In 1997 as Bob was retiring from the full-time Air Force he and Judy chose a newly sub-divided 48 hectare (120 acres) sheep property near Yass, built a large and comfortable home, sheds, fences, yards, alpaca shelters and 10 km of fencing and yards – and thought that life would then be easier and more relaxed! 

Aerial view of Argyle Park

As a long-time Secretary of the local Landcare Group active in encouraging landholders to participate in Rivercare and Landcare projects, at Argyle Park Bob has set out to demonstrate some important land care principles. The Group’s own native tree seeder is maintained at Argyle Park, and has been used successfully to seed hundreds of thousands of eucalypts, wattles and other native species throughout the property. The first seedings from 1998 and 1999 are now 3 to 6 meters high, and with the benefit of the longer root structure growing from seed almost all have survived the 2002/03 drought – although some more recent seedings didn’t fare so well. The latter have been re-seeded in Spring 2003, again using the ‘Boorowa mix’ of some 45 species developed by John Wetherstone of Gunning.

‘The Park’ between ‘Lake Argyle’ and the homestead has been planted with many deciduous trees and shrubs to reduce the risk of fire near the house and alpaca yards. This also helps to eliminate roof and water contamination from leaf litter. Care has been taken in all plantings to avoid poisonous species, so that all stock can graze freely when required.

Typical paddock shelters

Yards capable of handling up to 3-400 alpacas have been built, together with a large general purpose shed with a unique cork tile shearing floor that is very easy to keep clean. All fencing has been carefully planned to provide funnel features and lane-ways so that either of us can easily move and yard animals alone if necessary. Another planned feature is several small north-facing elevated paddocks that can be seen from the homestead, making it easy to observe alpacas near to and after birth. These paddocks also have shelters and simple yards suitable both for general shelter and supplementary feeding, and for confining a few animals for birthing and post-birth procedures if necessary.

So with 8-12 ML in the Lake, 125000 litres of rainwater in the main tank - which normally supplies most of the alpaca drinkers – Argyle Park is as nearly drought-proof as it’s possible to be in southern New South Wales. The property also enjoys good shelter from major storms from the elevated forested areas around its south-west boundary, although this area also shelters up to 1000 Eastern Grey kangaroos at times. We occasionally see as many as 400 of these hopping over the boundary fences to graze on our pastures. Initially the alpacas treated these interlopers with great alarm, but appear now to accept them rather too well!