For those who don’t know Ian, he is a long-serving and highly respected member of NEBS, known not only for his devotion to the society but also for his remarkable achievements as an exhibition budgerigar breeder. A highly accomplished Major Awards Judge, Ian has been honoured with two Australian National Budgerigar Council (ANBC) Logies for Inos and Recessive Pieds, which is no small feat.

In 2022, Ian’s dedication was further celebrated with a special trophy and plaque recognizing 40 years of service to NEBS—a milestone that highlighted his enduring passion and loyalty. This week, his contributions were crowned with the conferral of Honorary Life Membership, a fitting acknowledgment of his efforts over the years in the hobby. Congratulations to Ian for this remarkable achievement and for his unwavering dedication to both NEBS and the broader exhibition budgerigar community.

In the week ahead, the highly anticipated 2025 rings will be issued, marking an exciting and pivotal moment for members of the budgerigar community. These rings, essential for identifying and tracking the age of exhibition birds, are a vital tool for breeders as they prepare their birds for future competitions. The 2025 rings are eligible for the 2026 National titles. As the new year approaches, members will undoubtedly be eager to get these rings onto their chicks as soon as possible. The goal is clear: to maximise the time these young birds have to mature and reach their full potential ahead of the prestigious 2026 ANBC Nationals, which will be hosted in Brisbane by the South Queensland Budgerigar Breeders Association (SQBBA). With the Nationals being the pinnacle of competition in Australia, ensuring birds are in peak condition is paramount for those striving to take home the top honours.

Providing the birds with the maximum possible time to mature before the Nationals significantly enhances their chances of success. The extra time allows for better development of feather, size, and overall exhibition quality, giving breeders a competitive edge on the national stage. For many, this is the culmination of months of careful breeding, nurturing, and preparation, and the issuing of 2025 rings signals the start of this critical process.

Hentley Farm is a single-estate boutique winery nestled amongst rolling hills in the west of the Barossa Valley. It is renowned for its meticulous viticultural planning and modern winemaking craft wines that perfectly balance the vibrancy of fruit, elegance of soft velvety tannins, and flavour richness distinctive of the exceptional site.

Hentley Farm was established in 1997 by Keith and Alison Hentschke, who had a single vision to craft exceptional single estate wines from the Barossa Valley. Prior to this, Keith acquired impressive credentials studying Agricultural Science and Wine Marketing at Roseworthy College, where he graduated with the prestigious Gramp Hardy Smith Memorial Prize for the college’s most outstanding student, and garnered extensive experience working in the wine industry.

Keith made good use of these years, searching for the perfect site and consulting with local winemakers and viticulturalists, who told him to ‘Head north west (Barossa) and look for the red/brown soil over limestone’. Using an old soil map from the 1950’s to strategically locate the best parcels of land, they discovered a mixed farming property set among the rolling hills on the banks of Greenock Creek in Barossa’s west, with remarkable diversity of soil types, and varying aspects and altitudes.

In 2004, the estate was extended with the purchase of a neighbouring vineyard which shared the treasured natural amphitheatre of rolling hills that surround Hentley Farm and resultant diversity of site. This single estate of 150 acres is Hentley Farm.

Keith’s experience and expertise as an agricultural scientist drove him to explore and understand the land before planting could begin. He soon discovered that the altitude differential and east west aspect variation created surprising micro climates, and in collaboration with local viticulturalists, he set about exploring the diversity of soil on the site by digging forty soil pits around the property.

The extreme diversity of soil, aspect, and altitude across the property provided both an opportunity and a challenge which required meticulous planning for the layout of the vineyards. Specifically regarding; varietal selection, clone selection, row spacing, orientation, the type of trellising used, and water management.

Through this process Keith and his team created ‘viticultural blocks’; dividing the single vineyard in to nine blocks based on similar soil type, aspect and climate. Each block was then further divided into a collection of rows, depending on changes in the soil, aspect and micro-climates. The blocks were planted to Shiraz (70%), Grenache (17%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Zinfandel (2%), and a small parcel of Viognier (0.5%). The first wines were released from the property in 2002.

Since 2008, Head Winemaker Andrew Quin has influenced the evolution of the vineyard with a focus on crafting modern wines from traditional Barossa varieties. With his firm conviction that the best wines are made in the vineyard, it is no surprise that Andrew was drawn to Hentley Farm after returning home from vintages in France and the USA. His original field of study was – in fact – horticulture, and for Andrew winemaking provides the perfect opportunity to combine his scientific and technical knowledge with his artistic flair in the pursuit of ultimate quality.

Meticulous attention to detail continues in the winery. Each of the viticultural blocks and sub rows are assessed at time of harvest for optimal ripeness, with some vineyards receiving multiple picks throughout harvest. Andrew’s approach to these wines is about thoughtful and minimal winemaking intervention – to craft wines of balance, power and elegance, with the distinct Hentley Farm hallmarks of vibrancy, velvet silky tannins, and intense flavour richness.

The wines show varietal diversity and are attractive and approachable when young, with the depth and structure for extended cellaring. Under Andrew’s care, Hentley Farm has cemented its position as one of Australia’s leading boutique wineries with accolades across the globe – including 2015 James Halliday Winery of the Year. A story of vineyard and vintage told with every wine release; each restricted in volume by the boundaries of the estate, and vintage conditions.

Australia Post has confirmed that pre-Christmas deliveries should be achievable if ordered by the dates outlined below:

WA – Monday 16th December
QLD/TAS – Tuesday 17th December
NSW/ACT/VIC/SA – Wednesday 18th December

The Hentley Farm warehouse will be closed from close of business Friday, December 20 until Monday, January 6. Orders placed between Thursday, December 19, and Sunday, January 5, will begin to be processed on Monday, January 6.

Our next listed event is the Port Pirie AGM in January.

Schedule of Events
The weekend events will commence with Registration collection Friday afternoon. The Friday Night Meet and Greet incorporating “On the Perch” will commence at 6 pm at the Brothers League Club. This night is a great interactive event to catch up with old and new friends and exhibitors incorporating the ANBC “On the Perch”. Next, Saturday will see judging at the Brothers League Club commencing around 9 am and continue on again on Sunday from 9 am. The Auction on Sunday will commence around 1.30 pm, concluding the Sunday show events around 3.30pm.

Finally, the Presentation Dinner at the Brothers Leagues Club will open at 6.30 pm for a 7.00 pm start.

For those that would like to see a little more than budgies in boxes Saturday and Sunday, Cairns offers a variety of attractions including Cairns Aquarium, Botanical Gardens and Centenary Lakes, Cairns Shopping Centre, Tanks Art Centre or a stroll along the Esplanade and Lagoon.

Saturday 24th May Evening

Saturday Night you can relax for Dinner on the Spirit of Cairns Inlet Cruise boarding at 6.30 pm for 2.5 hours – min numbers are required.

Full day tour leaving the Cairns Colonial Club at 9.00 am – Kuranda Sky rail and Cableway. Firstly, travel on the Kuranda Scenic rail from Freshwater to Kuranda.

To that end, explore Kuranda and the markets, transferring to the Skyrail rainforest cableway to Smithfield. Finally, leave the Skyrail terminal and return back to Cairns Colonial Club at approximately 5 pm.

Visit Historic Herberton Village! Full day tour leaving Cairns at 8.00 am to visit Herberton Historic Village travelling though the Kuranda Range. Depart the Historic Village after lunch to visit the platypus and the unique attraction of the Curtain Fig Tree. Next, return down the scenic Gillie Range and through cane fields neat Gordonvale. Finally, arrive back at Cairns Colonial Club around 5 pm.

All tours are minimum numbers required – prices will be on the registration form released in January 2025. To that end, full refunds will be made should a day trip not proceed. Moreover, contact Bruce Schuster (Show Coordinator) on 0426 731 339 for further details.

More Details

The North Queensland Budgerigar Zone extends a warm invitation to all budgerigar enthusiasts, their families, and friends to join us in Cairns, North Queensland, for the 2025 Australian National Budgerigar Council (ANBC) Championship Show.

Join us for the 2025 ANBC Nationals in Cairns for a spectacular showcase of the finest budgerigars, engaging activities, and the chance to connect with fellow enthusiasts in the beautiful setting of Cairns. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to be part of a memorable event!

USE DISCOUNT CODE CAMP-SHOW25 TO ACCESS YOUR EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT

The North Queensland Budgerigar Zone Inc. is thrilled to announce an incredible opportunity for all bird enthusiasts!  On offer are a pair of quality budgerigars from Craig Barnett’s Avairy.

Cinnamonwing Grey Green Cock, 23-BAR-099
Good top end, spot and cap release only 11 months old, one of 12 siblings.

Cinnamonwing Grey Green Hen, 22-BAR-073
Very nice top end, proven producer.  Father was 6th placed Green class at 2022 National.

Tickets $20.00 each
Expected close off date 15th January, 2025.

For ticket purchases or more information, please contact:
Bruce Schuster: 0426 731 339
Michelle Vidler: 0457 088 108

Help support the Nationals 2025 and grab your chance to win this amazing pair! Good luck!