WINTER 2016 SPRING 2015
MAGNIFICENT
GARDENS
to inspire
The bush spirit of
RYDAL SHOW
Historic Bleak House
MUDGEE
Explore the country charm of
BOOROWA & CROOKWELL town feature
PEOPLE • HOMES • GARDENS • FOOD • AGRICULTURE • STYLE • EVENTS • TRAVEL CULTURE • BUSINESS • AND MORE FROM THE BEAUTIFUL CENTRAL WEST REGION
capturing the best in the west
• Selling in every auction sale week • Leading wooltrade broker • Forward contract with Riemann • Offering Auctions Plus wool • Accredited & modern rehandle • Cash settlement on small lots • Merchandise • Shearing finance • Web access to client account • One competitive flat rate for all bales • Comprehensive market reporting • Detailed clip analysis
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CENTRAL WEST LIFESTYLE PTY LTD
CONTENT COVERAGE AREA
trading as Central West Magazine ABN 151 6322 9418 ADDRESS PO BOX 1050 DUBBO NSW 2830 PHONE 0429 441 086 FAX 02 6867 9895 WEBSITE www.centralwestmagazine.com.au FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/CentralWestLifestyle PUBLISHERS, ACCOUNTS & ADVERTISING Elizabeth & Alex Tickle info@centralwestmagazine.com.au EDITOR Elizabeth Tickle editor@centralwestmagazine.com.au CHIEF WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Jake Lindsay jake@centralwestmagazine.com.au ART DIRECTOR Zora Regulic artdirector@centralwestmagazine.com.au
DISTRIBUTION Central West Lifestyle magazine is published quarterly (available at the beginning of each season) and distributed to selected newsagents and retail outlets within the Central West and in the bordering regions of the Far West, North West, Southern Highlands, Canberra, Goulburn, Northern and Eastern suburbs of Sydney, in addition to a selection of other rural and coastal areas of New South Wales.
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE To order a subscription or back issue (mailed or online), visit www.centralwestmagazine.com.au. Š Central West Lifestyle Pty Ltd 2016
All Rights Reserved
Subscriptions and back issues are also available to read online, on desktop and mobile devices.
No part of this magazine may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the publisher.
Unsold magazines are distributed to cafes, health waiting rooms, quality hotels/motels, bed and breakfast establishments, hair and beauty salons and tourist outlets.
While every care is taken in the publication of Central West Lifestyle magazine, the publishers will not be held responsible for omissions, errors or their subsequent effects.
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CONTENTS WINTER 2016
12
114-PAGE TOWN FEATURE: BOOROWA & CROOKWELL
Snuggle up by the fire with your CWL and meet the characters, see the sights, and marvel at the enterprise, ingenuity and calibre of two of the Central West’s most picturesque and enticing villages.
128
134
110 SHOW OF FORCE
A PEEK AT BLEAK
The tiny town of Rydal hosts the “biggest little show in the west”.
We visit one of Mudgee’s oldest and finest homes.
4 CWL
154
150
156
LOVELY LINEN
HOME AND COSY
COOL, CALM AND CLASSIC
A natural fibre fabulous for home decorating.
Beat the winter blues with these style tips.
We visit the stunning Millthorpe home of Incy Interiors founder Kristy Withers.
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168
172
176
WHAT COMES NATURALLY
TICKET TO PARADISE
DISHES TO DIE FOR
Leather, Mohair, Merino and Cashmere make fine fashion staples.
Pip Teys holidays on Hamilton Island.
Anne and Paul Loveridge from The Quarry Restaurant share a winter menu that’s bound to satisfy and delight, while Lorraine Hills serves up some tried and true family favourites.
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208
202 190 EVENTS IN THE WEST
WEDDINGS
THE LAST WORD
Pictures from CWL’s Autumn launch at Mayfield Garden.
The Central West’s blushing brides and gallant grooms tie the knot in true country style.
Fraser Lyon takes his photography skyward.
ON THE COVER 2016 R 2015 WINTE SPRING
MAGNIFICENT
GARDENS to inspire
The bush spirit of
RYDAL SHOW
Highly respected pastoralist Jeff Prell OAM in his historic woolshed at “Gundowringa”, Crookwell. Photography: Shot by Jake
MUDGEE
of Explore the country charm
BOOROWA & CR OOKW EL L town feature
$11.00
inc GST
608002
>
winter 2016 VOLUME 13
772201
The magazine could not exist without them, and their loyalty shows their commitment to the communities of the Central West.
Historic Bleak House
• EVENTS • TRAVEL AGRICU LTURE • STYLE GARDEN S • FOOD • L WEST REGION PEOPLE • HOMES • THE BEAUTI FUL CENTRA • AND MORE FROM CULTUR E • BUSINE SS
in the west capt uring the best
9
WE ENCOURAGE OUR READERS TO SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS.
CWL 5
SECTION
From the Publishers Welcome to winter in the Central West! We are thrilled to present to you a Town Feature on Boorowa and Crookwell. Very welcoming and full of history and amazing stories, these two towns were certainly a pleasure to research and explore. Although CWL attended the Crookwell Show and experienced that country vibe and feeling of pride that comes with the annual show, we have chosen to showcase this special event in the Spring 2016 edition. It is with great sadness we share the news of the passing of one of West Wyalong’s much-loved residents, John Pellow. CWL writer Cath Player wrote a beautiful story about John in our Summer 2015 edition. We had a great deal of positive feedback from that story and many people recounted friendships that they had with John or work relationships that were based on trust and loyalty. West Wyalong will certainly miss John’s smiling face and we extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, Alice, and John’s family and friends. It has been a great privilege to be part of an adjudication panel for the Nationals Soap Box Challenge public speaking competition, facilitated by the Deputy Premier and Member for Dubbo, Troy Grant. This competition included participants from public and private high schools in Mudgee, Wellington, Narromine, Trangie and Dubbo. The finals held in Dubbo in April saw spirited competition from both boys and girls from Years 7 to 12 with James Barton, Macquarie Anglican Grammar School, Dubbo, and Maree Pobje, Dubbo College Delroy Campus, Dubbo, taking out the coveted titles. Congratulations to all students who entered this competition and to school staff and families who supported their endeavours. We recently attended the Nationals Dinner in Dubbo where we had the great thrill of meeting former Prime Minister John Howard. He held the prime ministerial office for 11 years as one of the longest serving prime ministers of our time. We felt very proud when Troy Grant presented Mr Howard with the 3rd Anniversary Collection of CWL. Dubbo recently had the honour of a visit from NSW Governor, General David Hurley. Snare’s Newsagency, Dubbo, was one of four businesses in the city to receive a visit from the Governor. Peter Snare chose to present a gift of the first 12 editions of CWL, packaged as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Anniversary Collections to the Governor. This was certainly a great thrill for the CWL team! We farewell our advertising graphic designer, Lisa Starr, from the CWL team. Lisa has worked with us over the past nine editions and we thank her for her collaboration with our many advertisers and her high quality creative input to our magazine. We would like to welcome Orange-based Mitch Brakenridge, who takes up the advertising graphic designer position. He comes with a wealth of experience in design, marketing and communication and we look forward to working with Mitch on our journey with CWL. April saw yet more Open Days at Iandra Castle where CWL enjoyed having a stand, showcasing our magazine to visitors and networking with many people, some of whom were visiting the amazing Iandra Castle for the first time. We have been busy visiting and researching our next three towns to be featured in spring, West Wyalong, Condobolin and Lake Cargelligo. What incredibly interesting and progressive towns we discovered with so many people involved in ventures that add to the intrinsic fabric of their captivating communities. Till next time, stay warm, find a cosy spot to curl up and enjoy the latest edition of Central West Lifestyle. Warm regards,
Elizabeth and Alex Tickle 6 CWL
Above: From left, back row: Adjudicators Pip Job, 2014 NSW ACT Rural Woman of the Year, Elizabeth Tickle, CWL Editor, Nathan Quigley, State Director of the NSW Nationals. Middle row: Trophy donors Nancy Peacocke, wife of the late Gerry Peacocke, Judy Jakins, the first female member of the Legislative Council (Upper House), with the Hon Troy Grant MP. Front row: Winners James Barton and Maree Pobje.
Above: Publishers Elizabeth and Alex Tickle with former Prime Minister John Howard.
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Photographic memories
G
reetings and salutations to the good folk carving out a living and growing older by the day in the good old Central West!
During my memorable stay in the delightful little town of Boorowa I was fortunate to camp out at the converted jackeroo quarters at the Wantana Cottage Farm Stay. The likeable owners, Bill and Sharee Darmody, had gone to the coast for a well-earned break and left the farm to yours truly, with no responsibilities other than to sit back and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the bush, the stars at night and early mornings for writing. The last time I stayed in a jackeroos’ quarters (along with five other mostly ute owners, making my old pink EK Holden sedan look appalling) was 36 years ago at Gunbar Station, Merriwagga (near Hay). I must admit I was never cut out for farm work but my time there was a real eye opener for a young bloke still trying to find his way. The days were long and the pay, at $60 a week, was enough to get by on. While I often struggled with the horse-breaking, constant mustering and endless drenching, lamb-marking, dipping and grass-seed removal, I had at least one constant companion (besides my kelpie dog, who was about as useless as this correspondent) and that was my Konica camera, permanently tucked away in my saddlebag.
Looking back, I could see it was my images and not my stock handling ability that would take me places in this world. So, all these years later, I am still taking pictures and sharing my stories, but this time with an audience – you, the faceless and largely unknown readers who have grown to love this magazine and the little unsung legends we seem to uncover!
When the lights went out I would get to work in my makeshift darkroom (in the small space next to my bed), printing images of all facets of station life and hanging them on a piece of wire to dry overnight. There was a constant stream of “new chums” coming and going and I never tired of listening to their stories and shooting a way of life that in many respects has now sadly disappeared.
I totally love Boorowa and not just because it has three pubs and two clubs, making it, per capita, one of the biggest drinking towns in the country (I must admit that it never quite looked like that, but you get my point).
I even made a few bob selling the prints to the station’s workforce, including the manager, a Mr Peter Wilson (who smoked a pipe and commanded deep respect), the overseer, six jackeroos (including your traditional “green” Pommy Jackeroo who was the butt of even more jokes than me), four station hands, a cook and a “cowboy”, who taught me how to butcher a “killer” (probably the most gruesome job of all and one that I never really got my head around!). Then there were the shearers, who camped in the shearers’ quarters for weeks at a time, and the horse-breaker, a nuggety bloke from Gunnedah who put me on some frisky, station-bred young colts that were clearly not like the ones I used to ride in my old Pony Club days! How I wished I hadn’t put my Barcoo Poley saddle on that top rung of the yards on my first day (I was later reminded that it meant I was prepared to ride anything!).
Left: In the air with Ross Williams over the skies of Boorowa. Below: Nothing like a good sunset at Wantana Cottage Farm Stay to see the day out.
Staying in Crookwell, just over the ranges, was much the same. I kept running into folk with great vision, like John and Liz Baker who saw a lovely home in an old, decrepit Cobb and Co building out near Frogmore and spent years bringing it back to its former glory. Visionaries like former mayor Robert Gledhill, whose love for the town knows no boundaries. Farmers like Bill and Sharee Darmody, who quietly go about their business and the Big Boys like Wally Merriman (Merinos), Garry Kadwell (potatoes) and John Kelly (thoroughbreds), all putting their respective country towns in the spotlight. I was honoured to catch up with two very skilled wordsmiths in this issue. Peter Austin is a household name for readers of the bush bible, The Land. He was my editor during a memorable two-year stint in Tamworth back in the 1980s. I have the utmost respect for this man who has devoted 40 years of his life to informing people of what’s happening in our country. I shouldn’t have been so nervous about seeing him for so long – he hasn’t changed one bit! I was also lucky to catch up with Laggan’s Christopher Lee, a gifted scriptwriter responsible for some of the most engaging programs we have seen on our televisions. This man reminded me of some very good lessons: seize the moment and live life to the full. The spirit of the bush is truly alive. I must also thank the two generous men who gave up their time to take me flying over Crookwell and Boorowa: Jake Bush (in his boss’s chopper) and Ross Williams (in Brett Hughston’s funky little trike ultralight). Seeing these towns from 1000 feet up always offers a new, if not a daring, perspective of the towns we are proud to call “home”. I’ll leave you with a thought from the Dalai Lama, who said “Man” surprised him most about humanity. “Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future. He lives as if he is never going to die and then dies having never really lived.” Hoping you are all living life to the max and enjoying good health and peace. Now go and find your favourite chair for the good bits!
Shot by Jake 8 CWL
Oberon St, Oberon NSW 2787 Phone: 02 6336 2100 Fax: 02 6336 2114 Email: btrout@bigpond.net.au www.bigtrout.com.au Chinese Restaurant: 02 6336 1133
Situated close to trout fishing in Lake Oberon. 29km from Jenolan Caves and Kanangra Boyd National Park. Visit Mayfield Water Garden, Open 7 days with Nursery & Kitchen Cafe.
The Big Trout Motor Inn is located in the township of Oberon, which is best known for Jenolan Caves, Kanangra Walls, trout fishing, its snowfalls in winter and daffodils in spring. It now also has one of the largest privately owned cool climate gardens in the country, Mayfield Garden. The town and its environment abound with magnificent scenery and offer exciting adventures and activities for visitors of all ages. These include, bush walking, 4 Wheel Driving, gem fossicking and mushrooming. Canoeing, Kayaking and sailing on Lake Oberon are also popular during the summer months. We specialise in Coach Groups and provide organised tours of the district with a local guide. Tours take in
surrounding towns and villages including Hill End, Sofala, Bathurst, Rockley, Carcoar, Lithgow and Jenolan Caves. They can be tailored to include a farm experience, Mayfield Garden tours, timber harvesting as well as the history of the region. With 33 ground floor units, there are facilities to suit everyone. Two units in the complex have luxurious spa baths. A Licensed Restaurant with popular Chinese and Australian cuisine is connected to the motel, while room service is available on request.
Features Include: • • • • • • • Kanangra Walls
33 Ground Floor Units 2 with spas Central Heating Disabled Unit Family Room Wi Fi Internet Tea & Coffee Making Facilities
• • • •
Speci al Coach ising in & Dis Groups trict T ours
Television Hair Dryers Electric Blankets Direct Dial & STD Phones • Licensed Restaurant • Room Service
WINTER 2016 CONTRIBUTORS
Meet your team
ELIZABETH TICKLE
ALEX TICKLE
JAKE LINDSAY
GINA CRANSON
Publisher & Editor
Publisher & Advertising
Chief Writer & Photographer
Sub-Editor & Proofreader
KATE BOSHAMMER
ZORA REGULIC
MITCH BRAKENRIDGE
CATHERINE PLAYER
ANNA TICKLE
ELIZABETH SWANE
ANGUS WADDELL Photographer
Weddings & Events Writer
AMANDA O’SULLIVAN
Business Strategist
Writer & Social Media Manager
ALI WANCHAP WOOD
Art Director
Garden Writer
Advertising Designer
Fashion Writer
Home & Style and Travel Writer
PIP TEYS
DAYNA TIERNEY
LORRAINE HILLS
PAUL & ANNE LOVERIDGE
ROBERT I BRUCE
Country Cuisine Writer
Seasonal Food Writers
Writer
Photographer
Writer
JANE SANDERSON
Home & Style Writer
ALISTAIR BROWN
Social Media Curator
SECTION On behalf of myself and my husband Andrew McDougall OAM, I would like to express our gratitude and thanks to Elizabeth Tickle, photographer Jake Lindsay, and the great team at Central West Lifestyle magazine, for putting together a remarkable Summer 2015 edition. It has been a great experience being a part of this edition for the Orange community. The focus on heritage and the depth of passion within rural communities and local families is an important element. This was brought home recently when we hosted Christmas 2015 at “Strathroy”, Orange, providing the perfect opportunity for the Phillips family to come together and enjoy five generations of women being together. Family matriarch 92-year-old Gwen Phillips was able to spend time enjoying the company of daughter Deanne, granddaughters Michelle and Nikki, great granddaughters Grace and Abbey and most importantly great-great-granddaughter Evelyn, along with other family members. Five generations enjoyed a luncheon in the beautiful “Strathroy” garden, making this a memorable occasion for all. Thank you to a great team of professionals, producing a very exciting publication supporting rural towns, villages and individuals.
your letters Anyone who lives in the Central West region of NSW knows it is a great place to live, work and play. While it’s great that we recognise how good we’ve got it and how privileged we are to live in this beautiful area of the state, I am grateful that we have an opportunity to showcase our region to visitors and local communities alike in a professional and quality publication. Since the winter of 2013, Central West Lifestyle has captured and showcased our region. Across 13 editions to date, this first-class publication has told the stories of our remarkable community members and promoted the beauty of our area with spectacular photography to not only other regions in NSW and Australia but across the world. Central West Lifestyle goes behind the images and resilience of the area and takes the reader with them as they delve into the lives and the history of the Central West’s greatest assets: its people. It is compelling editorial and visually delightful. I look forward to grabbing each edition off the shelf at my newsagent every quarter. Thank you to the team at Central West Lifestyle for recognising our region and for the professional manner in which you promote our area. I congratulate you and wish you every success for many more editions to come.
Deanne Phillips OAM, Orange It is with pleasure that I look back and consider Oberon’s experience with the Central West Lifestyle magazine team. Oberon and Lithgow shared a 113page feature in the Autumn edition. The compilation was painless and professional from our perspective, the launch was very enjoyable and the end result, the magazine itself, was spectacular. The individual stories were interesting and well researched and the photography visually stunning. Community feedback has been extremely positive and I have no doubt this project will encourage visitation to our region. Of the complimentary issues we received, I have already given copies to several metro council mayors, prompting comments such as: “What a stunning part of the world you live in” and “I had no idea the Central West was so beautiful”. I consider the project a winner and I hope to continue our relationship with Elizabeth and her team into the future. Kathy Sajowitz, Mayor, Oberon Council I buy each issue and marvel at your well-deserved success. Each issue seems to be getting bigger. It is such an outstanding magazine. Alex is obviously a whizz at securing advertising, such a genuine man to deal with – why wouldn’t everyone sign up! The content of each magazine is so motivating, I have decided to go on a winter road trip and discover some of the lovely country towns in NSW that I have never visited.
Pamela Munson, Paterson
Troy Grant, Deputy Premier, Leader of the NSW National Party, Member for Dubbo Lithgow City Council partnered with Oberon Council for the Autumn edition of Central West Lifestyle. This proved to be a very successful venture. The positive remarks and enthusiasm this gorgeous magazine has created is really wonderful for our future tourism opportunities and has spread the word of our silent achievers doing fabulous things! I have spoken to many people from the Central West since the launch of the magazine. The interest that has been created far exceeds my expectations. It has been enlightening and encouraging. The stories and photography are incredible, very personal showing a side of our fellow citizens that perhaps we never get to see. These are real stories that have educated us in the journey of others. Maree Statham, Mayor, Lithgow City Council
Share your feedback Email: info@centralwestmagazine.com.au
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CWL 11
BOOROWA
12 CWL BOOROWA
BOOROWA
Welcome to
BOOROWA TOWN FEATURE WORDS & IMAGES: SHOT BY JAKE
BOOROWA CWL 13
FROM THE MAYOR As a child travelling from Canberra to my birthplace of Cowra to visit my nan, a school holiday ritual for my family, we used to make a point of stopping at the clean facilities at the Boorowa Courthouse Park. My father would begrudgingly appease the moaning from the backseat from his four children, and pull in to the recognisable spot. At the time, I was of the opinion that Boorowa was just a one-street town with little appeal. I could have never imagined that Boorowa would play such a large part in my future. In 1997 my husband and I decided to buy a farm and raise our gorgeous boys, aged four and two at the time, some 15 kilometres from that familiar main street of Boorowa. It was a bold move, but clearly one of the best life choices we have made. The Boorowa community embraced us as their own and it felt wonderful to be connected with such a vibrant, passionate and welcoming community that truly made us believe we were indeed the fortunate ones. We embraced the people and the places and became part of a diverse range of community groups. Through this engagement we have made lifelong friendships and reaped the rewards that a rural life is known for. A pivotal suggestion saw me run for council in 2004, and I was elected and later became Mayor in 2007, a role I continue to be honoured to hold to this day. My greatest thrill was being a part of a visionary council that designed and upgraded the main street and gave Boorowa a sense of place, an aesthetic that enticed the travelling public to stop and take notice and, more importantly, gave the locals a place to be proud of. We all knew the beauty held within, we just needed to unlock that beauty for the rest of the world to enjoy. The transformation is so visible and vibrant and the recognition that Boorowa receives from far and wide is truly well deserved. My sense of pride and belonging to such an inspiring town only grows when I am stopped by a stranger, to be told me that they have been to Boorowa and what a beautiful town it is. Beyond the main street there are beautiful parks and small villages in the Local Government Area, each offering their own unique appeal and yet a commonality. Boorowa continues to be recognised for being home to agriculture leaders and innovators and was the clear choice as an idyllic location for the CSIRO Agriculture Research and Development Farm. Boorowa will be showcased to the world as research and development teams visit, make their home here and experience what we have been so proud to call home for so long. Come and visit and see for yourself the many reasons why Boorowa is beautiful! You’re welcome any time! Wendy Tuckerman, Mayor of Boorowa 14 CWL BOOROWA
BOOROWA
PRIDE of place B
oorowa presents a picturesque and varied landscape ranging from rugged wooded ridgelines to rolling hills and open grazing land. The hills and flats host rich grazing country and productive croplands. The ridgelines also contain veins of various precious ores and rare minerals. Boorowa is host to some beautiful colours and views all year round! The area sits along the borders of the Ngunnawal and Wiradjuri Aboriginal country. Europeans settled in the early 1800s, which saw the establishment of the agricultural industry evident in Boorowa today. As settlers gradually moved onto the fertile flats and valleys of the district, the towns and villages grew at river crossings. The township of Boorowa quickly emerged as the significant centre. The importance of the transit routes from Goulburn were reinforced by the gold rush that occurred at Lambing Flat from 1860. Immerse yourself in some of this beautiful local history by following one of the three Shamrock Trails. The trails tell the history of Boorowa, providing a compelling story of bushrangers, settlers, convicts and gold.
A particular highlight is the Boorowa River Walk that meanders along the river banks through beautiful parks and gardens. A must-see site along the beautiful trails is St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church. The church is reminiscent of a cathedral in all its beauty. Ned Ryan on his ticket of leave from Clonoulty was instrumental in building the new church and bringing priceless marble from Italy to form the magnificent altar. Prominent above the doorway is a stained glass window dedicated to Daniel O’Connell, the liberator of Ireland. A particular highlight is the Boorowa River Walk that meanders along the river banks through beautiful parks and gardens. Often you can see platypuses playing at dawn and dusk and look out for the native superb parrot in spring. A pub stop or few along the way will quench the thirst of any weary traveller. Picture yourself with an ice-cold beer, a hearty pub meal, having a good old yarn, whether it is the local update on wool prices, the weather or the footy scores. You will experience good old-fashioned hospitality when in beautiful Boorowa. Boorowa’s Irish history and woolly heritage led to the famous annual event The Running of the Sheep. Imagine sheep rampaging down the main street of beautiful Boorowa, leading a colourful street parade at the annual Irish Woolfest on the Sunday of the October Long Weekend. This is the feature event not to be missed and one for the bucket list. CWL BOOROWA CWL 15
A TOWN well
16 CWL BOOROWA
built
BOOROWA
Days gone by
Images courtesy of the Boorowa Historical Society.
BOOROWA CWL 17
RIPPING YARNS FOR THREE GENERATIONS THE MERRIMAN FAMILY OF BOOROWA HAVE STEADFASTLY STUCK TO THEIR HIGHLY PRIZED MERRYVILLE BLOODLINES, WHOSE GENETICS ARE SAID TO HAVE INFLUENCED MORE THAN 70 PER CENT OF THE WORLD’S FINE-WOOL SHEEP POPULATION.
I
t all started with Sir Walter Merriman, who created a Merino sheep dynasty, the likes of which the country has never seen before or since.
Since coming to “Beverley”, on the outskirts of Boorowa, and living in the cottage with his five siblings, there was never a dull moment.
A fine physical man with a mind to match, Sir Walter was highly regarded as a superb sportsman, public speaker, businessman, sheep and cattle breeder and one of the pioneers of pasture improvement in the district.
Young Wally grew up with his brothers, the sheep, station hands, shearers and plenty of old family friends and mentors. Breeding was in his blood from the time he could walk.
Perhaps his most memorable ram purchase was snapping up Sir Francis in 1917 from the Falkiners’ Wanganella stud in the western Riverina. He paid 1000 guineas for the sire as a five-year-old – a risky proposition in the days before artificial breeding. When Collinsville sold its record-priced ram in the 1980s, an actuary was asked to work out the equivalent in modern money to the Sir Francis sale. The calculation put the purchase at about $250,000 – an enormous investment for a stud not yet 14 years old. He had tried a few Peppin rams in the mediums, but this one really “nicked” with his ewe flock. The dynasty continued through his much-loved son Bruce, who died in 1988, and now his grandsons, Wally and George. It’s a big family. There’s also Ron, a local vet and a partner in the business, Charlie, who runs the Merrignee stud, and Michael, who operates from “Fifeshire” at Yass. Wally knew from a young age that he would follow into the sheep industry and perhaps, at some stage, take over the stud, established in 1903, although stud breeding records go back at least another 50 years from that date. 18 CWL BOOROWA
“I always followed my old man around,” he says matter-of-factly over a cuppa in the old homestead, which he has called home for the past 50 years. “I never thought of anything else. I did what he did and it was just a natural progression.” The homestead is cosy, cool and functional – a big testament to wife Tina, a former Darling Downs girl who Wally met at the Yass Picnic Races. They have two daughters, Penny (with her pure Merino wool jumpers, she featured in CWL’s 2015 Winter edition) and Prue, who works for a catering business in Canberra and also dabbles in dress design. For such an icon of the wool industry, it’s natural we start with one of his favourite topics, the Sydney Royal Easter Show, which he has been attending, without fail, for half a century. He can never forget his first outing, when Merryville won the most prestigious sheep award in the country: the Stonehaven Cup. “There would have been 20 to 30 teams in the old Hordern arena out at the old showgrounds,” he says. “It took about an hour and a half to sort them out. When the winner was finally announced a great roar went up. I thought ‘How bloody good is this’ but it was another 10 years before we won another one.” >
BOOROWA
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WALLY CREDITS A LOT OF HIS SUCCESS TO HIS STAFF, WHOM HE HAS ALWAYS HAD CLOSE LINKS WITH.
Merryville last picked up the “Holy Grail” in 2014, making it a record 26 wins, unsurpassed by any other stud in the land. Despite the great name of Merryville, things have not always gone smoothly, particularly when Mother Nature has had her way. After returning home from boarding school in Canberra, Wally spent his first two years on the farm feeding out sheep nuts from Cowra to keep the prized flock alive. There have been plenty of droughts since then, including the one about 10 years ago, when the normally safe area received less than 10 inches of annual rain, in two consecutive years. “It was supposed to be the one-in-100-year drought but we copped it back to back. It blew a big hole in our family finances as we are forced to hand feed. There is no real option of buying back genetics with 100 years of breeding.” The family has also endured its share of fires. Merryville (when it was at Yass) was burnt out in the devastating fire of 1964, while the “Old Boss” was still alive. Sir Walter didn’t believe in insurance and in today’s terms, the family lost nearly $2 million of stock, fences and property. Wally concedes it’s all part of life on the land. More important are the genetics of his beloved stud, something he has devoted his life to and is still passionate about. He explains how his grandfather came to merge the superb wool but slight stature of the Saxon strain with the large-framed Peppin Merinos from the western Riverina, to produce a productive sheep that could cut far larger quantities of wool. 20 CWL BOOROWA
“That’s really how we got started and what put us above the rest of the pack,” Wally says. “You had people going for the short, wrinkly sheep – that was the fashion – and my grandfather said ‘no, that’s no good, you’ve got to have staple and size’.” These days the family runs about 25,000 sheep and sells about 350 to 400 rams a year throughout Australia. Then there is the herd of 750 mostly Poll Hereford commercial cattle. Both enterprises run over four properties in the district totalling about 3700 acres. “Historically, we’ve always had a few cattle, originally Shorthorn,” Wally says. “They complement the sheep, until you get a drought, but there has always been more money in sheep,” he adds with a sheepish grin that belies the grit and determination in his bones. Wally has always been a competitive bloke, and with the stud’s solid reputation, he admits he doesn’t like being beaten. His track record makes it fairly plain it is not all that often he is, whether it’s in the sale ring, the show ring, at wether trials or on the show floor at wool sales. Like his forebears, he is an excellent promoter, particularly in the show ring. The stud’s preparation and presentation techniques have become a role model for the sheep industry. Wally credits a lot of his success to his staff, whom he has always had close links with. These bonds were no doubt inherited from Sir Walter, a man who received enormous loyalty from his contingent of workers. By the time of his death in the old homestead, there were 45 staff on the books, including Bruce Hunter, who ended up working for the family for 61 years.
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THE FAMILY RUNS ABOUT 25,000 SHEEP AND SELLS ABOUT 350 TO 400 RAMS A YEAR THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA.
“We’ve trimmed right back since then, but George and I still have five full-time workers – about one man to 5000 DSE (dry sheep per acre).” Being a one-finger typist and more at home in the paddock than in front of a computer, Wally employs Tamara Stadtmiller, who has been handling the paperwork for the past 12 years (before that, Maurice Bobbin worked in the office for 25 years).
With all his commitments you’d think it’d be hard to switch off. “Work is my hobby,” he laughs. “I like going to the races and following the breeding. I go down to the Melbourne Cup each year – that’s my holiday. It’s a good place to catch up with people, a bit like the Easter Show.” The future is unknown.
For most people, keeping a firm eye on sheep and cattle enterprises would be more than enough to worry about, but not Wally, who continues to promote Australian wool throughout the world.
“George is 12 years younger and he will eventually take over from me. I have two daughters who are interested and George has three boys and a daughter but no one knows what the next generation will do. They’re all interested and keen and good kids.”
Seven years ago he was appointed the Chairman of the Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) after serving as president of the NSW Stud Merino Breeders Council and later the Australian Stud Merino Breeders Association.
The Merrimans are a unique family. Their character and influence on the history and development of Merinos throughout the country will probably never be fully appreciated.
“I fly a lot with the AWI job,” he says. “I’m not much of a traveller but because of the importance of China, I’ve been over there about seven times.”
Wally is unpretentious and steadfast in his pursuit of excellence. In the end, he says in typical laid-back fashion, he’s just “a knockabout bloke who ended up on a few boards and operates a family business.” CWL
“China used to process about 80 per cent of our wool – mostly for re-export – but now consumes 60 per cent of that 80 per cent. So it has become a major retail market as well as a processing market.” Harking from such an illustrious background has been both a blessing and a curse. “Some people are trying to make a meat breed out of the Merino,” Wally says. “In our business model we go for higher fleece weights with what we call residual mutton. “We keep our wethers as wool-cutters till they’re five-year-old and then they go to mutton markets. Last year these wethers cut $62 worth of wool (gross) and sold for over $100, beating our fat lambs.”
STOP PRESS Merryville’s Fine/Medium Grand Champion Ram was named this year’s Supreme Merino Exhibit at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Their other notable wins included the Grand Champion Superfine Ram, Grand Champion Poll Ewe, Grand Champion Fine Poll Ewe, Grand Champion Fine/Medium Poll Ewe, and second in the Stonehaven Cup.
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A CLASS ACT NEWHAVEN PARK IS A WORLD-CLASS THOROUGHBRED NURSERY THAT HAS HELPED PUT BOOROWA IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT. JOHN KELLY JNR IS PROUDLY CARRYING ON THE TRADITION WITH APLOMB.
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here’s a cracker of a story always doing the rounds at a special property out at Frogmore, a tiny speck on the map near Boorowa, which depicts the great Australian battler come good. It concerns a hapless swaggie named Jack Cassidy who invested a few bob in an Australia-wide Melbourne Cup sweepstake in 1896. He drew a horse called Newhaven and prayed for a miracle.
From the moment you drive through the black security gates, you know you are visiting something very special – a world-class facility.
Somebody must have been looking down on him that day because the galloper romped home to win. With a whopping £5000 in his bank account, Jack “went a roving no more” and purchased land near Boorowa, naming it “Newhaven Park”, in honour of the horse that changed his fortunes.
Nothing was done by halves and every single detail was thought about carefully. The original homestead, built in about 1908, was totally renovated about eight years ago and is now the perfect respite for international visitors who come from all corners of the globe to talk horses, racing and lifestyles befitting the rich and famous.
Fast forward a century and the property – and name – is still in the hands of the Kelly family, who bought the place from Jack in the 1920s and turned it into one of Australia’s leading thoroughbred nurseries. The property, all 4250 hectares of it, is prime agricultural land with rolling hills of granite earth and alluvial river flats, nestled on the banks of the Boorowa River. It’s perfect horse country.
Today, the Kellys cater for about 150 broodmares, half their own and the remainder owned by clients from all over the country and the world. A few command seven-figure price-tags and John, a horseman from his early days, recognises each and every one by name.
Seventh-generation farmer John William Kelly Jnr and wife Sarah are the current custodians. Together with John’s parents, Richard and Shirley, and the generations that have gone before, they’ve undertaken a massive transformation that would have seen the old swaggie turn over in his grave (in a good way). 22 CWL BOOROWA
Having worked briefly on some of the world’s top stud operations in England, Ireland and America, John, like his father and grandfather, knew if the family were going to compete with the best, they had to develop a first-class breeding centre that reflected the family’s unbridled passion and commitment to thoroughbred racing.
They are such valuable commodities that Newhaven Park has a full-time vet, necessary during the busy foaling season, from August through to December. > Above: Sarah and John Kelly standing in front of a portrait of Newhaven, the horse that started it all. Facing page: South African sprinting sensation Delago Deluxe is their leading standing sire (Image: Sharon Chapman).
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John describes it as a fabulous industry that sees tremendous highs paralleled with unbelievable lows. “We are on red alert during the breeding season and are often up in the wee hours of the morning assisting mares with the birthing process,” he says. Losing a foal (or the mare, or even both) is about the worst thing that can happen, although a breakdown on the racetrack can be equally devastating. In this game, John says, you concentrate on the positives. And there are many.
A SHORT HISTORY LESSON John’s grandfather, also John Kelly, was the visionary founder of the stud. On leave from Australian Army duties in Singapore, he purchased his first mare, Solex, for 300 guineas. Solex was in foal to Manitoba, and this foal fetched him 1500 guineas at the Inglis Yearling Sales, igniting a lifelong passion for breeding that would inspire Newhaven Park’s early development. He also imported White Ensign, the first of many stallion imports over the years. The French-bred Wilkes, however, was the masterstroke, providing a foundation that saw the stud firmly cement its place in the industry. At its peak, the stud ran up to 800 thoroughbreds. In a mere 22 years, from 1944-66, the sheep farmer from Boorowa had created a horse-breeding establishment to rival any stud farm in the world. The 1980s were exciting corporate years. Taxation laws had eased and the aim of many enterprises was to float on the Stock Exchange. Newhaven Park became a public listed company with John Kelly Snr as chairman. Newhaven Park was a rare survivor from those heady days, when some 25 thoroughbred studs listed only to falter or at worse, fail. Following John’s death in 2003, sons Fred and Richard instigated a share buy-back that saw Newhaven Park return to the ownership of the Kelly family.
Richard, now 73, lives with wife Shirley on “Ballymena”, a neighbouring property that houses additional stables. It, too, boasts a magnificent homestead, with plane trees lining the avenue to the modern stable complex. Here some of the 26 staff can be seen going through their paces. It’s a full-on business and the expensive thoroughbreds are well catered for. But it’s not just the prized horses that roam the 8600 acres of combined country here. The family also run 7000 Merino ewes and trade in cattle when the seasons dictate. John loves the beautiful granite and red hill country he calls home. He has come a long way since his boarding days at Riverview and endless hot days up at Longreach where he spent time as a jackeroo on the AA Company’s Maneroo and Corona stations. It was his overseas trips to the world’s foremost studs, however, that created lasting impressions on the young man with big ideas. He worked, during the breeding season, on studs like Ashford in Kentucky (owned by Coolmore) and the magnificent Irish stud Kildangan, owned by Sheikh Mohammed (who owns a string of top-notch studs throughout the world). “The Sheikh’s property was immaculate, every hedge, every building – a truly amazing standard that inspires me each day to try harder and do better,” John says. John and Sarah and their dedicated team work in close partnership with their clients to offer an exclusive experience based on integrity and absolute commitment to success. The job takes John all over the world, with Newhaven’s clients in Hong Kong, Korea and Japan as well as Europe.
“ T H E R A C I N G I N D U S T RY P R O B A B LY H A S T H E B R I G H T E S T O U T L O O K S I N C E I B E C A M E I N V O LV E D 2 0 Y E A R S A G O . ” J o h n K e l l y
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Sarah and Shirley share most of the entertaining with clients from all over Australia and abroad who visit the stud. Sarah loves the thoroughbred industry almost as much as her fanatical husband and was well prepared for her role at Newhaven, having grown up on the land near Sale in East Gippsland, Victoria. The pair met at Melbourne’s Botanical Hotel on Derby Day. John told her that first night she was the woman he’d marry and he was true to his word. Love blossomed and now they have two teenage daughters Claire, 15 and Alice, 13 (both at boarding school in Sydney) and a son Richard, 11. Newhaven Park is a family-run business and John’s siblings are very much a part of the stud. John has two sisters, Sophie and Jeanie, and a brother Charles – a country boy at heart, who successfully manages the company’s three Sydney hotels, the iconic Doncaster at Randwick, the Great Northern at Chatswood and the Brookvale, near Manly-Warringah’s home ground. John drives to Sydney once or twice a month to check on the races, sales and his daughters. The busiest time is the Autumn carnival in Sydney, during March and April, when they sell at the famous Easter Yearling Sale and attend the big race meetings. Newhaven Park sells about 85 yearlings each year, and is one of the biggest vendors both in Sydney and at the Magic Millions Carnival. While it’s all glitz and glamour on the outside, the team at Newhaven Park aren’t there for the holiday. It’s all about winning the big ones and Newhaven Park has enjoyed a good track record with four Golden Slipper winners to date. Luskin Star, one of their prized stallions, was a Golden Slipper winner and the darling of the Australian race track. He sired more than 450 winners, generating prize money of more than $22 million. Although he’s had a few starters in the Melbourne Cup, John admits it’s not high on his list. “It’s bit like a footballer – do they want to win the premiership, State of Origin or play for Australia?” he asks. “In horse terms, most breeders, well our family at least, strive to win the classic races, like the Golden Slipper or a Cox Plate.” Attending these big fixtures means being out there, rubbing shoulders with the clients and promoting the stud. In many ways it is not that different from working at home. While the property (and stud) smacks of success, there are some setbacks with living in such a remote part of the country. With no mobile service, John gets frustrated. “It’s really disgraceful,” he laments. “How can you run a business with a slow internet and no mobile reception? And it’s also a safety issue for our staff. You tell a staff member there’s no mobile reception and it’s like telling them to cut their arm off.” On the bright side, he says the horse industry, at the end of the day, is all about people and being connected to the sport of champions. “We’re very passionate about trying to breed good horses and although it does get a bit consuming at times, there’s nothing else like it. We love what we do and we pinch ourselves every day that we’re involved in such a great business.” Currently the stud has South African sprinting sensation Delago Deluxe as their leading (and only) standing sire. The stallion’s first yearlings were recently sold at the Magic Millions (on the Gold Coast) and the Classic Sales in Sydney. Averaging $170,000 for 13 progeny, Deluxe was the talk of the town and made what John calls a “lasting impression” among savvy buyers. His first progeny will race in the spring of 2017. “The racing industry probably has the brightest outlook since I became involved 20 years ago,” John says. “Country prizemoney has trebled in the past five years and the influx of Chinese investment in our industry is enormous.” John says the only way he will leave the business is to die or go broke. With things looking so rosy at the moment, it is hopeful he will do neither.
Facing page: Richard and John Kelly are major players in the thoroughbred industry.
The old swaggie, Jack Cassidy, would have been so proud!
From top: The 4250-hectare “Newhaven Park” property; the Newhaven Park homestead; the old homestead around the turn of the century; Sarah and John Kelly relax in their fine old homestead.
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Images: Shot by Jake
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seeds of change THE LARGE PARK-LIKE GARDEN AT “HILLGROVE” NEAR BOOROWA HAS A WONDERFUL RELAXED AND WELCOMING APPEAL. BUT IT HAS TAKEN TIME, PERSISTENCE AND REPLANTING AFTER MANY OF THE OLDER ESTABLISHED TREES SUCCUMBED TO THE RAVAGES OF YEARS OF DROUGHT.
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urchased in 1986, “Hillgrove” has been the rural base for Nick and Julia Burton Taylor and home since 1990. They were fortunate the property featured many lovely established trees. Built after the Depression, two small cottages were put together to make a large family home, which the Burton Taylors renovated into a lovely country homestead, long and narrow in design, with windows looking out towards the expansive garden from every room. The views of the garden from within the house are wonderful. Through the trees Julia says she can see who’s coming and going on the long curved driveway that leads into the property.
Drought has played a role in shaping the garden and the plant selection needs to be tough to survive through harsh times. Julia says from 2008 till now we really haven’t had a lot of rain so what you see here now made it through drought. When many established trees, including a huge Deodar cedar died, the garden was exposed to more sunlight, so plantings have changed and evolved over time. Today, the combination of areas of open sweeping lawns, generous garden beds, dense and dappled shade and curved pathways among the established trees comes together to create a very lovely and inviting country garden. >
Above: On the lawn, under the dappled shade of established trees this wooden horse sculpture is an exceptional discovery. Facing page: The country homestead offers wonderful views of the expansive garden and established trees from many windows. 26 CWL BOOROWA
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Drought has played a role in shaping the garden AND THE PLANT SELECTION NEEDS TO BE TOUGH TO SURVIVE THROUGH HARSH TIMES.
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Newer plantings have been established with a very sensible approach TO FUTURE MAINTENANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS LARGE (10-ACRE) GARDEN.
Describing their spring garden as “in your face bright” when there are loads of flowers, then softening to yellows, whites and grey during summer, Julia loves observing the colour change through the seasons until autumn when the deciduous trees take centre stage. During the fierce summers the trees’ cooling shade and shadows created on the swathes of emerald lawn form a welcome green oasis. The tennis court fence proved to be a tough spot to garden, however despite the hard soil, in spring it was ablaze with colour and perfume as rose pink ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ and ‘Kathleen Harrop’ thornless climbing roses, star jasmine Trachelospemum and velvety heirloom ‘Cupanii’ sweet pea smothered the fence. Blue bearded iris and seaside daisy flower in the bed below. One of Julia’s favourite flowers is the peony, and after moving them around the garden for years she finally found a sweet spot among the mulched beds of yellow ‘Graham Thomas’ roses. Encouraged by nutrient-rich compost sourced from the cattle yards, the peonies have absolutely taken off, looking fabulous in the spring garden or arranged in vases. Newer plantings have been established with a very sensible approach to future maintenance and sustainability of this large (10-acre) garden. Beside the house, a stand of white-trunked birch trees under-planted with Hellebores replaces a grove of weeping flowering plums. A large rose garden became difficult to manage after a protective windbreak was lost to drought, so this area awaits new lawn, Holm oaks and garden
beds filled with sun-loving bearded iris. Repetition with successful, hardy plants is Julia’s mantra, filling the generous garden beds with agapanthus, roses, grey-foliaged Teucrium, lavender and loads of pretty perennials including valerian, aquilegias seaside daisy, arum lily and forget-me-nots. In the outer boundaries of the garden, Quercus ilex or Holm oak is used extensively for hedging. It’s an evergreen, very hardy and drought-resistant form of oak with tough leathery foliage. Julia and Nick are so impressed with its resilience they’ve propagated more to use as windbreak trees around the property. Manchurian pears (Pyrus ussuriensis) are lovely and one of the first trees to colour up in autumn, however the wood is brittle and sometimes damaged in storms. ‘Bradford’ pears are more upright, and not so brittle, so tend to do better in this climate, Julia advises. There are many different varieties of crabapple trees offering profuse spring flowers, autumn colour and plenty of ornamental fruit. Pool fencing was necessary to keep free-range children safe. Its elegant French-inspired iron and stone construction is weathering beautifully with age, the rusty colouring blending into the landscape with ease. Large Chinese elm trees backdrop the pool area and double gates lead to an avenue of ‘Golden Hornet’ crabapples, creating a marvellous vista beyond the pool. The meadow-like grass underneath these trees is mown just a couple of times a year.
Clockwise from left: Overlooking the ornamental lake and jetty, a favourite vantage point; the tennis court garden displays climbing roses including deep pink ‘Zephirine Drouhin’, and paler ‘Kathleen Harrop’, scented star jasmine and heat loving tall bearded iris; yellow rose ‘Holterman’s Gold’ chosen to commemorate Shore School Centenary in 1988; ornamental grape vine covers and shades the verandah along the front of the homestead, and the trees create dappled shadows on the swathes of green lawn. 28 CWL BOOROWA
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Clockwise from top left: Grape vine wraps its gnarled trunk around a verandah post; a picturesque spot to sit and enjoy the garden; the design invites you to wander throughout the garden to discover the landscape beyond; classic in shape, the large swimming pool is in an elegantly fenced area with a backdrop of huge trees; pretty pink ‘Pierre de Ronsard’ climbing rose adorns this corner; this brick pathway leads to the guest accommodation.
Keen plants man Nick used to run a farm nursery here. He’s grown many of the plants at “Hillgrove”, although the Poplar trees were seedlings gifted from Jennie Churchill when they admired them on a visit to “Kiloren”, Crookwell. His interests include seed collecting, propagation and aquaculture, and he’s also into food production as evidenced by the extensive fenced vegetable garden, fruit-filled orchard and chook runs. Nick says you know when the almonds are ready, as in come the cockatoos to harvest! Birds are a big element in the garden and it’s host to a wide variety of visiting native birdlife. Within the garden there are large aviaries housing Red-tailed Black Cockatoos and Eclectus Parrots and on top of a fence post stands a metal sculpted eagle bought at a fundraiser for the Boorowa Education Foundation. The lawns and garden around the house are watered to keep them looking fresh over summer, but beyond the perimeter, grass is allowed to brown off over summer. The water from the lake is not used for irrigation, however water is piped from an alternate dam supply. At the rear of the house beneath the shady canopy of towering English and Golden elm trees is a wonderful space for entertaining and parties. Rather than battle with lawn under these massive trees, its surface is crushed gravel, and this area is partially enclosed by a fabulous stone wall. A motion sensor triggers water to flow over an intriguing metal ball sculpture, there’s a pizza oven, and smoker for cooking up feasts showcasing their premium Kenny’s Creek Angus beef. Among the trees in the back garden there’s a cottage built to accommodate visiting clients, guests and family. From here it’s a short stroll down to the expansive lake – a favourite spot to relax with their four children, their partners and five grandchildren. They gather together under the shade of the willow trees and there’s a fire pit for lingering long after the sun has set. CWL
From little things, big things grow Julia and Nick Burton Taylor are passionate about education and are founders and patrons of the Country Education Foundation (CEF) of Australia and the local CEF in Boorowa. This foundation was set up 20 years ago to assist rural and regional communities to support school leavers furthering their education. After starting with a few people around a kitchen table in Boorowa, the CEF is now a semi-national family of foundations spanning four states. By funding expenses such as text books, trade tools, course equipment, travel and accommodation, CEF is changing the lives of disadvantaged rural and regional students – and in doing so, investing in the future of their communities. Last year the CEF provided almost $1 million in grants and support to more than 500 rural and regional students. For more information go to www.cef.org.au. Nick Burton Taylor AM Julia Burton Taylor OAM
Words: Elizabeth Swane Images: Angus Waddell
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