Jon and Chris Erby purchased their first property at Fosterton, 5.5 kms to the north of Dungog in the lower Hunter Valley in 1981. Named ”Wycombe Park”, it has an area of 91.86 Ha (227 acres) including 13 Ha of river flats fronting the Williams River.

Over the next few years they gradually constructed new fences, dams and improved the pastures and built a new family home on the property which was completed in 1988.

Initially the beef enterprise consisted of fattening and breeding commercial cattle for market.

Two adjacent properties, also fronting the Williams River and now known as “Under Wycombe” were acquired in 1986 and 1988 respectively. This brought the total Fosterton holding to 225.26 Ha (556 acres) of which 30 Ha were river flats.

It was at this time that a decision was made to move into stud breeding. Angus was chosen as the preferred breed and as fortune would have it, the Forres Angus Stud then based at Pittsworth in Queensland became available. The stud was purchased and the cattle arrived at Dungog in October 1990.

Also fortunately, Brett Thomson who had been working with the cattle in Pittsworth agreed to relocate with his family to Dungog where he remains Stud Manager.

The first Forres Angus Stud Bull sale held at Wycombe Park was combined with a Field Day and 20 bulls were offered for sale on 27th June 1992, with the majority of the offering being sired by M.A. Commander (Imp USA).

Expansion of the Stud was severely inhibited at this time by the size of the properties. At the end of 1993 a decision was made to acquire “Coogah” at Blandford in the Upper Hunter Valley from David and Barbara Wright. From a breeding point of view this acquisition proved to be successful and also opened up new markets with two strong On-property Bull sales being held at “Coogah”

However, the distance between Dungog and Blandford became a management problem and quite unexpectedly, “Melbee” the former Mackay property located immediately to the south of the town of Dungog became available for purchase. “Melbee” has an area of 334 Ha (825.3 acres) and after it was acquired at the end of 1995 brought the total holding in Dungog to 559.26 Ha (1381 acres) of which 232 Ha (573 acres) are river flats. As a result of this purchase, “Coogah” was sold in 1995, however for the following three years, the annual bull sale was held at the Scone Regional Saleyards.

“Melbee”, which also fronts the Williams River was settled by the Mackay family in 1826. The original stone section of the homestead which was constructed circa 1830 with a complementary brick addition with slate roof in 1886. Since the acquisition, the house has been faithfully restored to its former grandeur with the work completed in 1996.

The property has been completely re-fenced and the old herringbone dairy converted into an ET Centre. All the Stud breeding is now carried out at “Melbee” and the bulls finished at Fosterton.

A Sales Complex and bull shed were constructed at “Under Wycombe” in 1994 and the Annual On-property Bull Sale returned to Fosterton in 1999. New sale pens were completed in time for the Finest of Forres - Chapter Two Female sale on 17th May 2002.

Jon and the love of his life - CRICKET

What does Cricket have to do with the Forres Angus Stud? Quite a lot actually.

In the first instance, Forres is a town in the north of Scotland where the Angus breed is thought to have originated. It is also mentioned in Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, as it was to Forres that Macbeth was travelling when he met the three weird sisters. “To an Englishman” Johnson wrote, “this is classic ground”.

Forres ought to be hallowed ground for Australians as well – for it was at Forres that Sir Donald Bradman played in the last match of the 1934 Ashes tour. It was the most furthest north in the world that he batted.

Jon played First Grade cricket in the Sydney competition for eleven years as an opening batsman, initially for the Cumberland Cricket Club where Richie Benaud was his first Grade captain. Also at Cumberland, he played with Doug Walters and was fortunate to share several significant partnerships with the great batsman. As a result of the friendship that developed, Chris and Jon visited Dungog for the first time to attend the wedding of Doug to Caroline Redman.

Jon went on to play for the NSW Colts X1 and the NSW 2nd X1. He then attended Sydney University from where he graduated as a Batchelor of Architecture. He was awarded a University “Blue” for cricket, became the First Grade captain and also captained the Combined Australian University Cricket X1 and played against the West Indies in 1961.

In 1962 Jon founded the architectural practice which became Devine, Erby & Mazlin (DEM) which developed into one of the largest firms in Australia, with offices in Sydney, Brisbane and also in New Zealand and Malaysia.

The most extraordinary connection evolved when he fell in love with Christine Creal and discovered that her nickname at school was Cricket, not because she captained her school 1st X1 (which she did) but because aged five, the teacher told her to be quiet and stop chirping like a cricket. Her classmates picked up on this and even today she is still called Cricket. Jon and Chris have now been married for thirty eight years; have two sons, Geoff and David, two delightful daughters in law, Petra and Justine, and five wonderful grandchildren.

In 1974 Jon became the Founding President of the Primary Club of Australia, a cricket based charity which provides sporting and recreational facilities for the disabled. He held this position for ten years and amongst other things helped organize the first reunion dinner of the 1948 Invincibles.

In this venture he was assisted by his dear friend Arthur Morris, arguably the greatest Australian opening batsman of all time. As coincidence would have it, Arthur lived in Dungog from the age of five to the age of eleven as his father was the 1st Assistant Master at the Dungog Primary School. Hence the second cricket connection with the town that was to become the home of the Forres Angus Stud.

The cricket connection continued when DEM was appointed architects for the Bradman Museum at Bowral and Jon, playing two roles, became Chairman of the Bradman Foundation Fundraising Committee.

In 1986 Jon was appointed a Member in the General Division of The Order of Australia (AM) for his services to architecture and the community.

It should therefore come as no surprise that in the early years of owning the stud, Jon and Chris decided, where possible, to name all their bulls after famous cricketers. Forres Arthur Morris M13 was Grand Champion Angus Bull at the Singleton Show in 1992 whilst still on his mother, and Forres Maclean M33 (after John Maclean, the former Australian and Queensland wicketkeeper) was Senior Champion Bull at the NEAB Show and Sale at Tamworth in 1994. The namesakes of many other famous cricketers are happily serving cows throughout the country.

Jon retired from DEM in 2001 and he and Chris now live permanently at Wycombe Park.

Significant Events

1965 Stud formed by David Raff in Karara, Queensland under the prefix Waraghai

1972 One of the original studs to enrol with the National Beef Recording
Scheme (Breedplan)

1974 Stud prefix changed to Forres

1979 Forres Doris - U31 Senior and Grand Champion Angus Cow at the
Brisbane Royal Show

1981 Forres Angus Stud First Annual Sale held at Karara
Jon and Chris Erby purchased Wycombe Park at Fosterton via Dungog and established commercial herd

1982 Forres was one of the pioneers in Embryo Transfer in Australia; registering its first ET calf in that year
Forres purchased an interest in VPI Lord Patriot (Imp USA); one of the first of four bulls imported into Australia from North America

1983 Forres Burnette A22 – National Junior Angus Heifer Show Champion and Grand Champion Female Brisbane Royal Show

1985 Forres Burnette C60 , Forres Burnette A22’s first natural calf was born on her mother’s second birthday. Sired by Lord Patriot, Forres Burnette C60 eclipsed her dam’s record by being both the National Junior Angus Heifer Champion and Brisbane Royal Show Grand Champion two years running
Premier Commodore (Imp USA) was imported and became Australia’s leading Angus sire in 1989

1985,1986 Forres won the prestigious Kukakunga Challenge Trophy for the most
successful Angus Exhibitor at any Royal Show in Australia

1986 Jon and Chris Erby purchased Lower Wycombe at Fosterton via Dungog

1987 the Raff family moved the Forres Angus Stud herd to Pittsworth in the heart of the Darling Downs in Queensland

1988 Jon and Chris Erby purchased Under Wycombe at Fosterton Via Dungog
The house at Wycombe Park was completed and the Erby family celebrated their first Christmas at Dungog.

1989 MA Commander (Imp USA) and Hoff Rafferty (Imp USA) were imported

1990 Jon and Chris Erby purchased the Forres Angus Stud herd and prefix, and the Forres herd moved to Wycombe Park, Fosterton via Dungog
Brett Thomson was appointed Stud Manager and became a member of the NSW State Committee of the Angus Society

1991 Ranui All Black (Imp NZE) imported from New Zealand whilst still a calf
Forres became an inaugural member of the Hunter Valley Angus Breeders

1991 to 1993 Forres enjoyed significant success in Regional Shows

1992 Chris became an active member of the NSW State Committee of the Angus Society – a position she still holds.
Brett elected to New England Angus Breeders
Sydney Royal Easter Show - Progeny of MA Commander (Imp USA) Forres Kenny K63/ Forres Kable K93/Forres Burnette K45 won the Angus Sires Progeny Group
Field Day and First Bull Sale at “Wycombe Park”, Dungog. The first of a
continuous line of Forres sales held at Blandford, Scone and Dungog

1993 to 2002 Tocal Field Day – Exhibited cattle and manned Hunter Valley Angus
Breeders’ Stand to promote the Angus Breed

1993 Purchased Coogah at Blandford and introduced a commercial Angus herd

1994 Forres reduced show ring involvement generally to multi-vendor Show & Sales
NEAB 38th Annual Show & Sale - Forres Maclean M33 won Senior Champion Bull

1995 to 2003 Tocal Beef Assessment Course – provided cattle for judging

1995 Purchased Melbee at Dungog and sold Coogah, Blandford

1996 Geoff and Petra Britten were married at Wycombe Park

1997 NEAB 2nd Annual Stud Female Sale - Forres Doris N69 with Forres Doris S156 at foot topped the Sale

1999 NEAB 43rd Annual Show & Sale - Forres Bando S11 won Champion Unled Bull
Geoff and Petra’s son Spencer was born – grandparents at last!
David and Justine Paris were married at Scots Kirk, Mosman and Australia won the Rugby World Cup the same night

1999 to 2002 Brett served as Chairman of the New England Angus Breeders

2001 Jon retired from DEM and he and Chris moved permanently to Wycombe Park
Geoff and Petra’s twins, Marcus and Charlotte were born
David and Justine’s son, William was born

2002 Finest of Forres – Chapter Two Sale -Complete Dispersal of the Autumn Breeding Herd

2003 NEAB 47th Annual Show & Sale - Won the D.J.L. Steel Memorial Trophy for a Group of Led Bulls (any age) bred by the Exhibitor (after many years of being 2nd or 3rd ,this was quite a highlight)
David and Justine’s daughter Annabelle was born

2004 “The Opportunity of a Lifetime” Female Sale at Under Wycombe Dungog Selling every registered Female.