George Tate was born on board the
"Minerva" on the way out to Sydney, on 12
September 1819. The "Minerva" arrived in
Australia on 17 December 1819.
George Tate jnr was baptized by Revd. Dr.
Lang at the Scots' Church, Sydney, along with his
brother and sister Edward Kell and Mary Kell Tate.
George Tate jnr was a blacksmith with Fowler
Bros., Campbelltown. He came to Jamberoo in 1841,
farming with Edward at the side of an old track that
led past where the Catholic Church now stands.
George Tate jnr became a cattle breeder and
dealer on a large scale. His farm was leased from Dr.
Robert Menzies (the site is now known as Hugh
Dudgeon's Hillview Farm). He purchased his first stud
bull from John Marks of Terragong on the
Kiama-Jamberoo road. George Tate jnr bought all the
village lots at Broughton Village. When the land was
cleared he built a house at Broughton Village and
left Jamberoo. George Tate jnr then bought all the
Ben Osborne's cattle. Most of these had been let to
run wild in the Kangaroo Valley. He engaged Harry
Thomas and two blacks, including the clever-bushman,
Owney, to collect the cattle. They collected around
500 head most of them unbranded. George sold them
thoughout the district but kept the best for his own
farm at Broughton Village.
In 1869 he bought a bull from Evan R. Evans,
afterwards known as the old E.E. bull.
His other bulls were pedigreed Shorthorns:
- "Prodigal" from Lee,
of Bathurst;
- 'Napoleon" from Barnes
and Smith of Richmond River;
- "Boxer" from John
Boxell,. of Berry, who had bought his sire
from Lowe, of Mudgee.
In 1875 he purchased Gabriel Timbs' bull. In
1876 he had a clearing sale, but kept back some
yearling heifers and calves by the E. R. Evans' bull
and the Timbs' bull. He leased the farm for a year to
George Thompson. At the end of twelve months he sent
the Timbs bull and the young heifers over the range
to his son George, at Oakvale. George junior
commenced dairying there and purchased an Ayrshire
bull from Henry Hill Osborne. George in a few years
put together a fine herd of cows. His health failed,
and in 1882 he leased the farm to William Kelleher,
and sold his cattle, and went dealing for five years
in conjunction with Jerry and Paddy Sullivan. In 1887
he sent the Messrs. Sullivan out to buy up cattle to
commence dairying again. They moved towards Jamberoo
and Shellharbour, and on the tableland around Moss
Vale. The majority of the cattle were purchased by
Jerry Sullivan around Shellharbour at £4 and £5 per
head. These animals became the foundation cattle of
the Oakdale herd that was dispersed by public auction
in 1919 at enormous prices.
