Ridley Stripper - First Mechanical Grain Harvester
Harvesting wheat was a labour-intensive process prior to the development of the Ridley Stripper. In the 1840s the South Australian wheat crop was increasing, and its size exceeded the labour capacity to harvest it. 1843 was a particular bumper crop.
John Ridley was owned and operated a floor mill at Hindmarsh and identified the shortage of labour available to harvest the crop and its impact on the colony’s economy.
Ridley developed a mechanical harvester that reaped and thrashed the grain. The harvester was pulled by horse. After a successful trial Ridley lodged a caveat that allowed the stripper to be copied but not patented.
The stripper led to South Australia being the first place in the world to harvest grain directly from a standing crop.
The stripper was used in the thousands within the colony and directly contributed to the expansion of the South Australian wheat crop. This led to significant increases in the colony’s export of wheat and flour giving the struggling economy a boast and South Australia being known as the granary of Australia.
This Marker was placed in September 2014 just across the road from John Ridley's flour mill and workshop. It replaces a Marker that had been placed at Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1986, now missing.
Engineering Heritage Recognition Program
| Marker Type | Engineering Heritage Marker (EHM) |
| Award Date | September 2014 |
| Heritage Significance | Due to a labour shortage in the Colony of South Australia John Ridley developed the world first mechanical harvestor that by 1857 was harvesting 50% of the colony's wheat. |
| Nomination Document | Not available |
| Ceremony Booklet Ceremony Report |
Available here. |
| Plaque/Interpretation Panel | Not available. |
