History & Heritage.

Andrew White founded Stretton Park in the 1860s in Victoria Australia. Born in 1829 in Stretton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire, England, Andrew sailed to Port Phillip aboard the James L. Bogert in 1853, arriving amid the gold rush’s feverish promise. By 1856, White had pivoted from mining dreams to the enduring wealth of wool, acquiring prime allotments in the Shires of South Barwon and Barrabool. His vision crystallized in the 1860s when he established Stretton Park - named for his English birthplace - as a sprawling stud at Connewarre, near Torquay. Here, on 11,095 acres by 1880, White’s superfine merinos roamed freely, their fleeces yielding clips that graced Geelong’s auction floors with “sup extra” acclaim.

A civic pillar, White served on South Barwon Shire Council from 1864, championing roads and bridges that knit the district’s fabric. White’s innovations - selective breeding, corn-fed vitality—set benchmarks, with 1883 sales fetching 10d per pound for 15 bales of branded “over AW” (Andrew White) merino. His passing in 1900 marked the handover of a wool empire to his son that echoed England’s pastoral idylls in Australia’s sun-drenched south. Under White, Stretton Park wasn’t merely land; it was lineage, woven into the young nation’s story of merino fleece.

Gilbert White, Andrew’s son, stewarded Stretton Park through the dawn of a new century. Born into wool’s rhythm around 1860, Gilbert inherited not just acres, but an ethos of excellence. A South Barwon Shire president, Gilbert’s tenure until the 1930s upheld the farm’s finesse, with a grazier’s keen eye and councillors’ resolve, he expanded the merino flock. The 1903 estate auctions, though transitional, showcased his early prowess: 7 bales of first combing wool at 12d per pound, alongside 11 bales of first fleece, underscoring the land’s bounty.

Gilbert’s era bridged Edwardian grace and interwar grit, as global markets waxed and waned. He championed irrigation and pasture rotation, yielding fleeces of “blue corn fed” lustre that commanded premiums in Geelong sales. A devoted South Barwon shire member, Gilbert served multiple terms as president, fostering community ties. Gilbert’s tenure preserved Stretton as a prestigious sheep station. In his hands, Stretton Park evolved from raw beginnings to a more polished operation, its fibres threading Australia’s rural tapestry with quiet, enduring strength.

Ted Bevan acquired Stretton Park in the 1930s, steering it through Depression and war. Precise dates elude dusty ledgers, but Bevan’s imprint blooms in 1930s appraisals: Mt. Duneed’s “STRETTON PARK A” clips hailed for their vitality undimmed by hardship. His “STRETTON PARK A” clips earned “sup extra” acclaim, with 1943 sales hitting 20” pence per pound, a catalogue peak and a record etched in auction lore. A fellmonger, Bevan refined processing and introduced hardy sires, maintaining 15 lb fleeces in Geelong auctions. Active in local ag committees, he bridged tradition and post-war growth. Under Bevan’s watch through the 1940s and 1950s, Stretton thrived in merino post-war boom. He introduced hardy sires, blending tradition with tactical feeds to sustain 15 lb averages and Geelong sales buzzed with his branded bales. A man of the land’s pulse, Bevan navigated rationing and recovery, his flocks embodying Victoria’s pastoral rebirth. Civic echoes lingered; like his predecessors, he bolstered local agricultural committees, weaving Stretton Park to community.

John Richardson, a descendant of H.F. Richardson, played a key role in linking Stretton Park with one of Victoria’s most respected livestock firms through the 60s and 70s. Through his family’s long-standing involvement in the pastoral industry, he carried forward a tradition of quality stock management and trusted trading networks. His connection brought recognition to Stretton Park’s herds and strengthened its reputation within the broader Geelong and Western District grazing community.

John Richardson was a prominent and shrewd Geelong stockman, amplified the stud’s scope, his superfine clips excelled in 1970s Australian Wool Network sales. Wool clips under his aegis, garnered acclaim at Australian Wool Network sales, their micron fineness fetching premiums. Community roots ran deep; hosting local fetes and football teams, embodying community spirit. Through oil shocks and periods of drought, Richardson’s resolve held. By 1981, Richardson’s stewardship had honed Stretton’s reputation, passing a polished farm to new hands.

Dawn broke anew on Stretton Park in 1982 when Graeme Milton and Nerida Lois Turner, purchased the farm at auction, in a period of drought it was a bold purchase at the time including the main farm buildings, house and facilities, with Graeme negotiating the acquisition of additional titles after auction.

Graeme Turner rose to prominence in the wool industry later creating and serving as Managing Director of Arcadian Wool Brokers, Australia’s largest Independent Wool Broking firm. His many farm holdings wool brands, and later cattle sales, often achieved record sales. Graeme was a well-known contributor to the region, president of the Australian Wool Growers Association, a great sportsman and a champion billiards and snooker player at The Geelong Club. The current Turner family reflect back on a day whereby Graeme was selected to tour Queen Elizabeth II HR through the opening of the Australian Wool Museum in Geelong.

Nerida Turner has worked as an educator in rural industry and created many rural education programs including landcare education, an ever present support on sale days or at shearing time, Nerida ran Stretton Park with farm management assistance after Graeme’s passing in later years. Today her sons manage the property moving forward into the next phase of this iconic farms journey.