Just Kiddin
Mini Goats
Breeders
of
Australian Miniature Goats
|
Just Kiddin
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
To start /stop music please use these
controls
After too many years of working in high pressure jobs we decided it was time to slow the pace down a little and move to the magnificent Tweed Valley. We acquired our 31.64 hectare (78 acre) property which adjoins the World Heritage listed Mt Warning National Park in 1998. About a third of the property had been used as a banana farm with the rest featuring an extensive rainforest gully leading out of the World Heritage Mount Warning National Park.
Much of the former banana plantation had been overtaken by lantana, baner grass and a variety of other exotic weeds. We are gradually creating permaculture gardens and regenerating the rainforest gully. Our orchard features over 50 types of fruit trees and we are in the process of establishing extensive vegetable gardens, enhancing the orchard and regenerating the rainforest.
We also decided to obtain some goats to help in the bush clearing. Whilst looking into goats, we discovered the Australian Miniature Goat and decided to started breeding, so we have added alot of fenced paddocks, and these hard little workers have cleared many acres of once weed covered hillsides! We now breed some of the best quality tiny miniature goats around.
Below are some scenes from around the place and some updates on whats been happening over recent months...
 |
It never stops around here...... there is always something to do!! |
 |
Veiws to Mt Warning from one of the goat pens.... Our goats have houses with million dollar views, no wonder they don't want to move ! |
 |
We decided to remove some of the bush mango trees that were
in front of the existing house. * They produced too many mangoes which ended up covering the ground and producing seedlings everywhere (yes the sheep will be disappointed as they had developed quite a taste for these treats, not to mention the goats!). * They blocked out an incredible view up to Mount Warning and into the valley. * They created a large shadow over the backyard which is now sundrenched most of the year. This photo shows some of the mangos before....(note the Bangalow Palm in each of the shots to give you context). |
 |
The photo on right is after the 2nd mango is lopped. |
 |
Yes, there is heaps more we should add to this page...... we will get there soon !
The Tweed Valley (1303 km2) is the ancient remains of a shield volcano with Mt. Warning (1156 metres) at the volcanic core. The steep rim of the surrounding ranges, or caldera have offered catchments for the Tweed River whose short tributaries have carved out the caldera. The Tweed Valley supports an abundant variety of rainforests, eucalypt forests and coastal wetlands. The biogeographic region that includes the Tweed Shire is regarded internationally as a significant centre of biodiversity (Kingston et al., 1999).
On December 4th, 1823, John Oxley was the first European to see the Tweed Valley where upon exploring 7 miles upstream of the Tweed River he entered into his journal:
"A deep rich valley clothed with magnificent trees, the beautiful uniformity of which was only interrupted by the turns and windings of the river, which here and there appeared like small lakes. The background was Mt. Warning. The view was altogether beautiful beyond description. The scenery here exceeded anything I have previously seen in Australia." (from Steele, 1972)
Flora
The Macley-MacPherson overlap described by Burbidge (1960) identifies a region
including the Tweed Shire as the transition between two phytographic zones.
As a consequence the Tweed Shire has the highest plant diversity in New South
Wales within a 2000 km section of the Australian east coast (e.g. Williams et
al., 2001). The region supports both tropical and temperate species, many of
which are at the limits of their range (McDonald & Elsol, 1984). As a result
of land clearance for agricultural and residential land uses many species have
become rare, vulnerable and endangered (see Schenk & Wallace, 1996).
Fauna
In terms of numbers of species present, the Tweed Shire has one of the highest
vertebrate biodiversities of any region in Australia: The region supports more
species of bird, fish, amphibian, and mammals than Kakadu (Northern Territory,
Australia), and similar numbers of reptiles (Williams et al., 2001). Only in
the wet tropics are similar numbers of species found within these groups.
Climate
The climate in the Tweed Shire is classified as sub-tropical maritime. It experiences
mild winters with evening minimums just below 10°C and warm summers with
afternoon average maxima of just below 30°C. The Tweed has the highest average
rainfall in New South Wales with an annual average of 1,701 mm. February and
March are usually the wettest months and September the driest.
|
 |
 |
All text and images contained herein are owned by and are copyright © 2003-6 Just Kiddin Mini Goats. None of the contents of this site may be reproduced or republished except where written permission is given by Just Kiddin Mini Goats. Information about Australian Miniature Goats has been gathered from personal experience, experiences of other Australian Miniature Goat breeders and members of the Australian Miniature Goat Association Inc (AMGA)