1st of March
Day given over to travel from Opunake in NZ to Brisbane. Left 7 am to drive to Auckland for a 2 pm Check in for a 4.10 pm flight. Told that boarding would start at 3.05 pm but did not get aboard until 7 pm, total lack of information from Air NZ.
Finally arrive at Auckland, having lost 3 hrs on the way, to spend another 1hr 40 mins in queues for Passport and luggage. Check into Hotel at 9.30 pm to find that I am the last to arrive, but good to see some familiar faces from the Guernsey World.
Day given over to travel from Opunake in NZ to Brisbane. Left 7 am to drive to Auckland for a 2 pm Check in for a 4.10 pm flight. Told that boarding would start at 3.05 pm but did not get aboard until 7 pm, total lack of information from Air NZ.
Finally arrive at Auckland, having lost 3 hrs on the way, to spend another 1hr 40 mins in queues for Passport and luggage. Check into Hotel at 9.30 pm to find that I am the last to arrive, but good to see some familiar faces from the Guernsey World.
2nd March
After breakfast all aboard the Coach, for the first day had to detour to the airport to collect 4 more members of the party, had to do 5 circuits until finally all were safe on board and then made a visit to a Ginger Factory where we were to learn more than we thought it was possible to know about growing, harvesting and processing Ginger, except how much the grower was paid by the factory!
First visit then to Kelvindale where a few Guernseys are part of 700 cow herd milked on a new Rotary, but where the whole farm and valley are threatened by a proposed new dam to provide water to Brisbane.
From there we travelled to Warren Gibson’s Glencrest herd where on a very hot, humid afternnoon the cows were suffering from the heat and were very lethargic, some interesting cows to be found including E T daughters of OCS Dairy Lady Di in whom Warren had bought a share on a trip to the USA in1998.
I was also pleased to see the Belvic cow that was the Dam of my choice as Champion in the On Farm competition, a great cow at 13 yrs old, who has a Tiller son of working age.
3rd March
Left hotel at 8 am to travel up to Maleny to the Hoppers Dairy to the first additional feed of the day, before watching the cows on the Rotary going one way to suddenly find the Saanen goats filling a line behind us where the Hopper grandchildren were busy milking and stripping the goats whose milk is processed on the site.
Back on the coach for the short trip to the Maleny showgrounds where Guernseys from across South East Queensland had been gathered for a show, but not until after "lunch."
I was asked to give the results of the On Farm Challenge that I had judged the previous week, and thanks are due to Teresa Damrow who had produced a folder with photos of the first four in each of the 11 classes as well as the Champions.
Neither Champion or Reserve were present at the show that followed but the Hon Mention was and Ellendean Lady Winona who was placed First in the Senior Cow Class and Best Udder by the International Panel of 6 Judges, Raewyn Marwood ( NZ), Peter Gordon ( Canada), Chris Watson ( UK) Ray Watts ( GI), Roland Ripley (US) and Bevan Smith from Australia.
I was pleased to see that the consensus placed most of my class winners at the top of the line, but there were some surprises in every class.
The members of the South East Queensland Club should be congratulated for the efforts made firstly to get these cattle together from all over the State and for the way that the show was run.
It was also a chance for me to meet all of the Competitors who had made my visit to their farms such a pleasure in the previous week.
4th March
Not a cow in sight at Australia Zoo, the brainchild of the Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, who died when stung by a Stingray recently when filming.
A very slick operation with a important message about mankind’s interaction with nature, but rather spoilt for me when it was said that the “crocodile” was physically unable to chase after the trainer, travelled down to Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast after a stop at Surfers Paradise which was packed on a Sunday afternoon.
5th March
Back to business today crossing into New South Wales and visiting two good herds, firstly the Crosswaite family who have 150 cows in a grazing operation on the banks of the Tweed River and who "enjoy” 80 inches of rain annually.
Found yet another really good Victor, plus a Pansys Patrick and a Mt Penang Offender also met Dwight Wyatt who supplies semen to the Coastal area of Queensland and New Zealand who may well prove to be a usefull ally.
The second visit was to the Sunny Valley herd of the Allan Clark family where we found some outstanding animals but the quality of heifers and young cows as a group stood out, once again some extraordinarily “dairy” Magicmen, but the highlight for me was three generations of the Vanesque family, a Victor, a Wayne and a Tiller in calf heifer.
A really good herd of cows managed for High yield and all Milk recorded so could well provide a source of Semen for the UK .
6th March
Another early start for the climb from the coast up and over the mountain range which divides the coastal area from the interior and provides a watershed, unfortunately the spectacular views were obscured by mist and rain which became torrential by the time we arrived at the Everetts, where they milk 150 cows, Holsteins, Illawarras (Dairy Shorthorns) and Guernseys. The Guernsey heifers were close to the house and some of the party braved the rain and found amongst others an outstanding 2 yr old Tiller.
Back on the coach for the long haul (6 hours) to the Kookburra herd of Dallas Clark, where the 40 Guernseys are part of a 400 cow Holstein operation, TMR fed under a “roof” the first one seen in Australia. Some good individuals including the 2006 Sydney Royal Champion and Dallas Clark is a great enthusiast for the breed.
7th March
Another 6.30 BBB (Bags before Breakfast) and then a trip in to Sydney accompanied by a continuation of the commentary from driver John Cronshaw about the Geology, History etc of the region which has proved to be a real bonus on this trip.
Another innovation of John’s is that the party rotate their seats on a daily basis and that those in the front four seats should give an outline of their backround to the rest of the party, which has been of great interest.
Afternoon spent in Sydney at leisure before a Dinner Cruise on Sydney Harbour when we were able to share a firework display put on for two visiting Cruise ships, it is perhaps a good omen that the Cruise ships should be five times as large as the Australian Navy warships that are also anchored in the harbour.
8th March
Left Sydney to travel to Canberra, stopping firstly at the University farm at Belgenney where De Laval are testing a robotic system to see if it can be adapted to a grazing system, at present on average the cows are visiting 1.8 times a day, being encouraged home by a fresh break of pasture which is opened at 8 am and the provision of meal in the robot plus TMR depending on grass growth. Very impressed by the simplicity and accuracy of the robot arm, a great improvement over earlier models.
We then visited the original homestead which is being developed as a visitor centre, with working demonstrations of cattle and sheep in particular a Merino sheep flock which is deliberately being kept as close to the original flock as possible.
Stopped at Goulbourn for a picnic lunch in the Park and had no sooner set out the lunch before a tremendous thunderstorm broke overhead with a somewhat nervous party seeking shelter under the galvanised roofed picnic tables whilst the lightning flashed too close for comfort.
Completed the journey to Canberra and were able to view the layout of the city from Mount Ainslie before driving in to the accommodation provided.
9th March
Travel from Canberra to Echuca in Victoria through the Murray and Murrumbidgee River basins areas that were brought into production for dairy farming by flood irrigation systems which are being badly affected by the ongoing drought and it was heartbreaking to see no grass at all whilst the drainage ditches were full with the farmers reduced to about 20% of normal usage and unable to pay for additional supplies.
Visited the Riverton Park herd of Ian and Sherrie Gallus where we were impressed by the 17 year old RP Patricia and her daughters and grandaughters, other good cow families to be found here as well.
10th March
The day started with breakfast on a paddle steamer on the Murray River from the wharf at Echuga before a visit to a fruit farm who has pioneered new husbandry techniques to increase production and maximise use of the scarce water resources.
The afternoon was spent at the Spectacular World Feature Show at Nathalia showground where Guernseys had gathered from 6 states with a pair of cows having travelled from Perth making a particular impact. Murray Reisner from Canada was Judge and he had some very close placings to make in what were some tremendous classes a real credit to all concerned and much appreciated by all of us from overseas.
Supper was provided on the Showground which allowed a chance to talk to the exhibitors.
11th March
A short service was organised in the Motel grounds conducted by a retired Guernsey breeder who had visited the UK in 1984 and remembered a lot of the breeders of that time.
We then visited the Lawarra herd of Rob and Julie Bonnano who had been competing at the Show on the day before, and who had returned home from the USA only 6 days previously where Rob a vet is completing a course at Michigan State University.
The second visit was to Glenally Guernseys of the Tivendales who had also been competing with a large team and this herd established only 5 years ago made a very good impression with more Australian sired cattle than at previous visits. The Tivendales had access to several bore holes and the cows were able to graze as a result an oasis of green in the surrounding desert.
12th March
Travelled to Ballarat today via Bendigo both towns were involved in the Gold Rush of the 1850's and both towns built some substantial buildings as a result although the impressive Cathedral in Bendigo was not finished until 1977.
We were able to travel through Bendigo on a tram with a commentary about the notable sites and a stop at the Museum to view other styles of tram which are gradually being restored.
Arrived at Ballarat mid-afternoon before being treated to a sound and light show entitled “Blood on the Southern Cross” which was very well done and told of the short lived rebellion by the Miners who were objecting to the way that the mines were being run.
