Farmer, sailor, father, legend: Ian Smith remembered as a survivor of the Tasmanian apple industry

Ian Smith, a third-generation apple farmer, avid sailor, and classic car racer, passed away last week aged 82. His son has opened up on the tough love that shaped an apple empire.

Andrew Smith admits that in his younger years, he regularly butted heads with his father, business partner, and legend of the Tasmanian apple industry, Ian.

The old man was tough; he had been forged by a series of hard knocks, and had the scars to prove it.

But over time, father and son learnt to work together and understand each other’s perspective.

And in doing so, the Smiths not only survived but thrived in a difficult industry whose high-water mark passed many moons ago. 

Ian Smith, a third-generation apple farmer, avid sailor, and classic car racer, passed away last week aged 82.

He will be farewelled at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania on Friday.

His son remembered the early days of trying to find his feet in the family business – a Huon Valley fixture since 1888 – with his father still firmly at the helm.

“I was a pretty cocky and brash 16 or 17-year-old kid, and we started banging heads from an early age,” Andrew said.

“But ultimately, over the last 30 years, we created some change and survived in a declining industry.”

Andrew, who eventually took over the family business from his father before founding the Willie Smith’s cider brand with Sam Reid, remembered a stoic man who successfully navigated a lifetime of tumultuous change within Tasmania’s apple industry.

From the 1967 bushfires which destroyed the Smith family’s packing shed, to Britain’s move inside the European Economic Community, Ian found a solution to every problem and led by example, his son said.

Ian as a child with Willie and Elsie Smith. Picture: Supplied by the family

But Smith Sr’s skills and interests extended well beyond the orchard, with sailing and car racing among his chief recreational pursuits.

“Along the way he did a lot of incredible things,” Andrew said.

“He used to sail boats to Sydney as a youngster navigating with a sextant.

“In his sailing career he did over 20 Sydney to Hobarts, and many of those on boats he skippered himself.

Ian on right after finishing the 1983 Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Picture: supplied by the family

“As a racing car driver he brought a Mini Cooper S into Australia which was ahead of its time, and held a lap record at Baskerville for many, many years.

“My son is going to the historics at Baskerville in a couple of weeks in a Mini Cooper S owned by my father and will try to have a crack at that record.

Ian on far left with sailing friends in the 1970s. Picture: supplied by the family

“So the tradition carries on in many ways. And the business tradition will carry on too.”

Ian built a wide circle of friends and acquaintances throughout his life, and within 24 hours of his passing, the family received condolence messages from Kashmir, the United States, and Belgium.

Andrew said he never had an easy win against his father, describing their ultimately fruitful partnership as “hard earned”. 

Andrew Smith of R&R Smith. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

But he said the lessons he learned from his father’s stoic example had forged his own abilities to face the challenges of what continues to be a difficult industry for Tasmanian growers.

Andrew said the apple industry had been in long-term decline since early in his father’s career, when more exotic fruits began to muscle out apples on the supermarket shelf, and lower-cost competitors began to bite into the export market share.

But he remained optimistic about the future, not least because of the survival skills he learnt from his father.

“I will never forget him,” Andrew said.

“We did everything together

“We ran the business together, we did Sydney Hobarts together, we fought about it together, we solved the problem together.”

Ian Smith is survived by wife Carolyn, Andrew and Ellie, Vanessa, Claudette, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Mr Smith will be farewelled at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania on Friday at 2.30pm.