Where do you live?
We live at “Bollards Lagoon”, a one million acre property at Cameron Corner – the place where the South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales borders meet. We are in South Australia, about 16km from Cameron Corner.
“Bollards Lagoon” is in the Strzelecki Desert. It’s classic desert country with red sandhills everywhere, but in between the sandhills is swampy ground that grows plenty of clover in winter and grass in summer. It’s naturally organic and our 4,000 head of Herefords have no trouble getting fat.
My parents came here in 1959 when it was one of the last virgin blocks in South Australia. There was absolutely nothing here when they arrived. They lived in a tent, then a tin shed, and then a house while they also built fences and dams for cattle.
Of course there’s still not much around here. We often go to Cameron Corner for a meal at the pub, but after that it’s 500km to the closest shop. The mail service brings fruit and vegetables once a week from Broken Hill, and about every six months we load up the truck with other groceries from town.
We work hard – from 6am to 6pm most days – but we love it out here. The freedom of living in the open air, with no pollution and no traffic can’t be beaten. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.
Why do you supply cattle to OBE Organic?
We became certified organic soon after OBE was formed, and have sold to them from the start. OBE is a family-oriented business, owned by family farmers who are doing the same work as we are. They understand us, and it’s good to work with people you know and trust.
Why is producing organic food important to you?
I don’t like food with chemicals, or beef with Hormone Growth Promotants and antibiotics. Plus around here, it’s really easy because we are naturally organic. OBE was really ahead of their time deciding to form an organic beef company – I think it was a brilliant idea, probably the best idea that’s ever come from this part of the world.
