HERBIE Neville’s long career as a stock agent has taken him right across SA and the NT and even into NSW.
The branch manager of Elders Alice Springs, NT, grew up in Lameroo on a mixed farming property called Wilkawatt, with cattle, sheep, pigs and cropping.
His farming background led him to his first job out of school, when he was 16 years old, with his local Elders Lameroo branch.
“I joined Elders on March 18, 1974,” he said.
“I worked my way through from sweeping the floors to branch manager.”
His first position at Lameroo last two years, before he was posted to Alice Springs in 1976. That post also lasted two years, before Herbie went west to Ceduna, where he stayed for four years.
A posting to Peterborough in 1982 stands out.
“I’ll always remember Peterborough for the really big sheep sales they used to have there,” he said.
Herbie’s next postings with Elders were to Burra, Cleve and Lock. He left Elders briefly for 18 months to work with another company, but upon rejoining Elders, Herbie ended up back on the Eyre Peninsula at Cleve.
From there, Herbie moved from the EP across the border to Wentworth, NSW.
“I went from Wentworth to Alice Springs in 1994 and left there in 2000 and went back to Cleve as branch manager,” he said.
“I came back to Alice Springs again in 2001 and have been here ever since.”
While Herbie was ear-marked for a stud stock role with Elders, he was never keen to be based in the city and enjoyed his bush postings.
One of the highlights of Herbie’s time in Alice Springs has been his involvement with the sales at the Roe Creek yards.
While the saleyards were set up in the mid 1980s, Herbie and Traillco founder Doc Cunningham made significant changes in the mid 1990s.
“We set it up as a blue ribbon sale,” Herbie said.
“Luckily, Doc and I got on really well as opposition agents and we had a common goal.
“Our goal was to showcase the cattle we have here in central Australia and to let the rest of the country know how good our cattle are.
“That’s still the goal today.”
Herbie said the quality of the cattle coming out of central Australia had improved significantly across the years.
“The quality of the cattle, and their termperament, is just outstanding,” he said.
“The beef industry in central Australia has really marched on.”
Herbie said one of his favourite aspects to his job was its ever-changing nature.
“One day you might have nothing happening, and then the next day an order comes from China that suits our customers, I find that exciting,” he said.
The close relationships Herbie Neville has forged with clients is another of the highlights from his lengthy career with Elders.
Herbie said many of his clients had become like family.
“Some of the little kids call me uncle Herbie,” he said.
“Being allowed into a lot of people’s families has been a huge thing for me.”
Another highlight has been the development of new markets for Red Centre cattle, along with the growing interest in organic cattle from the NT.
While this season had been tougher in Alice Springs, Herbie said the three years prior had been a great time for the central Australian cattle industry.
“We had a run of good season, coupled with good prices,” he said.
“It certainly increased the land value and confidence in central Australia.”
Herbie has been branch manager at Alice Springs since 2008 and loves the job.
“I just love the bush lifestyle and the people in the bush,” he said.
