Oldest cattle brands of the Wide Bay Burnett
With some dating back to the 19th century, the Wide Bay Burnett’s oldest brands feature rich histories involving some of the cattle industry’s pioneering families. See the full list.
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The Wide Bay Burnett has a storied history with the state’s cattle industry, with pioneers of the trade laying down roots from as early as the 19th century.
15 historic and prolific farming families of the Wide Bay Burnett
Today, many of the brands registered during that time remain in family hands passed down through generations.
Sign of the times: Evolution and uncertain future of the Showgirl
Find out some of the history of the oldest brands in the Wide Bay Burnett, and meet the farmers who continue to further the brand:
Half circle over J.
Eidsvold Station has cemented itself as one of the premier cattle operating properties in Southeast Queensland since its establishment in 1848.
In 1905 the property sold to De Berg Persse and his son-in-law Fitzpierce Joyce who established the Half circle over J. in April of that year.
The brand continues to be associated with the property which is renowned for its Santa Gertrudis cattle and quarter horses.
The property hosts annual stud bull sales which attracts hundreds of guests and potential buyers annually.
More famous guests have included His Royal Highness King Charles on two separate occasions.
1RK
The 1RK brand was established by the Kirk family in 1980 after they settled in the Gayndah area.
The brand remains registered by Brett Kirk, the patriarch of the family who can recall with fond memories the clever way the family used the brand to mark butter boxes.
When the family was part of the dairy industry they would ship butter via train towards Maryborough.
“They used to brand the butter boxes with 1RK and then put the K back in front so it read as K1RK,” Mr Kirk said.
The Kirk family remains one of the largest in the Gayndah area and are the driving force behind Hazelton Brahmans.
K. Under Wings
The Kirk family also owns and operates the K. Under Wings brand, which brands their Hazleton Brahman Stud.
The stud established in 1961 arose from the need identified by Brett Kirk’s father Ted to introduce Brahman cattle into their Hereford line.
Today, the stud sells over 30 stud bulls annually at the Rockhampton Brahman Week Sale and have even been sold internationally.
The family and the stud are known for the high quality cattle and this is also exhibited in the showring.
A recent success was the awarding of the Supreme Champion Exhibit at the Goomeri Show by stud Hazelton Brutus.
C (lazy U) 3
The Berthelsen family have been in possession of the C (lazy U) 3 brand since Marie Catharine Berthelsen took on the brand in 1922, after it was first registered in 1888.
Originally assigned to a Maryborough owner, the brand now resides in the hands of Jeanette Nicolson, great granddaughter of Marie Berthelsen.
Mrs Nicolson is now based in Gayndah, on land originally part of Cooranga Station.
The family balloted the land in 1917, and remain one of the most historically prominent families in the region.
B (lazy T) 4
The Berthelsen family is in possession of not one but two historic Wide Bay Burnett brands.
First registered in 1886 by Thomas Berthelsen at Nikenbah Pialba, the brand now resides in the hands of Ray Berthelsen.
Based in Mundubbera, Ray inherited the brand from his grandfather William “Bill” Berthelsen who inherited it from Thomas.
The brand is still put to use at Cooranga Station, with the help of Ray’s children branding brahman and Charolais cattle.
While Ray is in his 90s he remains active on the property, though is thankful for the help of children.
He said while he plans to pass the brand into their hands when the time comes he’s “not dead yet” and is looking forward to many more years breeding cattle.
SS1
First registered in 1872 the SS1 brand has remained in the hands of the Strathdee family for generations.
The brand was first put to use by Robert Strathdee at the family’s Cooranga property in Gayndah on more than 1700 cattle.
The brand followed the family when they relocated to Maudsleigh in Bundaberg after bushfires and droughts forced their hand to sell.
The brand was passed down through the generations and now remains in the hands of Margaret Strathdee, the widow of Robert Strathdee, the great grandson of the Robert Strathdee who registered the brand.
It is shared by her son David Strathdee, who has branded cattle and horses alike.
J5 (lazy V)
While the original registration date for the J5 (lazy V) has been lost to the sands of time, Les Fricke believe it is over 100 years old.
He inherited the brand from his uncle Herbert Habermann more than 60 years ago, and it is still put to use on the cattle the family owns in South Kolan.
The brand has transitioned out of his hands and into those of his children, who continue the beef legacy to this day.
Mr Fricke believes the brand was initially put to use on the families dairy cattle, along with beef cattle and horses.
The brand is now put to work on the Droughtmaster stud which operates on the family property.
4F (Lazy J)
Based in Goomeri, the 4F (Lazy J) brand has been in the Louis family for decades, and was handed to Don Louis at just 16 years of age by his mother Gertrude Louis nee Hasselbeck.
While Mr Louis is unsure of the exact date the brand was registered, but he has been in possession for the brand for more than 50 years.
He believes the physical brand has many more years of age on it, and suspects it was forged by hand due to the finishings on the metal.
First used on dairy cattle in Maryborough, the family transitioned to beef cattle in the 1970s and continues to brand the family’s stud to this day.
The brand was put to work in the past weeks, on stud cattle in preparation for the Gracemere Bull sale.
While Mr Louis is unsure of the brand’s future due to an uncertain succession planning, he continues to uphold the family legacy in his later years.
KH9
First established in 1905 the KH9 brand already has a sure future and is currently registered in the hands of eight year old twins Charlotte and Hayden Riethmuller.
Overseen by their mother Roseanne Riethmuller, the brand has travelled through many hands from those of Kenneth Hallam who registered the brand in Eidsvold to his sister Muriel Hallam.
The brand was used on cattle and race horses before being transferred to Roseanne’s aunty Margaret Adams who was based in Mundubbera.
The brand was recently offered to the children as a means of continuing the family’s farming legacy, and is put to work branding the heifers.
The property Tolo, just outside of Eidsvold has its own rich history, and the KH9 brand is the oldest in its possession.
♡BV
The Tolo family property possess two brands, though the ♡BV brand maintains “pride of place” for the farm’s bull calves.
The brand is registered in Roseanne Riethmuller name and was first registered by Louis Bancroft between 1910 and 1930.
The family knows the brand was transferred to his wife Isis Bancroft in 1939 when Mr Bancroft took on work at Eidsvold station and was unable to carry his own brand.
The brand was transferred to Mrs Riethmuller in 1999, and she put it to use when she returned to the family property in 2017 as part of the family’s succession planning.
She expresses immense pride in the families rich history which can trace its lineage in Australia to the 1860s.
“This is home for me,” she said.
0LB
0LB is the third brand the family possess and is currently at use at Oak Park.
First registered in 1943 by Thomas Bancroft succession planning will see it land in the hands of Roseanne Riethmuller, his daughter.
Though Mr Bancroft is in his early 80s Mrs Riethmuller said his age hasn’t slowed him down and he still climbs on a horse to chase cattle.
He puts the brand to use on his 150 head of hereford, brangus and Charolais cattle outside of Eidsvold.
Mr Bancroft shows no sign of slowing down and the brand continues to mark family cattle, as it will for generations to come.
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Originally published as Oldest cattle brands of the Wide Bay Burnett
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