The AW Vater & Co fifty-year history is one of great stories of regional South Australia. The company has grown from very humble beginnings to be one of the most respected, successful and diversified agricultural based operations in the state.

The partnership of Allen & Doris Vater began in 1957 with the creation of AW Vater & Co. Together they began to grow the family enterprise which Allen had began in 1950 driving a Fargo truck.

AW (Allen) had established a transport and grain business by buying and selling chaff and oats and transporting them to the Riverland and back loading with wood and stumps.

The merchandise arm began in 1957. While AW was on his travels he took the opportunity to supply farmers who were isolated and unable to easily purchase goods.

The sale and servicing of agricultural machinery began with a New Holland dealership and quickly expanded to include John Shearer. AW was servicing machinery clients within a 25-mile radius of Saddleworth.

Allen and Doris bought their first farming land at Manoora in 1968. In 1972 they achieved a dream. They purchased the farm on which AW spent his childhood. It was share farmed by his father when he was growing up.

Allen and Doris’s first son Roger came home to work in the business in 1974 and Kim started the following year. Jill, Rick and Tania joined the family team in the 80s. This completed another of AW’s dreams of providing a future in family business for his five children.

Currently all five children are managers within the business, supplying all major brands and services to the wider rural community.

In the last 50 years AW Vater & Co has grown significantly and now services clients in all parts of South Australia and interstate.