Wagra Dexter cattle at home in the Far East Gippsland Mountains, Victoria; Australian born & bred.
Welcome to Wagra
Bendoc is a border town in the Far East Gippsland ranges of Victoria, “south-of-the-border” sister to Delegate, NSW. There is still a sign on the Gap Road that says ‘Population 53’, but, according to more recent records (http://www.theage.com.au/news, 2005), there are thirty people in the town with 600 in the wider area. Nevertheless, whichever way you look at it, Bendoc is certainly not a bustling metropolis. Wagra was the early name of Bendoc. According to local folklore, it was also the name of the wind that blows through the Cottonwood Range, the warning for the local aborigines to head down towards the coast before the snows. That wind can be heard roaring well before any movement is visible. An alternative meaning of Wagra is said to be “black eyed crow”. Whatever the literal translation, Wagra is the name chosen by Graham and Margaret for their farm.
Margaret first developed an interest in Dexter cattle after reading a reference made to them by Bill Mollison in a Permaculture magazine in about 1980. Ten years later interest was renewed, instigated by a conversation with friends. After further research, Graham and Margaret purchased two Grade 1 cows and became members of what was then called the Australasian Dexter Association. Their names are on the Welcome New Members list in the association bulletin of December 1990. Three Grade 2 cows were bought in 1991, with unregistered ‘commercial’ crossbred calves being bred for the next few years. Finally, in 1994, with the purchase of the dun bull, Bindalee Celtic Chieftain, Graham and Margaret became seriously dedicated and obsessed breeders.
Graham has been the publican at Bendoc since 1987, and has had the Post Office almost as long. Even though he had no large-animal or farming experience prior to the venture into Dexter cattle, he is the brawn behind all the heavy work associated with farm fencing, buildings, and machinery. Margaret provides assistance, researches history and pedigrees, disbuds the calves, and AIs the cows when outside bloodlines are required.
Margaret’s family grew up surrounded by livestock; horses, house-cows, goats, and poultry; so the venture into Dexter cattle was viewed as unremarkable at the time. They were all busy with their careers and only came home for holidays. However, since they have had children of their own, the family Dexters have taken on a whole new role of importance: providing naturally grown meat, free of growth-promotant hormones, with better quality and flavour than the shop-bought alternatives. The family has now become interested and involved in all aspects of the health, well-being and breeding policies regarding the Dexter cattle herd. Her five ‘children’ have worked hard to establish careers of their own; and continue to work hard balancing happy family lives and highly successful, heavy-scheduled professions and/or businesses. Granddaughter, Maddy (seen on the home page), has big plans for her parents to move house in her desperate need to be close to the Dexters. And another granddaughter, Caitlin, is interested in taking Ag studies at high school next year, which includes cattle handling.
Bendoc in drought, 2007.
1308mt a/s, Mt. Delegate ("Delegate Hill") stands sentinel over Wagra.
Under snow. View from the verandah of the hotel, June 2009.
