About Womboota Pastoral

Womboota Pastoral is a family-owned mixed farming operation with a Border Leicester stud in the Southern Riverina.

Womboota Pastoral produces superior Border Leicester sheep and a self replacing merino enterprise based on the Riverina’s Peppin merino. First cross ewes and prime lambs are also bred on the property.

Womboota Pastoral grain production is based on biological farming with a strong focus on soil health. The cropping program produces wheat, oats, barley, canola and peas.

Our History

Womboota Border Leicester Stud was founded on excellent stock.

Building on a 120 year tradition of breeding and improving livestock, the Starritts are continuing the philosophy of the creators of the renowned Kelso Park at Tatura.

In 1914, the Starritts purchased ten ewes in lamb from J. A. Cochrane of Geelong, one of the oldest and most prominent breeders in Australia. They were the foundation of what was to become one of the best known Border Leicester studs in Australia. The Starritt’s goal has been to breed a type of sheep most suitable and profitable for the commercial breeder. This is reflected in the success of the Kelso sheep — at one time the majority of Australian Border Leicester stud flocks carried Kelso blood, it became known as the parent stud of Australia.

The late George Starritt, after a lifetime of showing success, was paid many tributes in articles written about the Border Leicester. The Pastoral Review wrote:

“The chief architect of the Australian Border Leicester was undoubtedly Mr George Starritt whose genius as a breeder has evolved a type suitable for crossing with the Merino to produce the fat lamb mother so popular today and the basis of prosperity over such a wide section of our primary economy. ”

George and his son Ray were awarded 0.B.Es for their service to the sheep breeding industry.

In 1995, Ray’s son, Ian and his wife Victoria, and grandsons, Malcolm and Alastair, moved to Womboota in the NSW southern Riverina to establish Womboota Pastoral, a mixed farming operation with a Border Leicester stud. The business now produces superior Border Leicester sheep and a self replacing merino enterprise based on the Riverina’s Peppin merino. First cross ewes and prime lambs are also bred on the property.