Almost thirty years ago, on an icy August afternoon, we travelled this same route
to inspect a property advertised in the Weekly Times.
The directions were skimpy, but eventually we found the turn-off to
Cathedral Lane - in the shadow of Cathedral Mountain - and the grey metal bridge

Six weeks later, the 300 acre Taggerty property, bounded by the rushing
waters of the Little River and the imposing Blue Range, was ours.

We named it Kingbilli and the following year work began. A road was
bulldozed through to the site we'd selected for the homestead. The weed-infested swampland was drained and replaced with two large dams connected by a shallow canal and filled with native reeds and lillies.

Paddocks were fenced and landscaping began with hundreds and hundreds of trees and shrubs being planted.

By mid-year work was under way on the first of the bluestone buildings. Georgina was born, bringing a marvellous new dimension to our lives.

Farming began in earnest and with it came a huge learning curve. We learnt to shear goats, class fibre and trim feet. There were vaccinations and drenching. Our new and much prized Cashmere buck arrived. Cashmere does were graded and sorted into specific groups and joining got underway.

Cashmere prices boomed. Shelters were erected in preparation for Spring kidding. Holding yards were built and the shearing shed went up. We settled into the seasonal pattern of country living. The physical work was hard and the days long … but the rush and tension of city-living was gone. What wasn't completed today was dealt with tomorrow.

In 1985, we added guest cottages to the equation, though this was more by accident than design.

During the early years, friends and family, visiting to observe and assist us in our endeavours, began sending first, their friends - and later, business associates - to stay with us for a 'quiet few days in the country'.

Soon, this influx of weary city-dwellers developed an impetus of its own. What had been built as a family guest cottage was booked for months ahead!

Presented with the opportunity to diversify, we took advantage of this,
converting the bluestone stables into two mews-styled cottages - Ballards and the Studio - and much to our delight, these proved to be just as popular as the Honeymoon Cottage.

The Yarra Valley wineries, Marysville, Lake Mountain and our own Cathedral
Valley and the Cathedral Range State Park were within easy reach of the
Melbourne CBD, so we were fortunate in our location.

Melbourne based business folk treated them as they would their own holiday houses or weekenders, frequently entertaining friends or family during their stay. Many - who shared our interests - returned regularly and new friends were made.

Travellers from interstate found it a restful holiday destination and international guests enjoyed experiencing Aussie country living first hand.

Some wanted nothing more than to sit by the fire or in the garden with a book. Others sought more active pursuits.

A tennis court and rowboat were installed, along with mountain bikes; fishing rods and tennis racquets ... thus making swimming, boating, bushwalking, tennis and cycling available on the property ... with horse-riding, golf, hot air ballooning and abseiling nearby. Skiers, too, were catered for with downhill and nordic skiing at Mt Buller and Lake Mountain.

The Little River, stocked with trout, blackfish and the occasional redfin separated Kingbilli from the rest of the world and provided a perfect spot for anglers to spend an afternoon.

Serious enthusiasts found tuition in fly-fishing was available from local fishing expert David Pickering.

Happily, our ecological efforts began to take effect and the ever-increasing numbers of native birds and wildlife were winning visiting hearts.

Those out for an evening stroll might see an echidna dining, a mob of 'roos grazing, or even a pair of shy swamp wallabies sitting on the hill. Wombats and 'possums came out after dark, often wandering near the cottages.

Very obligingly, one of that most timid of all Australian creatures, the platypus, took up residence in the banks of the creek, behind one of the cottages … though only the very quiet and patient observer was rewarded with an introduction.

Koalas were re-introduced into the area and two were spotted in the tree-tops along the river.

And, much to our delight, a group of King Parrots installed themselves in the gardens, appearing most mornings for breakfast.

One young couple became frequent visitors. Sometimes they came alone … sometimes with friends. We saw them almost monthly - and not surprisingly came to know them well. Georgie, now four, became very attached to Sally. Stephen too, seemed a favourite.

It was not quite as small as we'd envisaged - but wonderful all the same - and although we were unaware of it at the time, was to become the first of many such happy occasions.

Meanwhile Kingbilli continued to evolve.Llamas were added to the farming enterprise in 1995, becoming a source of great interest to all comers. Llama-trekking was added to the list of activities available to guests and soon proved to be a very popular past-time.

By 2000, Georgina - now grown into an extremely capable young woman - was becoming increasingly involved with the running of the property and soon began to add some innovations of her own.

Already a committed conservationist, her aim was to ensure Kingbilli combined environmentally harmonious agriculture and on-farm conservation with interactive ecotourism. Her first step towards implementing this goal was to establish Blue Gully Sanctuary - setting aside 60 acres of hillcountry, revegetated to its original indigenous state and protected under the government's Land for Wildlife scheme.

Home to nearly 200 species of native wildlife, this patch of bushland soon became the ideal setting for our guided Llama Eco-Treks, enabling visitors to experience, firsthand, its unique bushland magic.

Complementing this development, she founded Kingbilli Wildlife Rescue - introducing us to the rewarding world of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.

The Sanctuary made it possible for rehabilitated animals to benefit from a 'soft' release on the property, following access routes to Blue Gully and the ranges beyond ... and created the added bonus of allowing wandering guests to catch glimpses of these fascinating furry creatures, many of whom lingered within our boundaries.

The program proved a great success. Not only did we meet and, more often than not, form lasting friendships with these adventurous young folk

In 2001, the caprine aspect of our farming enterprise changed course. For several years we had questioned the feasibility of continuing to run cashmeres in our bitterly cold winter weather ... however Georgina did not wish to cease farming goats altogether. After some months of research, she began restructuring our goat enterprise, transferring the emphasis from cashmeres to angoras.

Her reasons were simple. Cashmere bearing goats were dual-coated animals ... having a covering of coarse guard-hair, through which grew

the cashmere undercoat. This soft downy fibre made its first appearance in December, reaching full fleece in July/August, after which it shed naturally with the onset of Spring.

In countries such as China, Mongolia and Iran, goat herders brushed or combed the cashmere 'down' from the animal prior to its shedding.This harvesting process ensured goats retained protection

from the winter cold, as the original guard-hair remained. However, in other countries, like Australia and New Zealand, cashmere goats were shorn like sheep ... and shearing had to take place during July, before the fleece began to matt. Once shorn, with no guard-hair remaining as protection, the cashmeres were particularly susceptible to our icy winters ... frequently needing housing and hand-feeding for anywhere up to 4-6 weeks. Over the years, as our flock numbers grew, this became increasingly impractical.

Angoras, on the other hand, were an entirely different proposition. Single fibred animals, their fleece growth was rapid and constant ... thus they were shorn twice-
annually, and shearing times could be altered to suit individual climates.

Then without warning, the two local primary wildlife shelters closed, the retiring operators handing the reins to Georgina. Suddenly she found herself responsible for covering the almost 4000 square kilometre territory which formed the Murrindindi Shire.

So now - apart from occasional 'baby-sitting duties' (not quite the grandchildren we'd expected, but lovable all the same!) - we 'old folk' are able to take life at a more leisurely pace. Sometimes late in the day, Mike and I still climb to the top of the hill.

It takes a little longer now ... but the spectacular 360-degree views from the ridge make the effort worthwhile … continuous waves of green rolling hills to the north, a patchwork quilt of farmland bordered by the Black Range to the west, the Great Dividing Range to the east … and directly ahead to the south, the steep rocky escarpment of Cathedral Mountain. In the valley below lies Kingbilli, its stone buildings partly hidden by trees, it's creatures great and small grazing