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Overview

The rural division of the Roche Group consists of an amalgamation of rural holdings on the eastern side of Armidale. The total area is 19,500 Ha with a carrying capacity of 9,000 breeders. Most of the progeny is finished on the farm-based, accredited feedlot on Jeogla Station. The adjoining country to Jeogla and Wallamumbi Stations are the breeding properties that provide the progeny to be grown out on pastures and finished in the feedlot on Jeogla. These properties include Fairburn, Achill West, Waimoa North, Highdowns, and Maralinga.

The History of Jeogla Station

Jeogla is an Aboriginal word meaning "Warm Crossing".

The Roche Group purchased Jeogla Station in 1998 from the Wright Family who had owned it since 1902. The property was originally 5668 Ha which has now expanded to 8200 Ha and joins Wallamumbi Station on the eastern side.

Jeogla comprises of mostly trap rock soil, barring a few basalt caps. It has an average of 925 mm rainfall.

Jeogla first had superphosphate spread over its country in 1951 and an ongoing program of pasture improvement has been undertaken since 1998, substantially increasing the carrying capacity.

In 1984 Jeogla launched the first on site physical cattle sale coupled with simultaneous video presentation in four states. Up to 90% of bidding strength came from outside centres.

On March 16, 1988 a further innovation provided spirited competition on a national basis with the addition of the Computer Aided Livestock Marketing (CALM). A total of 1,778 Hereford Beefmaker steers went under the hammer in a sale described by some sectors of the media as “superb”. The historic V1V brand is still in use today.

The History of Wallamumbi Station

Wallamumbi is an Aboriginal word meaning "Big Waterfall".

The Roche group already owned Jeogla Station which was proving to be a profitable enterprise so they looked to acquire Wallamumbi Station, and did so on 23rd March, 2001. The property was 5,200Ha. They purchased the property from the Wright family who had owned it since 1899.

The majority of Wallamumbi is granite soil country, with an 800 mm rainfall.

The Roche Group has a great respect for the history of Jeogla and Wallamumbi and continues to maintain the old buildings and the properties’ history whilst running a financially viable property. The V2V brand is in use today. It is one of the oldest brands in Australia.