06/08/2026
There comes a time when you look back and realise just how far you've come.
The story of Ellenbanks Australian Cattle Dogs has been built on incredible dogs, wonderful mentors, lifelong friendships, and a genuine passion for the Australian Cattle Dog.
It all began in 1997 with my first cattle dog, Smurf. She taught me so much and, while she was certainly a handful, she sparked a love for this incredible breed that has never faded.
In 2004, I purchased my first registered Australian Cattle Dog, Bangeeri Wet N Wicked ("Boss"), from Chris Strandly. Chris was an incredible mentor and supporter over the years, and I'm forever grateful for the knowledge and guidance she shared with me.
I then welcomed Dymatan Blue Jillaroo ("Roo") from Clint Stonehouse. Clint has become a wonderful friend, and his advice, support and encouragement have played a huge part in my journey.
Boss and Roo became the foundation of Ellenbanks Australian Cattle Dogs. Together, they produced many beautiful dogs, and through them and their offspring we were fortunate to breed quality Australian Cattle Dogs that have brought so much joy to their families over the years.
Along the way, life became even busier with the arrival of my children, Jess in 2010 and Sam in 2012. They have grown up surrounded by our dogs and have developed the same love, respect and passion for the breed that I have. Watching them share this journey has been one of the greatest rewards.
Like many breeders, life threw us a few curve balls, and we stepped away from breeding for a number of years. While that chapter was unexpected, the passion for the breed never disappeared.
A couple of years ago, we were fortunate enough to welcome Tamarbanks St Clair into our family, a dog whose pedigree links back to our original Ellenbanks lines. It felt like the perfect way to begin the next chapter.
We then bred our first litter in many years using Beauvest Metallic Cool Cat ("Moe"), with sincere thanks to Alison Hall for the opportunity. From that litter we kept an outstanding young dog, Ellenbanks Metallic Glimmer ("Joey"), who represents everything we have been striving for.
Recently, we have made some important decisions to help ensure the longevity of Ellenbanks Australian Cattle Dogs. While we'll keep those plans to ourselves for a little while longer, they are all about creating a strong foundation so that Jess and Sam can continue the Ellenbanks legacy well into the future.
We are also on the search for the right stud dog to join our family. This won't be a rushed decision—we will carefully select a dog that complements our girls and aligns with our vision for the future of our breeding program.
We have never been about breeding large numbers, and that won't change. We expect to breed only one or two litters each year at the most, allowing us to focus on producing healthy, sound, well-tempered Australian Cattle Dogs with excellent type, working ability and temperament that we can be proud to put the Ellenbanks name behind.
The future is incredibly exciting, and we can't wait to share this next chapter with you all.
In the meantime, we'd love to take a walk down memory lane and share some special photos from our journey over the years. Thank you to everyone who has supported Ellenbanks Australian Cattle Dogs—whether you've owned one of our dogs, offered advice, become a friend, or simply followed along. Your support means the world to us.
Here's to celebrating our past, embracing our future, and continuing the Ellenbanks story for many years to come. ❤️🐾
