‘Always Learning’ – Centenarian Miss Barbara Wagner Has Not Wasted a Moment

‘Always aim to be the best you can’. It’s a piece of advice that was offered to Resthaven Leabrook resident Miss Barbara Wagner by her father when she was a child, and it is a mantra she has lived her life by. 

Turning 100 on 22 August, Barbara has not wasted a moment, learning new skills at every opportunity and taking on new and interesting challenges as they came along. She was influential in the opening up of Australia’s meat export trade with Japan in the 1960s and 70s (visiting the country on several occasions), was president of the local chapter of a global volunteer movement that advocates for human rights and gender equality, and in one year, visited 23 different countries.

‘It wasn’t easy, making my way in a man’s world,’ Barbara says. ‘But I had very strong male supporters in my working life who always helped me and put me forward.’

A love of learning

Barbara grew up on the Eyre Peninsula. The family farm was located 26 miles (around 40 km) from the nearest town, Cummins. One of six girls (sadly one died as a young child) Barbara remembers riding horses and enjoying time spent outdoors.

‘I had a wonderful childhood,’ Barbara says. ‘We had no amenities on the farm, and I think my mother struggled with it a bit having grown up in the city. She was like a fish out of water, but she did very well.’

Barbara’s mother had been a schoolteacher, and she taught the girls by correspondence until the local school opened in 1932.

‘School was such an eye opener for me,’ Barbara says. ‘It was just fabulous! I haven’t stopped learning since.’

For her senior schooling, Barbara attended St Joseph’s boarding school at Port Lincoln. Then, with the onset of World War II she spent four years in military service, serving with the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service (AAMWS).

‘I was secretary to (medical practitioner and public-health administrator) Sir Harold Wunderly,’ Barbara says. ‘He was a brilliant man and very inspiring. I remember when I left the service, he asked me if I was going back to the farm. I said I was, and he looked at me, shook his head and said “What a waste”. He wanted me to study medicine. He was such a wonderful man and such a pleasure to work for.’

Feeling inspired, Barbara applied through the Veterans’ Vocational Rehabilitation Scheme, not to take on medicine, but to study accounting and economics. Studying at night, Barbara completed her degree at Adelaide University and soon earned herself a job at Metro Meat Co – a household name at the time and one of the most successful meat processing companies in South Australia.

Barbara’s background and knowledge from the farm, as well as her new credentials in economics, saw her excel in the company, and she became Executive Director of the Export Division.

‘As a female, I wasn’t allowed the title ‘manager’,’ Barbara says. ‘When I left that position, they gave the job to a man (who didn’t have the experience or education I did) and he became ‘manager’ immediately. It really irked me. It was the only case of discrimination I came up against that I could not change while I was in the role.’

While she was in this position, the head of the company sent her to Japan on a business trip.

‘The trade with Asia was just opening up,’ Barbara says. ‘There was a bit of flak from others that they were sending a woman, but my boss said to everyone “they want us to send the best, and she is the best!”. It has been wonderful for me to see how women have gained greater power in the workforce and in government over the years.’’

Barbara also worked at the Newsagents Association of South Australia, and on occasion, represented The News and The Advertiser at the Newspaper Association conference in Canberra.

‘The association was in the red when I arrived, but with some financial oversight, I turned things around and within the year they were making a profit,’ Barbara says.

Key to this change of fortune was Barbara’s ability to communicate and negotiate with the many members of the association. ‘I got on well with all of them,’ Barbara says. ‘Which many could not!’

It was in this role that Barbara became a part of the local Chamber of Commerce.

‘I attended the meetings, but to begin with I was not allowed to stay for the lunch because it was deemed to be “just for men”,’ Barbara says. ‘I had that changed – it was definitely discriminatory.’

Another piece of advice Barbara was given by her dad was to “never be late for work and never leave early – always give the boss a bit more of your time.”

‘I listened to his advice,’ Barbara says. ‘I really enjoyed my whole working life.’

In addition to her paid work, Barbara also volunteered with Soroptimist International, a group that promotes grassroots projects to help women and girls achieve their individual and collective potential. Barbara helped to establish the Federation of the South West Pacific group, breaking away from the Great Britain and Ireland group. She later became the President of the Southern Districts of Adelaide chapter. In this capacity, she attended the Soroptimist International meeting in Singapore in 1983.

On the move

Not long after the end of the war, Barbara’s family moved from the Eyre Peninsula to a property at Campbelltown – ‘Hilltop’ – which had once been owned by the Downer family. They later moved to a home at Linden Park, where Barbara remained living with her parents, taking care of them into older age. Her dad passed away at the age of 81 and her mother died at the age of 96.

‘They were both wonderful parents who brought me up with a sense of clear responsibility,’ Barbara says.

In 1953, Barbara joined the Mount Osmond Golf Club, where she has been a member now for over 70 years.

‘I would often play golf on the weekends,’ Barbara says. ‘Unless I was up the Murray waterskiing.’

Barbara owned a holiday house at Murray Bridge and up until the age of 84, she could often be found out on the water being pulled along on a slalom ski behind a motor boat. Barbara has had an active lifestyle, playing golf, tennis, softball and netball, and having an interest in most sports.

She has also travelled extensively, often on her own. In 1970 she spent 10 months visiting 23 countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, Iran, England, the United States of America, and Canada. She has since travelled several more times to overseas destinations. 

‘My favourite place to visit was Canada,’ Barbara says. She has been there a quite few times as that’s where her sister, Judy, lives.

An active retirement

With more time on her hands after retiring from work, Barbara took on new pursuits in wood carving, tapestry and more. Her room at Resthaven Leabrook houses many of her pieces, including an ornately carved mirror, chair, table and beautifully needled tapestries.

 
Miss Barbara Wagner

‘I think I did just about every course the WEA offered,’ Barbara laughs. Coincidentally, Barbara’s wood carving teacher now also resides at Resthaven Leabrook. He has checked in on her work and says she progressed a lot further than the skills he taught her.

‘I’ve done lots of things I wanted to do,’ Barbara says. ‘Many people don’t get around to doing everything. I have seen many changes over my lifetime and am proud to have played a part in positive change.’

Barbara will be celebrating her birthday at the Mount Osmond Golf Course with family and friends. Enjoy your day Barbara – you’ve certainly lived up to your dad’s advice!

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