New era dawns for Collinsville

Soon after the stud topped the Adelaide Merino Ram Sale last week at $66,000 – the highest price paid there in 17 years – the deal was completed.

George and Sophie Millington and their children Rupert and Alice, who live at Cappeedee, Hallett, are only the fourth custodians in Collinsville stud's nearly 120-year history and they are enthusiastic about making it a leading supplier of Merino genetics.

The family bought the operation from prominent rural identities Paddy and Helen Handbury, who had owned it for the past 19 years.

The Handburys rescued the stud from the hands of receivers in 1995 when it was in danger of being dispersed and have guided it through some turbulent times in the sheep and wool industry.

The deal, negotiated by Ray White Clare Valley, includes the 56,093-hectare Collinsville Station, 49 kilometres north east of Burra, and the two sheep studs comprising about 7000 Merino and Poll Merino ewes and lambs.

Mr Millington, who has had significant success in Adelaide business, said it had been a goal to run a Merino stud on Cappeedee since buying the Mid North property in 2010. Cappeedee had previously been home to a successful Merino stud for 135 years until it was dispersed six years ago.

"It is fantastic to have the opportunity to buy one of the best sheep studs in Australia and bring it back to SA ownership," he said.

Mr Millington said his family had been among the original bidders during the sale of land last year, but struck a deal during the past three to four months on the sheep and station.

"It was very important for Paddy and us that the stud and station were retained together because Collinsville has a lot of station customers who need to be confident sheep will survive in their conditions," he said.

Another key consideration in the sale was securing the knowledge and experience of stud manager Tim Dalla, who has been with the stud for six years, and long-time Collinsville Station manager Tony Connell.

* Full report in Stock Journal, September 18, 2014 issue.