Good Earth Dairy, Yathroo, WA

Our story began with an idea, which started an important conversation and ultimately led to the birth of a new agricultural industry for Australia. Steven Geppert and Gilad Berman are two individuals that recognised the unique opportunity to capitalise on a major natural resource that was being ignored and wasted.

The Australian outback is abundant with camels roaming wild. Their populations are plentiful; 150 years ago camels were introduced to this land and due to their isolation are considered to be the healthiest wild herd in the world. These days their large numbers gave the government cause to implement culling programs, however their enormous potential and ability to produce superior milk to that of the common dairy cow was being overlooked.

Steven and Gilad’s appreciation for these beautiful giants, combined with their tenacity and experience with camels took the idea and turned it into a proof of concept. Armed with this idea and promising results from rigorous concept trials, Steven and Gilad were introduced to two individuals who had significant experience within the West Australian government and agricultural industries: Henry Steingiesser and Kim Chance.

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Henry immediately brought his oldest son, Marcel Steingiesser, into the team. It was Henry, Kim and Marcel’s vision, ingenuity and strategy that turned an idea into a commercial venture supported with the ‘on the ground’ experience and capability of Stephen and Gilad.

“It’s never been done before. This is the first commercial operation in Western Australia. There are one or two backyard operations, but they’re usually milking three or four camels”. Kim Chance

Good Earth Dairy was thus established on 793 hectares of land in Dandaragan a 180 km drive north of Perth, the first of many farms to come.