In 1903 Robert Yorston and his brother John Yorston a driver of the BX stage, bought the stopping house and stage change. Located 32KM south of Quesnel, on HWY 97.

The Australian Ranch was at one time, deemed the most efficient farm in B.C. by the Agriculture Dept of B.C. Farmed by the second generation, Don Yorston, co-owned with his brother John Jr., manufactured a multi-purpose granary, still in use today, plus many other innovative ideas. Jack was the potato and filed crop expert. He traveled to Alberta and Idaho to market the virus free seed potatoes, grown in the Caribou region. Now Australian Ranch is farmed by John Jr's son, Bob, wife Lenore and daughter Kerri. Our eldest daughter Holley, helps with crops etc. on the 1800 deeded acre farm. In 1981, we started our cow herd with 77 heifers. Artificial insemination rapidly improved the herd. At present, we run 300 cows, of almost every common beef breed.

Lenore and daughter Kerri were recipients of The Bruce Yorston Memorial Bursary in memory of Don's 16 year old son lost to leukemia in 1970. Awarding excellence in Agriculture. In the 1960's and 1970's, several of the third generation Yorston's, all from cities, would come every summer to work on the ranch. They credit this experience for their very own successful careers.

Many kindergarten classes have come here for the whole farm experience, along with children in the AG in the Classroom Program. Brownies and Guides come to earn their Farm Badges and other related badges while camping here. Forage Field Days were held here annually to give farmers a first hand look at the production of grasses and alfalfas. This program has now been cancelled by the government, but we still have the evidence of the last plot. Over the years we have had a tour bus load of German farmers and three bus tours from the U.S. visit us August 2004 we held a family reunion at the ranch. We felt this would be such a great opportunity to share our lifestyle and to the the fourth generation, all of whom live in cities, see history first hand.

Part of our entertainment for people at the reunion was a Corn Maze. After the reunion on the recommendation of all that went through it, we opened it to the public. They came from far and away as South Africa and New York. Our Daughter Kerri gives garden tours. They hand feed apples to her Belted Galloway cattle, visit the curious Llamas. The Pigs, Turkeys and Chickens were also on her tour. Quite often they end up with a bouquet of flowers from the display gardens. We love our life and just want to share. The Maze will help to offset the cattle prices. The BSE incident has served as a wake up call to us, that we have to get back to the days of being diversified.

Bob has been a director, vice-president and president of our local North Caribou Growers' Co-op for 35 years. Co-op picnics were held here, plus the Australian Picnic started in 1903, is still well attended. We were a part of the Kersley 4-H club fourteen years with judging rallies, weigh in etc. held here for years. In 1996 Lenore started her perennial plant nursery, Vickiy's Perennials Plus. Cinnamon Bun Sunday was also born. Every Sunday in May, people come to view the spring flower gardens. Ravenous gardeners come searching for that perfect hardy perennial that a may frost won't kill is they plant it out immediately. Cinnamon buns are sold with 75% of the proceeds to the Quesnel Cancer society. We have a Bun Sunday Gazebo. Neighbours, mingling with the town folk. What better way to hear the trials and tribulations of the farmers, and the feedback of the urban people. This is one of our favourite times on the farm after a long winter, and calving season.

Perennials are sold here all summer. The display gardens show people the practical application of each plant. On Saturday we bring a pick-up load and a wonderful fold out trailer to the Quesnel Old Time Farmers Market. There we encourage customers to come out to the farm, to see the ranch, display gardens and the maze. The last market we sell all the squash and gourds we produce, donating 100% of the proceeds to the Canadian Diabetes Association.

In September 2004 we held a Riparian Management Field Day. Australian Creek runs E-W through the ranch, to the Fraser River, which is our N-S border. We use a hydraulic ram to pump water from a spring to the stockyards. This pump has been of great interest to numerous people over the year, so was quite a hit at this field day showcasing it. We had a pot luck supper at the end of the day, in the 95' x 20' green house, set up inside for occasions such as this.

The Australian Ranch is well documented. A Tribute to the Past book from 1985l The Oct 1988 issue of Beef in B.C., 1998 Quesnel: A Multicultural Tapestry, Fast Flows the Fraser by Edgar Reid, and Gardens West's Stephanie Waring did an article on our garden, 2004 Jan/Feb issue. We have also had several artist, paint, points of interest in our yard and farm, which in turn are displayed publicly.

For a century the Yorston Family has been involved in agriculture. Always involved in educating through the community, promoting agriculture through all the organizations we have belonged to or have accommodated and supported. Australian Ranch was nominated by Gene Pascuzzo for the 2005 Showcase Farm Competition sponsored by BCAC and BC Agritourism. We received Honourable Mention and put on the highly recommended to visit list. If we had not been nominated for this aware we would have gone on with our lives, not even being conscious we stood out from our peers. In read the history of the Yorstons, we are convinced this family has gone above and beyond for agriculture.

The present day Yortsons will be seeking other ways of promoting agriculture consciously now!