PHOTOGRAPHY ALYSHA SPARKS
Sheep on “Munduney”.
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Branding has become an essential part of the Sparks family's South Australian operations, helping them break down the barriers between those who farm and those who consume.
WORDS EMILY HERBERT PHOTOGRAPHY ALYSHA SPARKS
PHOTOGRAPHY ALYSHA SPARKS
Sheep on “Munduney”.
PHOTOGRAPHY ALYSHA SPARKS
Stella and Tyson are dressed by RB Sellars for a RB Sellars x Graziher collaboration.
Stella wears: Sandy Workshirt – Long Sleeve Full Button – Pale Blue; Rachel Jeans – Denim.
Tyson Wears: Burton Workshirt – Long Sleeve Half Button – Emerald, Sinclair Jean – Denim.
The social media platform is littered with beautiful, crisp photos; sheep frozen under the shag of a gum tree, the air laced with dust plumes alight; drone shots of enormous machines mid-roll under a summer harvest sky; dreamy snaps of rolling hill country in the pinks and plums of sunrise. The branding is impeccable, polished, and what the next generation says, necessary.
As a third-generation Sparks farmer, Tyson Sparks is keeping his eyes on the ever-shifting horizon of producer innovation. He and wife Stella live on and manage “Munduney”, one of the family’s three properties across South Australia. Purchased in 2011 from the University of Adelaide, the 7,500-hectare station was historically run as a cattle and sheep station since settlement in 1844. Today, the station is managed with a self-replacing merino flock, combined with a cereal, hay and pasture cropping program.
“Technology is constantly changing the way we farm,” Tyson says. “It’s hard to believe how far we have come in three generations, when horses were used to plough the soil. Today, no-till farming practices allow us to preserve the top soil, whilst air seeders and GPS navigation allows for precision agriculture. It’s exciting what the future will bring. We need to keep adapting where and how we farm in a changing environment.”
Tyson and Stella were married on the farm two years ago, after first meeting at the Clare races in Stella’s final year at university studying Agricultural Science. “It was not love at first sight,” Stella says. “He was being very cheeky! However, over time his fun-loving personality grew on me and eventually won me over.”
While his antics may not have made the best first impression, Tyson knew he’d found his person. “I always saw Stella as a keeper,” he says. “She was the type of girl I wanted to marry.”
Stella works part-time on the farm as finance officer and part-time in banking. The two enjoy working with each other, despite the at-times challenging dynamics of running an enterprise with a partner. “It’s a great balance of working in different environments with different people each day,” Stella says. “I like Tyson’s work ethic and attention to detail.”
PHOTOGRAPHY ALYSHA SPARKS
Tyson wears: Burton Workshirt – Long Sleeve Half Button – Emerald, Sinclair Jean – Denim.
PHOTOGRAPHY ALYSHA SPARKS
Tyson wears: Burton Workshirt – Long Sleeve – Full Button – Navy.
Stella wears: Sandy Workshirt – Long Sleeve – Half Button – Pale Pink.
For Tyson, his wife keeps him on track and focused. “It’s great to be able to have a sounding board to bounce ideas off,” he says. “After a long day, it’s nice to come home to Stella, who always has a smile on her face.”
A 30-minute drive from Clare Valley, the station is a mix of arable and non-arable country, made up of rolling hills dotted with eucalypts, winding creeks and historic stone ruins. Winters are cold and wet, whilst summers are hot and increasingly dry. The harsher times of the seasons are perhaps exacerbated by their historic home; the grand, double-storeyed homestead was built in the late 1800s. It was the latest family farm acquisition that really kindled the need for a Sparks business brand.
“We purchased ‘Calcannia’ in February 2019 for added rainfall reliability, and it was time to create a brand to link the three properties,” Stella says. “We had been keen to create a brand for some time, and after the last purchase, it seemed like the perfect time. We are lucky to have Tyson’s talented photographer sister Alysha, who put our ideas to print.”
PHOTOGRAPHY ALYSHA SPARKS
Tyson wears: Burton Workshirt – Long Sleeve – Full Button – Navy; Station Jean – Denim.
Stella wears: Sandy Workshirt – Long Sleeve – Full Button – Pale Blue; Rachel Jeans – Denim.
PHOTOGRAPHY ALYSHA SPARKS
Tyson wears: Burton Workshirt – Long Sleeve – Full Button – Navy; Napier Jacket – Sand; Station Jean.
It took a change in mind-set to have the whole family recognise the potential benefits of modern marketing.
“Like many farmers, promoting their business does not come naturally, so it was an idea that had been discussed for a few years,” Stella says. “When it came to putting it all together, however, everyone was involved in the design of the brand and were supportive of the direction. Like any business, it’s important to share your story and let the customer know where and how our products are produced. We take pride in what we produce, and the website allows us to share our story. Finding the right employees is also a large part of our business, and we hope that over time our brand and website will attract staff who share our passion.”
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