Eric John Dicker
Eric John Dicker
(1922 -)
Eric John Dicker was born on 16 November 1922 at Candelo on the south coast of NSW near Eden. He attended a school in Bega and then Sydney Boys High School before studying civil engineering at Sydney University.
His first brief employment was with de Havilands but in 1944 he commenced work with the NSW Water Conservation and Irrigation Service where he remained for the rest of his career. At first he was based at Griffith but then Mirrool and Leeton before returning to Griffith. Work involved the creation of new farms by extending and upgrading the irrigation system. The irrigation system included channels, bridges, regulators, culverts and Detherbridge wheels which measured the quantity of water delivered to a farmer. Areas under crop had to be measured by basic means such as a compass and a five-chain band. Dickers work also included the administration of the process of resuming large farms to create new settlements at Darlington Point and Coleambally.
He returned to Griffith and was involved with the development of the town and surrounding areas in conjunction with the Shire Council which implemented the work designed by the Commission . In 1969 he was transferred to Sydney head office where he worked in the funding of operations, maintenance and the construction branches. Autonomy was developed in the several districts and there was a need to develop liaison between Leeton, Griffith and Wentworth Shires. Dicker also investigated problems with the supply of water due to seepage and potential pumping schemes from Victoria and South Australia. Destruction of weed infestations was also among his responsibilities.
He travelled overseas to America and Iraq to study their irrigation industries.
Later, many of the channels were lined but this was a trial-and-error process. One important part of Dickers work was the design, development and use of the Detheridge Wheel.
In the latter part of his career he had an involvement with the Institution of Engineers Australia on a voluntary basis.
No record has been found of his death. The notice of his wife's, Joan Francis Dicker’s, death in 2007 seems to suggest that he was still living at that time. They had two children, Stephen and Suzanne.
To access an oral history interview with Eric John Dicker please use this link:'
