Police continue to investigate the cause of a crash near Binda on Friday night that claimed the life of a prominent wool grower.
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Trevor Picker, 91, formerly of the famous Bigga superfine wool growing property, Hillcreston, died in the second of three collisions at Junction Point Road, 35km north of Crookwell, reported at 4.50pm Friday.
As reported in Monday's Post, Mr Picker was returning home from visiting his wife, Janet, in Crookwell's Viewhaven Lodge when a southbound white Nissan driven by a 24-year-old Crookwell man collided head-on with his black Subaru. Shortly before, the Nissan had collided with a northbound white Subaru driven by a 64-year-old Goulburn woman, causing the latter vehicle to roll and land on its wheels off the road. A third collision occurred when a couple from Greystanes, driving in a northbound Kluger, tried to avoid the crash involving Mr Picker's vehicle.
Police said on Monday that the investigation into the crash circumstances was ongoing.
The 24-year-old Crookwell man remained in Canberra Hospital, where he was airlifted, as of Saturday afternoon. He sustained a fractured left wrist, left ankle and sternum. The 64-year-old Goulburn woman was taken to the Base Hospital with soft tissue damage. The 69-year-old Kluger driver and 57-year-old female passenger were also taken to Goulburn Base Hospital, both with soft tissue injuries.
Police said the 57-year-old was later airlifted to Canberra Hospital with chest injuries.
Mandatory blood samples have been taken of all drivers.
Meantime, former Goulburn City Mayor Tony Lamarra has conveyed his condolences to the Picker family on their loss.
"I had a high regard for him and I was very sad to hear he had passed away," he said.
"He was well respected by so many wool growers like the Pedens and Merrimans and I was very much involved with them in promotions for the industry."
Mr Lamarra said he formed a close friendship with the Pickers when they visited his hamburger cafe in Auburn Street in the 1950s and 1960s.
"At that time Goulburn was a prominent place for people in the district. They'd come in for wool sales, go to the theatre and some would would come into my shop and patronise me. I'd sit down with Trevor and have a cup of coffee and talk to him," he said.
Later, during his mayoral term from 1985 to 1991, Mr Picker was right behind the push to retain Goulburn as a wool selling centre.
"We wanted Goulburn as a mini Yennora," he said.
"Trevor always wanted Goulburn to be the capital of merino wool selling and would come in with suggestions to maintain the city as a centre for the whole of NSW."
In those days, Goulburn was selling 400,000 bales a year. Mr Lamarra described the Pickers as very respectable people who injected a great deal of money into the city.
Australian Wool Network NSW/Qld manager Mark Hedley said Mr Picker had the biggest influence on superfine sheep genetics throughout Australia.
"It is those genetics that the Italians crave today...All the top suiting companies look to buy Picker-type wool."
Mr Hedley was a storeman with Primac when he first met Mr Picker and recalled that each year, everyone waited in anticipation to see the price that Hillcreston wool would fetch.
In 1991 Mr Picker held back a bale from the traditional October/November selling season until the following March. If it reached 80,000 cents/kg it would have set a new mainland record.
"It made 110,000c/kg. It was a very exciting day," Mr Hedley said.
He was shocked by Mr Picker's death and credited him with shaping the superfine industry, not just with his wool but quality of sheep.
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