An Invitation

Visitors are invited to sleep overnight in Softfoot Hall's guest rooms which have all amenities to make a most enjoyable stay. For those who enjoy fine wine, Softfoot is pleased to offer visitors wine tastings from Softfoot Hall's cellar door. The wine is produced from the vineyard planted on the property. The Hall sits in tranquil surroundings adjacent to large wetlands abundant with fish, yabbies, tortoises and birdlife with the occasional wandering echidnas and mobs of kangaroos. The alpaca stud is set on three hundred acres of land that is farmed with conservation as its principal tenant.

The Alpaca Journey

The journey began when Gary and Sandy required an environment friendly livestock animal to co-exist with their established conservation practices. Alpacas were happily the only viable option. The initial purchase of a very small quantity of multi-coloured Chilean alpacas as a hobby, is a familiar journey for many start-up alpaca owners. Although initially blinded by the 'smoke and mirrors' of some alpaca sellers in the industry, they quickly discovered the type of alpaca they wished to breed.

Once the decision was made to have an alpaca breeding stud, the pair did their research and then purchased top quality stock from successful alpaca studs. Cambridge Alpaca Stud was predominately chosen to supply world's best quality, foundation stock females, along with stud services from Cambridge's industry leading male sires. Jolimont Gianmarco, another highly decorated stud male is co-owned with Cambridge.

A visit to Peru in 2003 confirmed the decision to purchase new Peruvian genetics. In 2005 twenty females and two stud males, hand selected in Peru by Ron and Dianne Condon of Shanbrooke Alpacas to Gary's specifications, arrived to join the Softfoot herd. Softfoot Ceroc, our herd sire, with impressive statistics for his age, believed to be about ten years, has sired some stunning offspring. Softfoot Corroboree, son of Ceroc won Grand Champion fleece at the 2007 Royal Adelaide Show. Softfoot Corroboree will be an important part of the breeding programme in the ensuing years.

The sale of Gary's manufacturing business in 2006 has allowed him time to pursue more fully the exciting process of selective breeding. More time to also enjoy showing alpacas, meeting breeders, attending conferences and all the alpaca industry has to offer.

About the Property & Conservation Projects

Gary and Sandy acquired the land nine years ago. It initially served as a weekend retreat from the pressures of running a large rainwater tank manufacturing company, Team Poly Pty Ltd. The land they purchased was in a sad state of degradation from overgrazing. The few remaining trees on the land were two hundred year old South Australian Blue gums and River Reds. These trees are known in conservation circles as 'the Living Dead'. This refers to the absence of regenerated seedlings to carry their genetic blueprint with sheep grazing being the culprits.

Restoration of Vegetation

Vegatative restoration was achieved by collecting local indigenous tree seed and raising trees and under story plants as shade and shelter for native fauna and birdlife.

Sandy was a board member of Trees For Life' S.A. for two years. With advice and with seedlings from this organization, Gary and Sandy restored areas of natural bush land. Sandy trained for and was licensed to collect native seed in the local area. Sandy, as a member and volunteer of 'Bush For Life' worked on conservation sites removing feral weeds from native bush land. In the process she gained experience in identifying and removing these threats on their own land. Sandy grew a C.S.I.R.O.rust to combat a noxious weed called Bridal Creeper, and this rust in 2007 successfully decimated the creeper on their property and along the adjacent roadside.

Wetlands Created

The wetlands created by Gary were enabled by his early years of experience and expertise with earth moving equipment. An existing creek enabled him to design and reshape the bare pastures to create a large wetlands. The wetlands he created incorporate four islands as refuges for nesting birds which are now protected from marauding foxes and cats. Threatened species of native fish as well as rescued tortoises now enjoy the safe environment.

A CARBON SEQUESTRATION BLUEPRINT for the land caused forty thousand trees to be planted around the property long before the current mindset in regard to green house emissions. In those early days Gary and Sandy were both advocating action on climate change. Gary's company Team Poly was a sponsor of Landcare donating $50,000 p.a. for three years towards Australia wide tree planting projects. The Governor General of Australia, at a Landcare ceremony in Canberra, presented an award to Team Poly for services to the environment. The Softfoot farm is carbon positive, that is to say better than greenhouse gas neutral.

Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy is the sole source of electricity for the Softfoot Complex. The infrastructure is all run on solar and wind power energy including refrigeration and air conditioning as a stand alone system, not connected to the grid.

Heating is supplied by utilizing planted native forestry timber. Gary and Sandy extend an invitation to you to visit them and enjoy good ol' fashioned honesty and hospitality.