There is a farm in Turners Lane, Jaspers Brush, that is home to champion cows, a progressive dairy enterprise and a fifth^-generation dairy family, the Walshes.

Colin’s parents, Frank and Jean (née Bryce) Walsh, moved to Turners Lane in 1958 and established the dairy now known as Waljasper.

Previously, Frank and Jean had been dairying at Frank’s family farm at Upper Kangaroo Valley and then at Jean’s parents’ farm in Bryces Lane, Coolangatta.

Frank’s family heritage includes Irish Catholic convicts working for Alexander Berry around 1824 and Jean’s family arrived from Scotland in 1852.

Col Walsh was born a year after his parents acquired the Turners Lane property. He has two sisters, Margaret and Dorothy and three brothers Peter, Kevin and Mark. He spent his childhood playing local football and helping on the farm. At that time, the herd was composed mainly of 30 to 50 Ayrshire and Jersey crosses, hay was delivered by railway and the milk produced was mostly used for butter and cream production. Berry was becoming an important area for cattle. Graham Park opened in 1957 and was an innovative bull evaluation centre. Berry also had a thriving milk co-operative supplied by the many dairy farms in the district.

Col was educated at St Michael’s Primary and Bomaderry High School where he met his future wife, Susan McIntosh, whose family had a dairy farm in Kangaroo Valley. It was fortunate that Susan knew a lot about dairy farming life and was therefore able to assist in the dairy and in the office.

After his father’s sudden death, Col (at only 16 years of age) stepped up to manage the farm as he had always loved the land and the dairy. 

Col had inspiration from his father and Frank’s twin brothers Tom and Ted Walsh. Tom and Ted were instrumental in breeding and developing the Illawarra Shorthorn Breed in Australia and America. They farmed at Far Meadow and then at Meadowhaven, Jamberoo and judged dairy cattle at Berry, Sydney and internationally. Col’s aunt, Vonnie Muller, is a legend of the Berry Show due to her outstanding and numerous cooking prizes won over many years.

Sue and Col have two children, Justin and Melanie, and five grandchildren: Brodee, Cooper, Ella, Sam and Pearl. Melanie was a Berry Showgirl (now Berry Show Young Woman of the Year). Both she and Justin showed Waljasper cows from an early age, sparking their love of the Show. Justin later won the National Dairy Judging Championship in Adelaide, cementing his passion for cattle showing. Melanie and Layne’s and Justin and Libby’s children have continued this tradition and also show cows at the Berry Show.

In the 1980’s, Col’s versatility, knowledge, good humour and work ethic were recognised by the Berry Show Committee where he started as a horse steward, then as a dairy steward for both cattle and goats. It wasn’t long before Col became Chief Cattle Steward and then in 1998 he became the youngest Berry Show President, a position he kept for three years. Col’s association with the Berry Show over the past 40 years has also seen him serving beers at the bar on Friday and Saturday nights, helping in the ring with the haystacking and Young Farmer Challenge, stewarding and proudly showing his champion cattle. Col was an active member of the NSW Dairy Farmers Association and is a Life Member of the Berry Show Society.

Waljasper Holsteins have had many broad ribbon wins, most notably:

Avonlea Fever Suzette (ET), shown by Col and Sue and their son Justin, which won Supreme Interbreed Dairy Champion in 2016 and 2017 at Sydney Royal, as well as Supreme Senior Champion Cow at Berry Show.

Waljasper Mr Sam Pam, awarded Best Uddered at International Dairy Week in Victoria in 2017.

Col and Sue, with help from their family and helpers, run the Spring Heifer Classic in November at the Berry Showground for young people up to 25-years-old. On weekends, when not working at the farm, Col helps with the Berry Junior Rugby League and likes to support his grandchildren’s sports, including rugby league, netball and cricket.

In 2016, Col and Sue’s son, Justin, took over much of the management of Waljasper. Justin’s degree in agriculture and knowledge gained from his parents has seen Waljasper progress from a 10-a-side dairy to a 24-a-side herringbone, now milking 330 to 350 Holsteins and some Jerseys twice daily. He also develops and delivers programs for Dairy Australia. Justin and his wife Libby, who also teaches locally, live and work on the farm with their daughter Ella, who loves to help on the farm and to show their cattle.

Col’s willingness to take on new tasks and learn from and listen to the stories of the older committee and community members has seen his farm and the surrounding area grow in productivity without compromising traditional family values.

His commitment to Berry and the Berry Show has been a significant factor in the success of both the town and the Show.