Seymour Alternative Farming Expo: Packing it in for a better lifestyle
ALPACAS, whips, tiny houses, drones and even diving pigs will be on show at Seymour this year.
ALPACAS, whips, tiny houses, drones and even diving pigs will be on show at Seymour this year.
Alpaca breeders Ann and Rod Sales will explain why they believe Huacayas are the perfect breed for small-acreage properties.
The couple run Davidalla Alpacas, with 94 Huacayas on their 52ha property at South Heathcote, near Seymour.
“We started out with four females and a male in November 1995,” Ann said. “I had a baby born this morning and so that means I now have 94.”
Self-confessed “city folk”, originally from Frankston, the couple moved to Heathcote after being made redundant from office jobs. They chose to invest in Huacaya alpacas for their easy-care nature.
“We looked at sheep,” Ann said, “but, didn’t like the sound of the management.
“You have flystrike, mulesing and crutching. There seemed to be a lot of work to go from office work to doing that.
“I wasn’t brought up with animals, we had a dog in the backyard and that was it.
“With alpacas we shear, do injections, drench twice a year, look at their nails and teeth, and that’s it.”
Although they don’t need to “do much” with the alpacas, the couple have immersed themselves in the industry and now sell stud males, breeding females, companion animals, fleece and yarn.
“An alpaca is what you make of it,” Ann said. “They are so easy to look after, curious and intelligent. A herd animal but easy to tame … easy on the land. They are just a nice animal to work with.
“We sometimes think, ‘Will we sell the farm and get a unit?’ But we just look at each other and say, ‘No.’ We just love the lifestyle and have met a lot of people who are lovely and friendly in the industry.”
Ann and Rod will speak about raising alpacas on Sunday, February 18 at 10.30am and 2.30pm.
Some of the country’s youngest whipcrackers will also be on show at Seymour.
The AWPA Victorian Whipcracking Championships and Australian Bullock Whip Championship will feature a Pee Wee division (eight years and under) through to men and women’s divisions.
The competition, which was previously held at The Royal Melbourne Show, offers $3000 in prizes, attracting competitors from far and wide.
The expo will also feature a mini festival line-up just for children with DIY projects, camel rides and an animal petting farm.
Adults and children can enjoy this year’s pig-racing and pig-diving demonstrations, which are said to be “just as funny and unusual as they sound”.
Up to 500 exhibitors will be at the festival, including a cricket farm from Western Australia.
SEE IT AT SEYMOUR
SHEEP BREEDS
Dorper: Dorper Sheep Society of Australia Inc
White Dorper: Dorper Sheep Society of Australia Inc
Bond: Fairview Bond Stud
Dorset Down: C & M Chapman
Cheviot: Andrew Ferrington
Wiltipoll: Muskdale Sheep Stud
Suffolk: Blue Rock Suffolk Stud and Barry Shalders
Wiltshire Horn: JJA O’Loghlin
Strong wool breeds: John & Alice Beattie, Strong Wool Breeders Association Inc, LD. IA. ME & CW Stevenson
CATTLE BREEDS
Dexter: Dexter Cattle Promotion Group of Victoria
Charolais: KC & GJ Manton
Red Angus: Claremont Red Angus
Poll Highland: Mayfield Poll Highland Cattle
Limousin: Yarralea Limousin (F.J & B.E Mollard)
ALPACAS
Davidalla Farm Alpacas, Joma Alpacas and Fabulously Alpacas
FARMERS’ MARKET STALLS
- Australian Tea House
- Crowley’s Hot Sauce
- Your Inspiration At Home
- Crafted By Bees
- Black Dog Olives
- Earths Organic
- Hand Made And Crafted Products
- Italian Chef
- Screaming Seeds Spice Co
- Riversdale Irises
- Callipari Wine & Food
- Herbal Teas Australia
- Elfreds of the Peninsula
- Curry Favour
DATES
Friday, February 16
Saturday, February 17
Sunday, February 18
TIMES:
8.30am-5pm Friday and Saturday 8.30am-4pm Sunday
VENUE:
Kings Park, Tallarook St, Seymour
GETTING THERE:
Seymour is 109km from Melbourne on the Hume Freeway.
CONTACT DETAILS:
admin@seymourexpo.com.au
Phone: 1300 178 881
ADMISSION:
ONLINE
Adult $17
Concession $14
Family (2 adults, 3 children) $40
Child (aged 5-15) $8
AT THE GATE
Adult $20
Concession $16.50
Family (2 adults, 3 children) $47
Child (aged 5-15) $9.50
Visit seymourexpo.com.au to buy tickets online and save 17 per cent.
Battle of drones
AUSTRALIAN champion drone pilot Thomas Bitmatta hopes to add another trophy to his collection in a championship race at Seymour Expo.
If butchery’s an art, Victor’s a masterful artist
VICTOR Bonacci will step into the respected role of resident butcher at this year’s Seymour Expo as veteran butcher Bob Dewar hangs up his cleaver after three final shows.