About Us

Ian and Harriet Davison, with Harriet’s sister Celia, started Illawarra Alpaca Stud in 1992 with just three females and a male on their Cambewarra property, between Berry and Nowra, on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. Their herd was expanded significantly in 1997 by a major purchase from the first shipment of Peruvian alpacas into Australia, and the subsequent acquisition of elite male and female bloodlines in selected purchases.

Harriet works full time with the alpacas, and her hands-on management style, the size of their herd, and their long history of her involvement in the alpaca industry make her arguably one of the most experienced alpaca breeders in Australia.

Her husband, Ian, practices as a full time orthopaedic surgeon in nearby Nowra, specialising in hip and knee replacement surgery. In 2006, he was elected to the Presidency of the Australian Alpaca Association, in which role he currently serves.

Ian and Harriet have been dedicated supporters of the industry, and are foundation shareholders in Australian Alpaca Fleece Ltd and also in SRS® Alpacas International. Ian was one of the working party designing the Across-herd Genetic Evaluation (AGE) program, by which the Australian Alpaca Association seeks to accelerate the genetic improvement of the national herd.