C.A.S. Hawker Scholars
August 2024
Mr Marc Allgrove
Hawker Scholar: 1990-1993 University of Adelaide (St Mark’s College)
In 1990 I was one of the two inaugural recipients of the C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship. In 2024 I was appointed Secretary to the Trustees, continuing my more than 30-year association with the scholarship. In taking on the role, I have gained further insight into the generosity of the scholarship and the impact it has had on the lives of 139 recipients, their communities and the broader Australia society.
My secretarial role adds to a collection of interests and positions across agriculture, education and the arts which I provide through Evans + Ayers, a leading South Australian business advisory firm. I maintain a focus on the Australian wine industry working with industry groups and leading wineries including Bethany in the Barossa, Simon Tolley in the Adelaide Hills and Olivers Taranga in McLaren Vale, along with guiding wineries such as Teusner, Rolf Binder and Rojomoma Wines through the sales process.
I hold Director positions with Rural Business Support, Barossa Australia, St. Mark’s College and the David Roche Foundation which ensure on going and further understanding of the agriculture, tertiary education and the arts industries.
One of the primary tenets of the C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship is to contribute to the community. I trust I continue to live up to that expectation.
September 2012
I received the Hawker Scholarship in 1990, one of the two inaugural recipients. In preparation for my scholarship interview I read the biography of Charles Hawker by K L Needham, which highlighted the contribution he made to Australia and the importance of community involvement in national development.
I have built my career in the Australian wine industry through several positions at BRL Hardy P/L and Constellation Wines Australia, to my current role as CEO of McLaren Vale winery, Chapel Hill. The South Australian wine industry is a major contributor the state’s economy, culture and identity and its long-term prosperity necessitates that is recognized as such and invested in accordingly. As a strong advocate for the industry I sit on the executive of the South Australian Wine Industry Association and I am deputy chair of the McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association.
Another quality of South Australia is its commitment to the arts. Since its establishment it has nurtured myriad institutions, festivals and artists. As deputy chair of the Art Gallery of South Australia’s Contemporary Collectors and board member of the Fleurieu Art Prize, I contribute to the state’s art legacy and the on going evolution of its creative culture.
Bedford Industries is a South Australian organization which changes lives, catering for the handicapped and less fortunate members of society. As a member of the Bedford Foundation I fulfill an ambassadorial role for the business, ensuring that its significant contribution to the state is widely known, and able to be on going.