End of our time at Yambuk 2026

A few months ago I drove the last of the Haldane Icelandic Herd from their home of 20 years at Yambuk, to "Little Eden" at Tyrendarra.

It was a quiet and strange day. My son Axel and partner Shane helped me load horses loose into the horsefloat. Four trips of two and we were done. All very uneventful and its been weird to think about it being a true end to a massive part of my life. It was sad and wonderful in the same moment. Sad saying goodbye to a home of many memories and the extra land. But also relief of not having to drive over there many times a week to check horses. Hadn't realised how much of mental load that was.

Why did we move them? A few years ago my parents sold their buffalo herd, dairy and broke up the "cheese factory" block of land up. The new owners of the Cheese factory portion kindly allowed me to keep some of the Icelandics on the 100 acres there for the last few years. Now they are making their own plans for the land and it's time to bring the herd back to one place. The Tyrendarra farm was purchased around the same time as the Yambuk farms were being sold. I've been running parts of the herd between both farms since.

Icelandics in a cattle truck. About 20 years ago the Icelandics came to Yambuk from my Uncle Clydes farm in Colac. Most of them loaded into a cattle truck, enticed by a rattling bread bag and possible treats! Driven carefully by Leon and Ray ( Yambuk Legends) and horsemen themselves. As most weren't yet halter trained no horse transporters would take them. So take them on a cattle truck we did!

A few truck loads plus, Thea, Amy and Cheryl ferrying in horse floats stallions and mares with foals over following months. This was a real family affair with lots of fun and excitement for new beginnings.

We had some amazing times at Yambuk. Held clinics, bred and trained many generations of horses and met so many wonderful people. ( Plus all the Buffalo Cheese/Dairy side of our lives)

New Beginnings. So we now open a new chapter here at "Little Eden" where the horses live amongst the gumtrees. My attention is not divided between the two farms and I'm slowly getting things set up here so it's easier to work with and train the horses.

We look forward to sharing this little patch of paradise with you. Building many new memories and sprinkling a little Icelandic Horse joy into peoples lives.