History

Jumbuck Pastoral is a family owned company, established in 1888. The MacLachlan family commenced wool growing in an arid zone (nine inch annual rainfall) pastoral country at Paratoo Station near Yunta, South Australia. It has 12 properties in South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales. The company is an extensive pastoral operation, running sheep on large stations in the three states and cattle in the West Kimberley.

With a staff of 135 we prefer to appoint managers and overseers from within. Hence a secure, varied and rewarding career path for those who would like to be involved in the pastoral industry.

To find out more, click on the images upbove.

H.P. MacLachlan
1880 - 1920

Mr H.P. MacLachlan had ability with stock, particularly sheep and horses, together with a canny ability to ride out the extraordinary drought of 1895/1902 which helped him to succeed.

B.H. MacLachlan
1920 - 1960

In the mid to late 1920’s H.P. MacLachlan put up £16,000 to help his keen and energetic son, B.H. MacLachlan, pioneer and develop a substantial area of pastoral country hither-to disregarded in the North Western Tarcoola area of South Australia. The rate of development was hindered by the Great Depression in the early 1930’s but even so, 250km of vermin proof dog fencing had been erected by 1939 when war broke out and H.P. MacLachlan died. After the 1939/45 war buoyant wool prices allow “B.H.” (as he was known) to accelerate and expand the development program which culminated in Mulgathing and Commonwealth Hill Stations in the early 1950’s, shearing 100,000 merino sheep between them.

H.G. MacLachlan
1960 - 2009

Further expansion took place in the 1960’s when the third generation of family, H.G. MacLachlan (current Managing Director) started development of several leases on the Nullarbor Plain near Rawlinna, which had been opened up for selection by the Western Australian Government in 1962. Difficulties with water at 400 feet and the necessity for dog proof fencing made the development expensive, but today Rawlinna and Madura Plains Stations between them shear 110,000 merinos.

Since then, Jumbuck Pastoral purchased stations in South Australia, and New South Wales which make them one of the biggest private wool growers in the country.

In the early 1990’s the opportunity was taken to invest in beef production in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia. Three stations we purchased focus on the live export market and turn off 10,000 head annually, shipping predominantly from the port of Broome to the Middle East or South-East Asian ports.

Callum MacLachlan
2009 - To Date

When Callum Maclachlan left school he spent a year jackarooing between “Mulgathing” in the north west of SA and “Rossgole” in the Hunter Valley NSW. He then studied at university, graduating in 1994 with degrees in Commerce and Law and then made the Kimberley home for next seven years with valuable experience gained at “Fossil Downs” and “Meda”, prior to running the stock camp and managing at “Blina”. In 2002 he joined the administrative team as director, becoming joint managing director with his brother Jock in 2010.

Jock MacLachlan
2009 - To Date

Jock MacLachlan spent a year at Nabinabah followed by a year on the Barkly Tableland at Rockhampton Downs as a Stockman. He completed two years at Orange Agricultural College studying Farm Management. This was followed by a year at Rawlinna including some time at Madura Plains Stations. Jock spent 10 years managing Mt Victor Station before taking up a Company Directorship at Jumbuck House in 2002.

Jock became joint Managing Director with Callum in 2010.