin met at a Sandblasters Ball in Keith while they were studying in high school. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Meanwhile, Mrs Irwin’s husband James – widely known as “Oigle” – described his wife as the backbone of the 65,000ha wool-growing station.

He said “she ran everything really”, from mustering to dealing with the bank.

“She was a great pastoralist, great stockman, clever business woman,” he said.

“She was basically the boss. She’s got an incredible mind.

“That’s what used to annoy me, because what she says is usually right.”

The pair met at a Sandblasters Ball in Keith while they were studying in high school in Adelaide — she was at Seymour College and he was at St Peters.

They married in 1986 and spent some time on Mr Irwin’s family property at Keith before returning to Balah Station when Mrs Irwin’s parents decided to retire and sell the homestead to the couple.

Police say there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Ms Irwin’s death.