All About Will!

For over 20 years I have been a passionate advocate for maintaining the genetic diversity of domesticated farm animals. I strongly believe that it is vital for future generations that we avoid narrowing the numbers of species that we are dependant on. Even before I started my work on rare breeds I was fascinated with all types of animals. My career crystallsed in my late teens when I saw a documentary on one of the founding rare breeds farms in England. At that time I was already keeping pure breeds of poultry but had not considered how important maintaining these breeds and their genetic uniqueness was. From the moment I saw this documentary I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do! From that point forward I dedicated myself to setting up my own farm in Australia that would play a key role in saving rare breeds of farm animals from extinction. Although this journey has been turbulent and often difficult it is also very rewarding. As time goes by opportunities I am given seem to grow and become more fascinating. Despite my passion for the conservation of endangered species of farm animals my immediate family were fishermen in the coastal country town of Moonta Bay on the York Peninsula South Australia. My grand parents were farmers and a lot of interest in farming was gained from them. I finished my schooling at the completion of year 10 (4th year high school). I did no formal agricultural studies during my schooling.

In 1996 I began making my dreams materialise with the purchase of Dorper sheep embryos when they first arrived in Australia. I was the first person breeding Dorper sheep in South Australia and one of the first in Australia. In 1998 I expanded my breeds with the the first Persian Sheep embryos imported from South Africa. In that year I received a Queens Trust Achiever Award that allowed me to undertake a study tour in South Africa to learn more about the Dorper sheep and their applications for Australia. During my travels in South Africa I was fortunate to see many of their indigenous breeds of livestock, most of which now, sadly, are getting close to extinction. With the increasing number of species that I was breeding it became necessary to acquire a larger property, so in 2003 I purchased a farming property on Kangaroo Island, South Australia and began setting up my rare breeds farm. I moved all my animals over to the new property and have been adding more breeds ever since.

Since beginning the rare breeds farm on Kangaroo Island, I have managed to save a number breeds from becoming extinct, educated thousand's of people of the necessity for this kind of conservation. I have also written and had published a number of articles on various rare breeds and advised people on breeding programs for rare breeds. The longer I work in the conservation of rare breeds of farm animals the more I learn of the importance of the cause and the more passionate I become about it. One way or another I have been working with rare breeds for well over 30 years. It has been and will continue to be a life long commitment. I still have so many more things to accomplish, implement and do for rare breeds conservation.

On the website and on a tour of the farm you will get some insight of the many projects I am currently working on. However, this is only a glimpse of the work that I am currently undertaking and much more is still to be done.