Albert Goodacre

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Re Union 2005.

Albert Vivian Goodacre, the second son of William and Annie Goodacre of Minoru, Long Corners Road, Canowindra was born on the 2nd of March, 1918 at Grantham Private Hospital, Canowindra.

He assisted his father in managing Minoru for some years. This afforded Albert an appealing career in farming but machinery fascinated him far more than animals. Never completely satisfied with modern farming techniques he later moved up-river to Cherry Tree Falls to grow lucerne. In 1941, Albert enlisted with the Australian Army and spent 12 months with the 56th Battalion in Western Australia before being transferred to the RAAF. Albert was then posted to the 582 Squadron Pathfinder Taskforce as a wireless operator, flying 45 missions marking bombing routes and pinpointing targets over Germany.

After the war, Albert resumed his farming career and with Marjorie, began a family. Whilst living on a lucerne farm at Cherry Tree Falls, they had four children; Colin, Vivien, Kim and Glenn. Mechanics of any kind fascinated Albert. He utilized innovative mechanized farming methods and with his father's unwavering support built his own hammer mill to produce lucerne meal for race horses. Albert was always looking for ways to improve his farming techniques and his time in the military had provided him with many skills in transport and logistics as well as mechanical know-how.  All these served him well in later life.

When his lucerne property was wiped out by floods Albert was forced to restructure. He relocated his family to Orange and set up a haulage business, operating weekly truck runs from Orange to Melbourne.