Nyngan district’s Wye family have been awarded for a century of family farming.
The achievement was celebrated with the presentation of a plaque from the Australian Century Farm and Station Awards to the Wye family by the Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton.
The Wye family’s connection to the original 5500 hectare Soldier Settler block, ‘Yetambah’, began in 1917 when Sydney Wye returned from World War 1 service after being wounded at Anzac Cove on April 25, 1915.
Jon and Monique Wye are the third owners of Yetambah, who now live on half the original settlement after sections of the property being sold to Sydney’s children.
While for the past twelve years the Wye’s have predominately farmed sheep, Mrs Wye said that over the 100 years the property has seen a majority of mixed farming.
“My father-in-law used to have as they say 'a finger in every pie'. They would have sheep, cattle and cropping, a lot of changes obviously over those years, especially in the way farming systems work,” Mrs Wye said.
On a personal level Mrs Wye said they are very proud of the award which recognises a rich history of family farming.
Mrs Wye said their children are also passionate about the history of Yetambah and hopes it will continue into the next generation and the generation after.
“We've got Yetambah and another property that Jon’s father acquired in the 1920s as well … we would like to see them keep it, and work it, and make a good living off it with whatever pursuits they do. But we hope to stay there for a bit longer yet,” she said.
The Australian Century Farm and Station Awards is based on an American model that seeks to collect and preserve stories of farmers and station holders who have worked their land for 100 years or more.
Now secretary of the Century Farm Awards program Mrs Wye said, “there’s so much rich farming history out there” and is passionate about the awards program.
The award for Yetambah is number eight in Australia and Mrs Wye said she is hoping there will be many more to come.
“I’m sure there's quite a few other places around Nyngan that are up there over the 100 years …If they're a few years off the hundred year or are 150 still contact us and we can tell them how to go about it.”
Mrs Wye said everything that goes into the application including photos and diaries are sent to Canberra where they will be preserved at a museum on the ANU campus which is seeking to build up “a good history of Australian farming”.
For more information on the program, or how to apply visit centuryfarms.org.au or email [email protected]
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Nyngan Observer
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