JOLLEY FARMS
The newest farming family to join the Fleurieu Milk family brings with them a strong legacy in the local dairy industry. Grant and Deb Jolley, with sons Ben and Randall, are excited to share they are now Fleurieu Milk suppliers.
Their farm, on the outskirts of Victor Harbor in beautiful Hindmarsh Valley – just a few kilometres north of Urimbirra Wildlife Park – has been in Grant’s family since 1853 and there has been continuous links to farming ever since then.
Grant’s great-grandfather, Richard Bambrick, was an early settler, coming out from Ireland as part of the British Army to be stationed in Tasmania as a prison guard. After settling on the farm in Hindmarsh Valley he bred horses, grew wheat and ran a small dairy, and there’s been cows milked here ever since.
Richard married a girl who also emigrated from Ireland, Mary Brennan, and together they had two daughters, including Margaret, who took over the dairy with her husband – Grant’s grandfather – Robert ‘Bob’ Jolley. Bob played a part in the creation of much of the region’s early water management infrastructure.
Bob and Margaret’s son Henry, Grant’s father, took over the farm from Richard and following on in the family, Grant took over the farm in the early 80s at a young age, alongside Deb, who is also from a local farming family.
Today, the dairy lies on the original family farm site, taking up 250 acres on Victor Harbor Road. The family has also accumulated other land on the Fleurieu over time, used to grow feed.
Henry’s humble herd of 40 cows – a combination of Jerseys and Friesians – has now expanded to be a 250-strong herd of Friesians, with Grant and Deb deciding to focus solely on this breed for their strong litreage and protein count. Calving all year round, they produce a fairly consistent supply of around 5,000 litres a day.
There are around seven workers taking on various roles on the farm, but Grant, Deb, Ben and Randall are all very much hands on.
The Jolleys are proud to be part of Fleurieu Milk, and are thankful for the upturn in demand for local milk spearheaded by Fleurieu Milk here in South Australia.
