Wayne was born in 1972 at Deloraine in Tasmania. He spent 16 years of his childhood on ‘Cleveland’, a 10,000-acre property at Ouse in the central highlands where his parents worked. When he was old enough, Wayne worked on the property after school and during school holidays, mustering cattle by horse and driving machinery.
From there Wayne’s parents moved to ‘Norton Mandeville’ a 5000 to 6000-acre property at Gretna. Wayne left school in 1987 and commenced a four-year farming apprenticeship nearby at ‘Glenelg’, Gretna. This was a mixed farming property which ran 30,000 Polwarths, 300 head of Angus stud cattle and the Poppies were just getting going around this time. According to Wayne he did everything – fencing, tractor work, stockwork and shearing.
Wayne and Maxine (right) with Purple 97, winner of the 2023 ASWS Supreme Champion Polwarth, ASWS Interbreed Reserve Longwool and 2023 Royal Adelaide Show Supreme Champion Polwarth.
Also pictured standing left of Wayne and Maxine is our judges from Uruguay, Fernando and Joaquin Martinicorena and visitors, Alejandro Clavier and Fercundo Martinicorena.
Wayne attended Burnie TAFE for 4x2 week blocks each year in a group of about 15 students. Wayne remembers it was full on, hands on with an emphasis on hydraulic engineering. They often went out to properties where for example, they ploughed paddocks using machinery sponsored by Gaffney Machinery.
After finishing his apprenticeship, Wayne continued at ‘Glenelg’ working there for 18 years in total on machinery, fencing and helping with shearing. According to Wayne, everyone helped everyone.
In 1994, Wayne and Maxine met in a setup by Maxine’s sister and Wayne’s uncle, at a Saturday night 6 o’clock Rock of songs from the 50’s and 60’s. According to Maxine, Wayne was sporting two black eyes from footy that day! According to Wayne, the fight came to him! Wayne played footy for about 6-8 years and recalls it snowing at times.
Maxine lived and worked in Hobart, sharing a house with her sister. She once famously said, she didn’t want to marry a farmer or have kids. Maxine and Wayne married on 29/04/1995 with their family of three girls following: Danielle on 27/08/1996, Charlotte on 14/07/1998 and Nicole on 26/11/2001.
Wayne and Maxine bought their first block at Gretna in 1998. The 8-acre block was full of barley grass which they burnt and blackberries which Maxine hoed. The block is aptly named ‘Riverview’ as an 80m drop to a horseshoe bend in the river provides a great view. Some cheap $1.00 Merinos were their first sheep bought in to keep the grass down. Several years later in 2005, they built their house.
In 1999, they purchased 30 Polwarth ewes and a ram from Dean Zantuck (Pleasant Place stud, No. 612). These sheep became the foundation flock for Riverview, No. 694. Wayne and Maxine fondly remember Danielle riding the ram whose name was Rambo. Dean Zantuck and David Taylor near Campbell Town encouraged Wayne and Maxine to start showing which they did in 2000 at the Hobart Show. Their show circuit includes Bushy Park (local show) Campbell Town Show, Brighton Show, Royal Hobart Show, Deloraine Show and the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. The three girls were always involved in showing the sheep with Charlotte also doing some judging.
In 2015, Wayne and Maxine purchased a second block of 46 acres only 2.5km from the home block. They increased numbers to 80 ewes who are kept on the second block with the rams and show sheep kept on the home block.
Meanwhile Wayne and Maxine both continue to work full time. Between 2005 and 2018, Wayne worked for Bejo Tasmania who grow a large variety of vegetable seeds. For the last six years, Wayne has been at Llanberis Pastoral, a cropping and sheep property running 34,000 Merinos and growing poppies, grain and spuds. Maxine has been employed by Bejo Tasmania for 20 years and regularly trains the young workers; one of them is now CEO of Bejo Tasmania.
The Riverview flock has a Homeleigh influence through the F65 and Marcus bloodlines. Their biggest successes in the showring include Australian Sheep and Wool Show Supreme Champion Polwarth in 2019 with Blue 20, in 2022 with Green 60 and in 2023 with Purple 97. Purple 97 also won the ASWS Reserve Interbreed Longwool and was Supreme Champion Polwarth at the Royal Adelaide Show as well as Hobart, Campbell Town and Deloraine in 2023. Wayne and Maxine have also had considerable success in the ASWS Fleece Competition taking out the Champion Polwarth fleece in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024.
Wayne was elected President of the Polwarth Association in August 2021. When asked about Polwarth sheep it’s simple for Wayne – they don’t sulk, they handle wet conditions and have good feet.
2024 Australia Sheep and Wool Show – Fleece Competition
Champion Polwarth Fleece exhibited by Riverview
