Published since 1986
APRIL, 2021
Shearer shortage
www.farmernews.com.au
Shane’s a mobile butcher PAGE 2
Goat meat on the menu PAGES 12-13
PAGE 19
ON THE MARKET EMERITUS Professor Bob Officer has spent the last 25 years creating a major and successful agribusiness in the North East, with a high value marketing route that has gone from strength to strength since its inception. Representing a lucrative enterprise on prime real estate on a viable scale, this farm specialising in Wagyu cattle is currently on the market, with market interest strong for what represents an incredible opportunity to just walk-in and start farming. Turn to page 6 for the full story.
From farm to fame
Bernie Walker gains accolades for a lifetime in the shearing industry
By PAM ZIERK-MAHONEY IT may be every young shearer’s dream to reach the standard high enough to be nominated for the Australian Shearers Hall of Fame, but there are only a selected few who actually gain that honor. Euroa’s Bernie Walker is one noted shearer who has been selected to be inducted into the Hall of Fame (Hay, NSW) along with four other nominees for 2021; Ray
Anderson (Crookwell NSW dec), Dan Cooper Snr (Perth, NSW/WA dec), Gene Mills (Young NSW) and Cathy Wendelborn (Quilpie SA/ Qld). Usually inductees are inducted at Easter every two years but this year’s selected few will have to wait until Easter 2022 to actually be inducted - all due to COVID-19 restrictions. Bernie has dedicated much of his life to Australian and world
shearing over the past 66 years and has made a unique and outstanding contribution to the industry in Australia, New Zealand and worldwide. He has helped in creating a platform for others to progress their careers within the shearing industry and was instrumental in giving many shearers, wool handlers and judges the chance to represent Australia in competition both here and around the world.
In the nomination for the Hall of Fame Bernie’s background highlights his years as a top shearer who started in the sheds at the age of 16 and initially rode a bicycle to the local sheds, to advancing and promoting shearing and the encouragement of young men (and in later years young women) to take up the profession. He shore an open run around the Euroa district from Violet
Town to Ruffy, until 1968 when he retired from full time shearing to concentrate on farming. He had been shearing up to 18,000 and crutching up to 30,000 each year. Bernie was regarded as an exceptionally clean shearer and set a high standard for himself and others and averaged 160-180 each day - never a big tally shearer but noted for his care. ■ Continued page 4
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