In 1838 Reverend Joseph Docker overlanded from Sydney to establish the Bontharambo
Pastoral run of 100,000 acres on the Ovens River in Victoria. By the late 1870s his two
sons, Frederick George Docker and John B Docker, had introduced 20 Angus cattle from
New Zealand. The two of them ran commercial cattle until 1920, when Fredrick’s son
Hubert, on returning from the First World War, started the Bontharambo Aberdeen Angus
stud.
Hubert became one of the 14 founding members of what we now know as the Angus
Society of Australia, established in 1919.
Hubert purchased the nucleus of the Bontharambo herd in Scotland 1919. The original
cattle were selected by James Whyte of Haston, Glamis in Scotland, a leading judge in the
UK, Argentina and South Africa. These were the bulls Envy of Bywell and Haston by Jingo.
In addition to this also purchased a cow, Beauty 91 st of Hayston. Beauty dropped a heifer
calf while in quarantine following her arrival in Australia. This calf was called Perinthian
Beauty; it was sired by Perinthian Scotland’s 6000 guinea bull, a record at the time. By this
time Docker had also introduced 40 Edinglassie cows and so began the Stud Herd.
By 1946 Bontharambo had the largest registered Aberdeen Angus herd in Australia.
Uniquely, not a single female had been introduced since 1920.
Today’s herd still has 14 cow families, including the iconic Beauty and Perinthian lines.
Bontharambo currently has a herd of 300 females, reflecting our commitment to preserving
the foundation of the breed.
Old bloodlines have been sourced from Scotland and NZ to ensure the phenotype that was
synonymous with Aberdeen Angus is not lost. Some earlier sires used were from the well-
known Naranghi herd, Naranghi Fisherman and Naranghi Irish Y208, then owned by John
Bott and then later his son, Charles Bott.
In more recent years, other outstanding sires include Sarum Noble N7 by Hazeldean H58,
Sarum Lucky Banner L2 by Black Banner of Matauri born 1966, Bontharambo Resolution
R34(ET), Dunlouise Curve Bender by Piledrive of Haymount born 1970 and Bontharambo
Remarkable (ET), all of whom are leaving magnificent breeding progeny as well as
continuing to produce quality carcass traits.
Bontharambo is proud to announce the recent arrival of two new sires from Dunlouise
Aberdeen Angus in Scotland, one of which was voted champion of UK for the prestigious
“Champions of the World” competition, by the world-famous judge, PJ Butler.
The history of the Bontharambo Aberdeen Angus is long and proud. And while it is always
interesting to reflect on, our focus is equally centred on looking forward and providing our
clients with quality genetics that deliver quantifiable results in the future.
