About Us
History
The Glenlea Park Merino Stud was founded by Glen Wallis in 1964 on Mt Glenview bloodlines. It continued as a Collinsville daughter stud for the next 25 years, becoming renowned for its large framed, heavy cutting sheep.
Peter Wallis joined his father Glen on the stud in 1992 and Bill Walker, Classings Ltd, was employed as stud classer and consultant. In an attempt to improve wool quality, fertility and type, a shift in breeding was made and sires and semen was sought from Charinga, Gowandale, Leachim and Wallaloo Park. Impacts were evident very early and cull rates progressively lessened.
Over the past ten years, the majority of Glenlea Park's breeding has come from within its own bloodline, with only small infusions from outside sources through the purchase of either semen or sires. In 2017, Andrew Calvert, Wool Solutions, was employed as stud classer/consultant. The aim at Glenlea Park has always been to focus on breeding better sheep: a balanced merino that strikes a perfect balance between the profit drivers of fertility, growth rates and producing a large amount of quality wool. We are however strict on sheep having the basics right first being structural correctness on their feet and having enough bone and constitution to survive and thrive in all environments. We do measure and record data however structural correctness and good do-ing sheep will always advance in our stud before a sheep with “good figures” alone. Pedigrees and maternal input are highly valued at Glenlea Park. Ewes that don’t produce quality offspring are culled. It is through this strict approach that our rams perform for our clients. Astute breeders are now aware that many of the nation’s top rams are being sired by Glenlea Park rams.
In 2023 Glenlea Park was ranked the number 1 merino stud in Australia. We are very proud of this achievement and very grateful to our clients. In the same year the top 8 ranked studs in Australia have all used Glenlea Park genetics in their breeding programs in the past few years.
Our property is small, being only 1130 acres (442 hectares). We have no full time or casual employees. We are a small family owned and operated stud running around 900 stud ewes. Every sheep on our property has to be a top performing sheep. We don’t do cropping (we sow a small area each year for hay, grazing or for grain for sheep feed).
We hold an annual on property ram sale in August. We offer between 150 and 200 rams on this day, with private selection rams available in September. Our auction rams typically average between $3 and $4,000 with our highest ever average achieved being $4285, a record for South Australia that still stands.
Location
Glenlea Park is located halfway between Keith and Bordertown in the upper South East of South Australia (18 inch rainfall). Our stud originated at Pinnaroo in the Murray Mallee approximately 120kms north of where we are now.
Peter and Marianne Wallis continue to manage the Glenlea Park stud.
