Beaufort book launch - The man who invented Vegemite

Jamie Callister, the grandson of the man who invented Vegemite, will talk about the life, work and legacy of Cyril Callister at the launch of the centenary edition of his book Vegemite: The True Story of the Man Who Invented an Australian Icon (Murdoch Books 2023).

More than 22 million jars of Vegemite are sold each year, but when the salty black paste was first produced in 1923 the public wasn’t interested. It took another 15 years before Australians embraced it.

Vegemite: The True Story of the Man Who Invented an Australian Icon spans the Gold Rush, the Depression and two world wars and opens a window on the evolution of modern Australia and the quiet achievements and tragedies experienced by one man.

Jamie will launch the book in Beaufort, a heritage town in the Pyrenees Shire, Victoria, not far from Chute where Cyril Callister and his family grew up.

The event will be hosted by the Cyril Callister Foundation. The foundation's mission is to spread the word about the work of the great Australian scientist. It runs the Cyril Callister Museum, which celebrates Cyril Callister and all things Vegemite, in Beaufort.

The Cyril Callister Foundation also wants to encourage young Australians to study and engage with science and history. It is establishing scholarships so youth from regional Australia can follow in the footsteps of Cyril Callister and study at university.

Everyone is invited to attend the launch. Entry is free. The CWA Beaufort will serve refreshments that include Vegemite brownies and Vegemite scones. Please register to reserve your spot.