Who We Are
We create a safe and healthy environment in which to produce excellent livestock and services, directly or indirectly, to the meat industry. We take pride in the provision of a varied and fulfilling lifestyle for the Coolana team who are passionate about the properties and operations.
Gubbins of Coolana (referred to as Coolana) is a fourth generation family farming operation that embraces modern practices with a visionary approach to everything we do. Coolana operates across two states with contiguous properties at Chatsworth, Victoria. In 2006 the operation expanded to South Australia, with the purchase of Hamilla Downs at the Coorong, south of Meningie. The South Australian property stable has expanded further since 2011 (See Property Profiles).
The operation consists of Coolana Angus and XSimm Black Simmentals, excelling in beef seed stock production, and a prime lamb enterprise. The sheep operation is run only on the Victorian properties. The team at Coolana prides itself on an extensive level of world-wide research into genetics, beef production trends and market drivers. This positions us to provide our clients with market leading outcomes. Coolana is focussed on providing a happy and friendly working relationship between management, staff and clients.
Mark Gubbins
Managing Director
Mark studied at Glenormiston Agricultural College in Victoria. He is passionate about producing top-quality livestock. Throughout his 30 years at Coolana he has developed and implemented many innovative farming techniques with an emphasis on production environment and sustainability. This has propelled Coolana to be a progressive and highly successful operation. Mark embraces new agricultural technologies to improve operational efficiency and livestock quality.
- Past President of Australian Sheep Breeders Association – instrumental in successfully moving the annual ASBA Sheep Show from Melbourne to Bendigo in 2000
- Past President of Angus Australia 2011-2013
- Current board member of Certified Angus Group
- Current board member of Aglive – an agricultural software innovation company
- District Group Officer of Westmere CFA – Victoria’s largest CFA group
- Holds Private Pilot Licence
Anna Gubbins
Chief Financial Officer
The most indispensable member of the team! Anna, originally from England, has turned her hand to just about everything in her thirty years at Coolana. A trained seamstress and dressmaker, Anna, as a wife and mother of two young boys, turned her creative talents to establishing the renowned Woolly Worker jackets. The Woolly Worker business enabled her to continue her sewing, but also to return home regularly to the UK to visit family and friends. Her non-rural background was challenged early on, with animal husbandry and the Aussie country ways becoming the love of her life (along with Mark!). She is now a full-time farmer and can deal with almost anything stock-related. Her unstinting loyalty to her family and dedication to the Coolana operation is legendary – she just gets things done! Along with the daily farming tasks, Anna also manages the financial records across the whole business.
- Qualified AI technician with Pregnancy Testing ability
- CFA Volunteer, District Communications Officer – Chatsworth Brigade
Max Gubbins
Operations Manager, Coolana
Max graduated from Swinburne University with a degree in Bachelor of Commerce. In 2013 he travelled (and worked) extensively throughout the UK and Europe. Upon returning home in 2014 he made the decision to join the family business at Coolana. With a period of settling in and getting a feel for the operation, Max took over the role of Operations Manager of the Chatsworth group of properties.
- CFA Volunteer – Chatsworth Brigade
- Lifetime Ewe – sheep management course
- Passionate water skier
- Competent Aussie Rules footballer