Mario Varone and his family started farming in SE Hyden in 1957. His father, one of the many Italian POW’s of WW2, worked on a farm in the area between the years of 1943 and 1945. After the war ended, his host family nominated him and his eldest son to migrate in 1952. In 1957 they applied for land and by 1958 Mario, with his mother and elder brother, was able to join them. Together they cleared many virgin bush CP blocks. In 2002, after 45 years of farming under the partnership GA Varone & Co, the three brothers and their respective families split the farming operation.

wheat; sheep; salinity; saltbush; sandalwood; trial; mallee