SPRINGTIME ALPACA TRAIL

10am - 4pm
SATURDAY 7th & SUNDAY 8th OCTOBER 2023

Four Mornington Peninsula alpaca farms will open their gates to welcome visitors - each farm pursuing its own individual breeding programme - each with a unique property and farm layout.

if you are thinking of owning alpacas as a hobby, lifestyle, or as a business enterprise, the trail will present the perfect opportunity to visit all four farms and hear, direct from each breeder, what is involved in having these unique animals on your property.

SATURDAY 7th & SUNDAY 8th OCTOBER

PITCHINGGA RIDGE ALPACAS - 109 Stony Creek, Red Hill (via Mornington Flinders Road)

SUMMALON ALPACAS - 264 Barkers Road, Main Ridge

SUNDAY 8th OCTOBER

GRANJERO PARK ALPACAS - 40 Boes Road, Tyabb

ALPACAS ON THE HILL - 141 Red Hill Road, Red Hill 

PITCHINGGA RIDGE ALPACAS - 109 Stony Creek, Red Hill (via Mornington Flinders Road)

SUMMALON ALPACAS - 264 Barkers Road, Main Ridge

POST COVID GET TOGETHER

It was so good to catch up with so many of our group on a lovely Sunday afternoon. There was such a lot to chat about as we sat bathed in welcoming sunshine in the beautiful garden of Liralu Alpacas.

if you own alpacas or are interested in alpacas, you are most welcome to join our group. We meet every couple of months at each other's farms.

Photo - Liralu Alpacas

Article - Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas 🦙 

SOMETIMES YOU NEED AN ALPACA IN YOUR WEDDING PHOTOS

Shadow - enjoying a hug on this lovely couple's wedding day.

Photo & article -  Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas 🦙 

KEEPING COOL

Alpacas often cool themselves by splashing in the water troughs on a hot day.

This is Zena showing how it is done.

Photo by Arundle Springs Alpacas

CRIA TIME AGAIN

Autumn is cria time on many Mornington Peninsula alpaca Farms. On some cold, wet and windy days you will see the newly born wearing little coats for protection.

Photo by Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

Red Hill

CRIA TIME

Photo by Pero Alpacas

MPAB AT THE RED HILL SHOW

All set up and ready to go - members of the MPAB for the last two years have been able to have their product stall in the Alpaca Pavilion alongside the show ring. A great way to demostrate the story of farm to fashion. Many show-goers were delighted to be able to go home with beautiful scarves, beanies, ponchos and throws from Pero Alpacas and Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas.

Photo by Granjero Park Alpacas

Article by Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

ALPACAS - INQUISITIVE BY NATURE

Photo by Liralu Alpacas

AUTUMN IS CRIA TIME

Many alpaca farms on the Mornington Peninsula will have new crias (baby alpacas) born during the autumn months.

Photo by Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

KELOWNA ALPACAS OPEN DAY - 1st SEPTEMBER 2019

This will be our LAST ALPACA OPEN DAY, as we are moving to Gippsland.

There will be alpacas for sale, fleece and yarn.

Just come along. Meet and greet our crias. Take an alpaca for a walk.

SUNDAY 1st SEPTEMBER

11am - 3pm

KELOWNA ORCHARD & ALPACAS

920 Stumpy Gully Road

TUERONG

LOCAL ALPACA FLEECE COLLECTION

Each year our local alpaca group, MPAB, organises a fleece collection for alpaca owners on the Mornington Peninsula.

The fleece is identified with grower numbers, weighed and baled then transported to the buyers.

Thanks team, for a job well done! How good is it to have an empty shed ready again for this year's shearing!

Article & photos by Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

AUSTRALIAN ALPACA WEEK - Saturday 4th to Sunday 12th May 2019

Mornington Peninsula Alpaca Farms will open their gates to visitors during Australian Alpaca Week, providing the opportunity to find out more about these inquisitive, unique animals and the product made from their fleece.

Why not visit all three and see three different farm layouts, management systems and breeding programmes.

KELOWNA ALPACAS

920 Stumpy Gully Road, Tuerong

Open Saturday 4th & Saturday 11th May - 10.30am till 4pm                                                                                   

PERO ALPACAS    

286 Browns Road, Fingal  (opposite Peninsula Hot Springs)    

Open Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th and Saturday 11th  May - 11am till 3pm weather permitting.                                                                               

PITCHINGGA RIDGE ALPACAS

109 Stony Creek Road, Red Hill

Open Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th May

SHEARING IS OVER FOR ANOTHER YEAR

MPAB members are always on hand ready to help out at shearing time on the Mornington Peninsula. Here little Rocky lies calmly as shearers Rob and Arthur give him his first haircut.

How beautiful is that lovely silver grey fleece!

Article and photo by Jean Daddo

Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

CONTINUING SUCCESS FOR DUSTY AT SALE SHOW

The small show team from Kelowna Alpacas journeyed all the way to Sale to compete in the Sale Alpaca Show and came back with a bagful of ribbons! Kelowna Dusty was awarded our first Champion ribbon, Junior Champion Male, and Best Brown in Show followed by Kelowna Boikoa winning Best Black in Show. A very successful day!

Article and photos by Jenny & Greg Bradshaw

Kelowna Alpacas

MPAB YOUNG ACHIEVER

YEAR 10 student, and the youngest member of our Mornington Peninsula Alpaca Group, with his six month old huacaya, Cleo, scooped the pool at this year's Royal Nelbourne Show Youth Competition. John breeds, cares for, and trains his own alpacas on the family farm in Red Hill, and now even has his own on-line shop selling his hand spun, hand woven and felted alpaca product. Well done, John!

Article by Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

Photos by Meg, Alpacas on the Hill

MPAB ALPACAS SHINE AT LARDNER ALPACA SHOW

Congratulations go to Kelowna Dusty on winning Reserve Champion Junior Male! Well done, Jenny and Greg!

MPAB ALPACAS WINNING AT THE LARDNER ALPACA SHOW

Cleo, from Red Hill alpaca farm, "Alpacas on the Hill" and Midnight Moon, from Pitchingga Ridge parade around the Showring proudly wearing their ribbons they won at the recent Lardner Alpaca Show.

Congratulations to Kelowna, (separate photo), Alpacas on the Hill, and Pitchingga Ridge!

OFF TO ALEXANDRA SHOW

Two pretty greys from Mornington Peninsula's Kelowna Alpacas Show Team all ready for the early morning trip to Alexandra to compete in the show. Both came home with a ribbon!

Photo by Jenny Bradshaw

Kelowna Alpacas, Tuerong

ALPACA WEEKEND - 5th & 6th MAY 2018

Here is the perfect opportunity to spend time on the magnificent Mornington Peninsula and visit all four alpaca farms opening for AUSTRALIAN ALPACA WEEK 2018!

Open each day: 10am till 4pm

KELOWNA ALPACAS

LIRALU ALPACAS

PERO ALPACAS (11am till 3pm)

PITCHINGGA RIDGE ALPACAS

Come along and chat with breeders about the inquisitive, environmentally positive alpaca. 

On-farm alpaca product shops also at PERO & PITCHINGGA RIDGE. Beautiful scarves, beanies, gloves, coats, throws, yarn and fleece for sale.

MPAB AT THE RED HILL SHOW

MPAB members with their alpacas in the Red Hill Show Grand Parade.

Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

PRODUCT MARQUEE AT THE RED HILL SHOW

With alpacas, Aria, Nellie T and Dark Moon from Pitchingga Ridge, Robyn from Pero Alpacas demonstrating spinning, and a product marquee stocked with beautiful handmade alpaca product from Pero Alpacas, and commercially produced throws and garments from the on-farm shop at Pitchingga Ridge, show goers were treated with the full story of alpaca farm to fashion.

Article & photo by Jean Daddo

Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

MPAB ALPACAS OUT AND ABOUT

MPAB alpacas, and other Peninsula businesses were invited to join in Green Olive, Red Hill's special Spring Family Farm Day. Superb weather, happy crowds, beautiful food and our two alpacas, Nellie T and Fantasia, the subjects of hundreds of selfies! Many people were fascinated to experience the transition from farm to fashion through the range of sensational product made from both huacaya and Suri fleece.

Article & photos

by Jean Daddo, Pitchinggaa Ridge Alpacas

FARMS OPEN THIS WEEKEND - 6 & 7 MAY

FOUR alpaca farms on the Mornington Peninsula will open for Australia-wide Alpaca Weekend. Here is the perfect opportunity to see four different farm setUps, four different breeding programmes grouped together in one area. Alpacas for sale, to feed, photograph or to take a cuddle!

KELOWNA ALPACAS

PITCHINGGA RIDGE ALPACAS

LIRALU

PERO ALPACAS 

Pero and Pitchingga Ridge also have a range of beautiful alpaca fleece products for sale.

FARMS OPEN SATURDAY MAY 6TH & SUNDAY MAY 7TH

10am till 4pm both days. (Pero Alpacas open 11am till 3pm)

TOP OF THE HILL TWILIGHT MARKET 2016

With the weather just right, Pitchingga Ridge and Pero Alpaas spent a lovely Friday evening at the Top Of The Hill Twilight Market on the 18th November.

Larry, Aruba and Pablo took a great interest in everyone that came by to touch, take photos and ask questions about them, the spinning of alpaca fleece and the handspun and commercial product on sale.

Article & Photos by Robyn Collett - Pero Alpacas

CIRCUIT WALK AT RED HILL

On a recent wet and miserable spring morning, I led a group of 24 hardy walkers from the University of the Third Age (U3A) Southern Peninsula, out on a circuit walk at Red Hill, lured in part by the promise of getting up close and personal to some alpacas at our morning tea stop.

An unplanned benefit was that the walk coincided with the Red Hill Scarecrow and Sculture Trail, which is now held every second year, and we passed quite a number, giving rise to much discussion and humour.

Fortunately for us, the weather cleared after awhile, and by the time we arrived at Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas everyone was excited to meet the alpacas. Jean and David Daddo made us most welcome and the morning tea was much appreciated before we went out to have a look at the alpacas.

I held one very patient black Suri, who tolerated being surrounded by a group very keen to have a good look at his lustous fleece. There were many questions from the group before our reluctant departure, and the alpaca discussions continured right through the second half of our walk back to our cars.

Many thanks to Jean and David for their wonderful hospitality.

Alan Steele - Avon Alpacas

MPAB BREEDERS COMPETE AT LARDNER ALPACA SHOW

Alpacas from three Mornington Peninsula  studs travelled to Warrigal's Lardner Park to compete against the region's best and came home with a bag of ribbons and Championships.

Well done to Kelowna Alpacas, Pero Alpacas and Pitchingga Ridge!

FLEECE COLLECTION 2016

Another successful fleece collection by alpaca owners on the Mornington Peninsula.

Each year a dedicated group of "Sorters, Recorders and Balers" converge on Geoff's Shed in Somerville to receive carloads, trailer loads and vanloads of alpaca fleece which is pressed then loaded into our float to be transported to Melbourne Fleece buyer, AAFL.

While some of the coarser fleece goes to the Carpet Manufacturer, the finer fleece, once skirted, will be loaded into shipping containers to be sent to Peru for processing.

Some months later it returns as beautiful product found in our on-farm shops and boutique stores.

Article & photos by Jean Daddo - Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

AUTUMN IS CRIA TIME

Autumn is an exciting season for many breeders on the Mornington Peninsula as it is the time of the year when crias are being born.

A baby alpaca is called a 'cria'.

Article and photo - Pero Alpacas

ALPACAS AT BONEO PARK

A day at Boneo Park Family Fun Day and Grand Prix Show Jumping Event with 3 of our Alpacas.

Amazon, Felix and Pablo enjoyed being the centre of attention and were a great hit with the children and adults along with the product and spinning demonstrations.

Article by Robyn Collett

Pero Alpacas

MPAB MEMBERS OUT AND ABOUT.

Winston, with suris Soleil, Midnight Special and crowd favourite, Allegro, spent the day in the city promoting alpaca with Creswick and Vic Market management.

Our little black suri with personality plus, Allegro, rather enjoyed being the centre of attention during the photo shoot outside the store once the heavy downpour had passed!

Article by Jean Daddo

Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

ALPACAS IN NATIVITY SCENE

Christmas carols ring out across the Red Hill fields, as Mornington Peninsula alpacas join in the pagentry as "Camels" in the Nativity Scene at the annual "Carols on the Hill".

Article & photos by Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas, Red Hill

ANNUAL MPAB CHRISTMAS GET-TOGETHER

Another enjoyable night spent together with our friends - all with one passion in common - our alpacas!

Naturally some of the conversation was centred around our animals and shearing which is always booked for this time of the year.

It was particularly lovely to see our friends who have recently retired from farming and to welcome our new members.

A beautiful setting at Stillwater at Crittendons, with predinner drinks on the deck beside the lake.

Article by Jean Daddo - Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

Photos by Robyn Collett - Pero Alpacas

AN UNWELCOME WEED

Keep a lookout for this rather pretty weed in your pasture. Appropriately named "Corkscrew Weed", also Storksbill, its seeds, if ingested, can cause damage to grazing animals by penetrating the lining of the digestive system.

Seeds can also penetrate the skin resulting in irritation and infection.

Article by Jean Daddo

Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas

ANNUAL FLEECE COLLECTION 2015

Geoff's shed in Somerville, was a hive of activity for our MPAB Annual Fleece Collection. While Geoff's heavily pregnant sheep watched with bemused expressions, fleeces were unloaded, sorted, weighed, recorded and pressed, and by lunch time were all loaded in the float and ready for delivery into the AAFL warehouse in Sunshine.

Very happy that our sheds are now ready for this years fast approaching shearing, and that even the coarser fleeces from our older alpacas have a purpose.

Thanks, MPAB Team, for a job well done!

Article by Jean & David Daddo, Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas 

RED HILL SHOW 2015

With a record number of alpacas entered, the shed was full to capacity as the 2015 Red Hill Alpaca Show kicked off with the Junior Handler Competition. 

Ten children, some of whom had not previously handled an alpaca, led their alpacas through the course with barely a hitch. Congratulations to Callan for being awarded Champion Junior Handler with his very own black suri, Allegro.

Another great, highly competitive show with many Mornington Peninsula alpacas winning championships.

Congratulations to the Supreme suri, Chakana Blue Hot Tamale, and Supreme Huacaya, Jigaru Fashionista. 

Article by Jean Daddo, Pitchingga Ridge Alpacas. Photos by Larissa.

ALPACAS IN THE CITY SQUARE

The early morning sun filtered through the trees of Melbourne’s City Square as  groups of alpacas gathered, much to the surprise of suited city workers on their way to their offices, laptop in shoulder bag, coffee in hand.

What a fantastic day of promotion it turned out to be! From 7am until 7pm, Melbourne’s City Square was filled with alpacas from the Mornington Peninsula and around Victoria -  there to celebrate 25 years of alpacas in Australia, and to promote Australian Alpaca Week.

The City Square was abuzz all day long. Alpacas paraded down Collins street followed by a brace of photographers and journalists from The Age, Herald Sun and AAP. Social media spread our event around the world!

Channel 10 did a live cross during the weather report with Mike Larkin, proudly wearing one of our alpaca scarves; radio 774 did several crosses during the afternoon; thousands upon thousands of selfies were taken; information bags were handed out, and on the way home, one of the alpacas was greeted on the Red Carpet of the beautiful old Regent Theatre.

Thanks, team, for your positive vibrant spirit and enthusiasm that gave a wonderful atmosphere to “ALPACAS GO URBAN” in the heart of Melbourne. 

Jean Daddo - Co-ordinator

Alpacas in the Park on Australia day 2012

Mornington Peninsula alpaca breeders, David Daddo, Arthur Biri and myself, with 3 alpacas, Ruby Tuesday, Melody & Lyric from Pitchingga Ridge, travelled to s King’s Domain Gardens in Melbourne, to participate in the Australia Day festivities.

It was a perfect summer's day and even before we had finished setting up, the alpacas had drawn a crowd - and that's how it stayed for the rest of the day. Even when the 21 gun salute sounded and vibrated through the ground and with the Roulettes flying low and fast above our head, the alpacas held everyone's attention.

Adults and children alike, from all nationalities were thrilled to be able to touch and feed the alpacas, although some were apprehensive at first, as many did not know what sort of animal they were.

Many questions were asked and answered. Not only did they want to know about the alpacas, but also the process involved in making the vast array of products from the fleece.

Ruby Tuesday was a big hit, happily having her photo taken with everyone. Squeals of laughter were heard when Lyric discovered the lid off the treat bucket and proceeded to help herself with gusto. Melody took it all in her stride, even when a young girl said that her favourite was Lyric, because they shared the same name!

By the end of the day, although weary, we all agreed it have been a wonderful day. 

Article and photos by Robyn Collett, Pero Alpacas, Fingal

World Environment Day

ALPACAS  - CLEAN GREEN & FRIENDLY, PARTICIPATE IN WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY - 2011

On the 16th June, alpacas Yuki, Teddy and Blackliner from Pitchinnga Ridge Alpacas travelled to Rosebud Secondary College to participate in their World Environment Day festival.

The day had been organised by the Rosebud Secondary College Environment group, 'Planet Pals', to promote student awareness in sustainability, recycling and all things environmentally friendly.

There were stalls ranging from secondhand books, face painting and organic chocolates to Melbourne Water, paper recycling and Clean Ocean demonstrations and displays.

With the theme of the day being the colours blue or green, we were greeted by our colourful 'Planet Pal' helpers Zoe & Cassie - one of which was painted blue from head to toe.

They had made a poster to attach to the pen and the students and teachers alike were both inquisitive and interested in touching and learning more about the alpacas and their environmental attributes.

Our display showing fleece in its raw state, on the spinning wheel and through to finished products was very popular.

Article by Robyn Collett - Pero Alpacas

RED HILL MARKET

Come and see our Alpaca displays at one of Victoria’s most picturesque and best loved markets. Red Hill is the 'grand dame' of craft markets and has some of the best produce, food, music, and art and crafts in the country.

Market Dates: 1st Saturday of each month from September to May, 8am to 1pm. For more information and details go to http://www.craftmarkets.com.au/redhill.asp

Location: Red Hill is nestled in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula and is approximately 1.5 hours drive from Melbourne. The Market is located on Arthurs Seat Road, Melway Ref 190 J3.