Australia Day Honours: Andrew Gubbins posthumously recognised

The widow of Andrew Gubbins, a pioneer of the Angus breed in Australia named in the Australia Day honours list, has accepted the award on his behalf. She speaks of how he would have reacted.

Andrew Gubbins of Te Mania Angus stud in 1996.

ONE of Australia’s beef industry pioneers has been posthumously recognised in the 2021 Australia Day Honours list.

Andrew Gubbins, who died in May last year aged 85, was recognised for his services to the livestock industry with the Medal of the Order of Australia.

His wife, Mary, accepted the award on his behalf. She said he would have been humbled and proud of the honour, but “wouldn’t be enjoying the fuss”.

Principal of the iconic stud Te Mania, Mr Gubbins, along with Mary, was instrumental in the development of the Angus breed as premium beef cattle.

He worked closely with scientists across the world, pioneering trials including on-farm IVF, bull fertility testing and objective measurements.

His son, Tom, said his approach had huge benefits that rippled across the industry, improving profitability for his fellow producers and underscoring the value of research.

“His legacy will be about using science,” Tom said. “He understood that if you measured lots and related that information back to particular genetic lines, then he could make progressive breeding decisions.

“If he was with us now, he was very humble; he would possibly have even been embarrassed. “But I think it would have put a smile on his face.”

Mary revealed Tom’s hunch about his father’s reaction was spot on.

“I knew that he was being nominated,” said Mary, explaining information about Mr Gubbins’ nomination had been shared with her before his death in May.

“I told him and he gave me the biggest smile. He was very ill. But he was obviously very pleased.”

Mr Gubbins was at the forefront of cattle breeding for much of his career. He ran the first on-farm Angus progeny test program in 1995, was a former chairman of the Victorian Angus Progeny Test Program, an Angus Society of Australia councillor and Angus Australia life member.

Mary said one of his greatest achievements was spreading his deep understanding of genetics to others.

“The genetics can just play such a leading part in people’s profitability,” she said. “And a lot of people just don’t understand the technology and everything that can be applied that will lift their bottom line. He was always wanting people to understand that.”

Andrew Gubbins is survived by Mary and his three children Tom, Charlie and Amanda.

He is one of a number of rural leaders to be recognised in this year’s Australia Day awards.

Other Australia Day honours include Gordon Druitt, NSW, for his service to the rice growing sector and the community; Midfield Meats boss Colin McKenna, Warrnambool, for significant service to the community; and Angus Hume, Inverloch, for significant service to water catchment management and to agribusiness.