The Journey at Hendon Park

By Lynn and Pam Vearing
In the late 1800's and early 1900's 'Hendon Park', Epping, Victoria was a dairy farm, where they milked 80-90 dairy cows by hand. The Vearing Family (Lynn's grandfather) moved from Mitchelton near Nagambie and bought 'Hendon Park' in 1930. They ran merino wethers. Albert Vearing and his four brothers ran a shearing contract from the shearing shed on the property as it was one of the only shearing sheds in the district. In the early 1940's Albert and Beatrice Vearing (Lynn's parents) started a Southdown Stud and a Dorset Horn Stud.

Albert Vearing (Lynn's father) third from the left, in the 1940's inspecting Southdown rams at the Sale held at Newmarket Saleyards.

In the 1950's they changed from merino wethers to breeding Corriedale sheep, which they sourced from the Venters family at Stonehaven near Geelong. For a time the Southdown and Dorset Horn Studs lapsed. In 1968 Hendon Park Southdown Stud was restarted to supply rams to breed fat lambs from their Corriedale flock. In 1969 the Glen Goulburn Poll Hereford Stud commenced and in the 1970's Pam and Lynn showed Southdowns, Poll Herefords and Samoyed dogs at The Royal Melbourne Show as well as having two little boys under six. In those days the Royal Melbourne Show ran for two weeks so they were very busy times. Lynn served on the Australian Poll Hereford Board for 12 years, and was Chairman in 2004, when Australia hosted The World Hereford Conference. Lynn is currently President of Southdowns Australia.

Now suburbia is encroaching 'Hendon Park'. Lynn and Pam still enjoy the breeding side of sheep and cattle but after 55 years are trying to wind down their farming commitments, smell the roses and have a few more holidays.

Lynn Vearing in the sheep yards with the Hendon Flock 2019.