YELLOW robins and bowerbirds of the Victorian Otways are what Te Mania Angus stud founder Andrew Gubbins will miss most about his family's Pardoo property.
Mr Gubbins might be best known for his beef cattle breeding credentials, but standing before a crowd of hundreds at the last bull sale to be held at the stud's Colac base, his beloved native birds were what he chose to talk about.
Mr Gubbins and wife Mary, who are in their 70s, did a convincing job of putting on a brave face at the sale, which marks the end of 50 years for them at the beautiful south Colac farm.
The next generation - their son Tom and wife Lucy Gubbins, and daughter Amanda and her husband Hamish McFarlane - plan to expand the stud's operations from a new base on the Mortlake plains.
In true seedstock industry style, the family was upbeat at the sale, saying they were excited about having all their stock based at the one farm, instead of being split between two.
Yet the sentiment of the day was not lost on agri-politicians such as neighbour Simon Ramsay, president of the Victorian Farmers Federation, and Meat and Livestock Australia board members Lucinda Corrigan and Mike Carroll, who turned up to wish the family well.
The result of 131 bulls selling for an average of $4890 was very good.
And while the outlook for the stud is rosy, you can't help wondering whether a heartstring or two may ping when the last Te Mania bull boards a truck, headed for the plains.
