We are located at Menalpyn, a 3,700 hectare property situated between Meningie and Coonalpyn in the Coorong District of the upper South East, South Australia.
The station was purchased as a scrub block in 1946 by Herbert Henry Cartledge. Herbert’s son Ralph and his wife Julie settled on the property in 1949 and started developing the country. Menalpyn is now operated by Tim and Lise and their son Henry, his wife Prue and their family.
The area is renowned as healthy grazing country, with sandy soils that are ideal for perennial pastures such as Lucerne and Veldt grass. The close proximity to the southern ocean ensures a mild Mediterranean style climate, ideal for healthy, happy cattle.
Over time, different enterprises have been run, including crossbred ewe production, producing prime lambs and a three way cattle cross breeding program, which targeted domestic and export markets.
In 2003 we imported our first purebred black simmental embryos from Gateway Simmentals, Montana USA and the Lancaster stud was born. In 2005 we purchased a share in two Gateway cows which we flushed to a number of sires, forming the foundation of our seedstock herd. Our first on property bull sale was held in March 2006.
Lancaster Black Simmentals is a seedstock producing herd, supplying purebred and hybrid bulls to stud and commercial markets.