Lines Gum Hill Poll Merinos - Continual Improvement Through Innovation - est. 1885

Continual improvement through innovation

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud is the core focus of a mixed farming enterprise run by the Lines Family in the Mid North of South Australia. The district is characterized by a 425mm average winter dominant rainfall pattern, with the growing season typically from May to October. The business comprises 3400ha and involves the Poll Merino Stud, a commercial sheep flock, a cereal cropping program and some hay production. Gum Hill runs three core properties in the Mid North where the Stud Ewes, and all young sale rams are run.

At Keith, in SA’s South-East, properties are run by Haydn and Poppy Lines and family which provides an opportunity to test genetics in a different climatic zone, with higher rainfall and sandy soils putting pressure on different traits. A portion of the Stud flock is based in the South-East, and ram lambs are bred and sent to Gum Hill after weaning to be measured, tested and prepared for the sale team.

Find rams graded for YOUR budget

We offer individual breeding advice and ram selections tailored to the client needs, taking into account their production systems, environments and breeding goals.

Gum Hill Buying Experience

Our Client's Profit is our purpose

Our purpose is to have profitable clients that have sheep that work for them, not create work.

All rams offered for sale have:

Genomic test (adding accuracy to their breeding values)

Known twin or single status

Extensive measurements (up to 15 traits recorded)

Structural assessment

Calendar

12th
MAR

Elders SA Stud Merino Field Day

On–property display at Gum Hill
56 Gumhill Rd, Mount Bryan

23rd
JULY

South East Merino Field Day

On–property display at Parraweena
200 Sanderson Road, Keith SA

AUG- OCT

On-Property Private Selections

Held at Gum Hill, Mt Bryan, every alternate week from August through to the end of October. One week of Ram selections occur at Keith during August out of the ‘Parraweena’ Sales complex for South-East/Western Vic clients

oct

Keith Off-Shears Sale

500+ Gum Hill bloodline surplus ewe hoggets up for sale from various Lines properties

View Full Calendar

What's Been Happening?

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud SOUTH EAST PRIVATE SELECTION WEEK
18th-21st August
Justin and James will be heading to Keith next week with the 2026 Sale Rams
Our private selection week offers the chance to:
- Inspect and purchase rams for sale this spring
- Discuss ... 6 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post NEXT YEAR’S LAMBS TODAY🧬📊
Marked the progeny from our Ewe Lamb joining last week, an incredible year to have our first go at it with the ewes well grown out and holding their body condition really well. These ewes are April/ ... 47 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Ewe lambs (15months old) with lambs on their way to the yards, we’ve had a bit of interest sin....

Ewe lambs (15months old) with lambs on their way to the yards, we’ve had a bit of interest since our last post on how it’s going so we’ll share a bit on here in coming days. Couldn’t get a better ... 1 Comments 61 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post Last Thursday after the South- East field days we classed the Stud Hoggets at Keith, our stud mobs running there breed about 30% of the rams we offer up each year
Same genetics
Different environment
And that’s the point!
A testing ground ... 3 Comments 48 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post Thanks to everyone who called in to our display last week during the South East Merino Field Days, it was great to catch up with many familiar faces, and meet a few new ones talking everything sheep, seasons and prices! ... 58 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post Rams are penned and ready! 🧬📊💥 for the South East Stud Merino Field Day
Looking forward to catching up with a few sheep tragics
203 Sanderson road, Keith
Follow the flags and signs and the smell of some 🥓🍳 42 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

On board for our South East On- Property display tomorrow we have a pen of purpose bred Non- Mul....

On board for our South East On- Property display tomorrow we have a pen of purpose bred Non- Mulesed rams. We begun breeding some Non-Mulesed Rams a couple of years ago to cater for clients seeking that direction with their ... 19 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

We are heading SouthFor the South East Merino Field Days!An update on our On- Property display b....

We are heading South
For the South East Merino Field Days!
An update on our On- Property display below 👇🏻
A display based on showing our Balanced Breeding philosophy to optimise Wool, Meat & Lamb production
🚨This Wednesday 🚨
203 Sanderson Road, ... 3 Comments 103 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

‘TOP OF DROP’2026’s young sire team heading out to the paddock, retained for Stud & Commer....

‘TOP OF DROP’
2026’s young sire team heading out to the paddock, retained for Stud & Commercial duties here at Gum Hill, these boys will sire a majority of next years lambs.
Sitting right at the top end on figures, ... 1 Comments 47 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

1 Week to go until the South East Stud Merino Field Day 🐑Plan your trip to Keith for a look a....

1 Week to go until the South East Stud Merino Field Day 🐑
Plan your trip to Keith for a look at this years sale rams !
#gumhillpollmerinos #visitus #merinosa 12 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post There's a very special anniversary to be acknowledged today at Gum Hill
10 years ago today since Stuart Dale started working with us, and he and Holly moved to Canowie
Both Stuart and Holly have injected themselves into the local community through ... 12 Comments 120 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post Stud lambs marked in the South- East this week, lambs receiving their stud family tag alongside an EID tag, and relevant health treatments.
Lambing % up on the last few challenging years all whilst running the ewes very commercially to ... 53 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post This Stud Ewe lamb was getting tagged, tailed and marked 12 months ago almost to the day.
Today she dropped her first lambs, and has already produced 2x fleeces
Exciting times at Gum Hill, first time trying a Ewe Lamb joining ... 4 Comments 101 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post 📊 TRAIT TUESDAY 📊
FLEECE WEIGHTS
#traittuesday #gumhillpollmerinos #merinosheep 16 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

This picture defines mixed farmingJobs often competing with each other, seeding, harvest, sheari....

This picture defines mixed farming
Jobs often competing with each other, seeding, harvest, shearing, crutching, lambing
Set up for sowing and ready to go but first to collect the final data piece of the ‘profitability puzzle’ of traits we measure ... 1 Comments 94 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post Shearing of the young rams (25drops) is always an impactful and insightful week at Gum Hill, we’re lucky to have a professional and experienced team doing the job 🙌🏻 60 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

2026 drop Lambs have started to arrive at Gum Hill over the past week. These ewes and lambs are ....

2026 drop Lambs have started to arrive at Gum Hill over the past week. These ewes and lambs are up in the hills at our property ‘Catarpo’, north-west of Mt Bryan, and are loving the sunshine ☀️ and a bit ... 70 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Stud ewe lambs at Keith coming in for their micron and wool testing, 10-11 months of age.One mob....

Stud ewe lambs at Keith coming in for their micron and wool testing, 10-11 months of age.
One mob since weaning, the same competition for feed and resources, the same opportunity to go ahead or fail under mob pressure. Proven scientific ... 24 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Happy Easter everyone. This video shows the same location 12 months apart, for us Easter 2025 br....

Happy Easter everyone. This video shows the same location 12 months apart, for us Easter 2025 brought dust storms and despair, Easter 2026 and the country is looking so totally different. We are so lucky, wherever you are hopefully you ... 25 Comments 578 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post COLLABORATION with RESEARCH🤝📊
Last month we had Billie & Megan from Adelaide University come out to conduct some heat trial work being undertaken as part of the Drought Resilient Farming Practices running from June 2025 to October 2030 – integrating ... 33 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud SOUTH EAST PRIVATE SELECTION WEEK
18th-21st August
Justin and James will be heading to Keith next week with the 2026 Sale Rams
Our private selection week offers the chance to:
- Inspect and purchase rams for sale this spring
- Discuss your personal breeding objectives, traits that matter in your flock & what you are looking to get out of your sheep
If you are a returning client or interested in seeing what our genetics can offer, we’d love to catch up
Get in touch 👇🏻📞 6 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post NEXT YEAR’S LAMBS TODAY🧬📊
Marked the progeny from our Ewe Lamb joining last week, an incredible year to have our first go at it with the ewes well grown out and holding their body condition really well. These ewes are April/ May drop 2025 and lambed in June/ July 2026. Lambs are looking fresh, crazy to think from a genetics perspective we usually wouldn’t see these lambs existing for another 12months.
From a practical management perspective great to utilise some lease land and take advantage of a good start by increasing stocking rates, and getting a few hundred more lambs for some extra cash flow 💰all without the bio security risk or cash required to buy in ewes
Our RESULTS
Foetus survival from Scanning to Marking 72%
Marking Rate 89% from an initial conception of 56% in lamb overall.
Will be interesting to see how these ewes bounce back and join up at our more conventional hogget age alongside their sisters who scanned dry, and follow them through for next years lambing.
A few ram lambs kept here too so exciting to see how they shape up alongside our main drop💥
Lots to learn and we’re by no means experts just sharing how it went and looking forward to watching it play out, thanks again for all those that have shown interest in this part of our sheep program 🤝 47 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Ewe lambs (15months old) with lambs on their way to the yards, we’ve had a bit of interest since our last post on how it’s going so we’ll share a bit on here in coming days. Couldn’t get a better bit of feed and start to lamb into, feeling very fortunate 1 Comments 61 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post Last Thursday after the South- East field days we classed the Stud Hoggets at Keith, our stud mobs running there breed about 30% of the rams we offer up each year
Same genetics
Different environment
And that’s the point!
A testing ground for what’s working, and what isn’t in the wider Gum Hill Breeding Program.
A lot of rain on them since last shorn in September 2025, and plently of green grass this year and they’re really bouncing along.
Solid frames , big bulky white fleeces, good doing ability all with solid feet and structure on a plain body
Well performing sires include; 237061 (son of stud superstar GH 215722) , 222593, and discovered 224304 (100% strike rate!) with 26 daughters through the race and no Hoggets graded culls or bound for the commercial flock, top end across the board visually and extensive measurements- what we aim for! 3 Comments 48 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post Thanks to everyone who called in to our display last week during the South East Merino Field Days, it was great to catch up with many familiar faces, and meet a few new ones talking everything sheep, seasons and prices! How good after a few turbulent years 📊
We will be back at Keith the week of August 17th for a few days selling rams to our South- East and Vic clients, if you’re interested in having a further look at our Sale rams and exploring Gum Hill Genetics we’re happy to organise a causal catch up and inspection (with no pressure to purchase!) 58 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post Rams are penned and ready! 🧬📊💥 for the South East Stud Merino Field Day
Looking forward to catching up with a few sheep tragics
203 Sanderson road, Keith
Follow the flags and signs and the smell of some 🥓🍳 42 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

On board for our South East On- Property display tomorrow we have a pen of purpose bred Non- Mulesed rams. We begun breeding some Non-Mulesed Rams a couple of years ago to cater for clients seeking that direction with their breeding and wool accreditations. We are passionate about getting the non- mulesed traits right ( low wrinkle, dag etc) but also keeping a robust, good doing, hardy animal that cuts a bit of wool as well. Our Customized ‘Gum Hill Plus’ Index seeks to rank and represent the type of sheep that will breed these traits best. These sale rams are some of the results from this specialised mating program and will be at Keith tomorrow on display for those interested
203 Sanderson Road, Keith, from 8.30am- 19 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

We are heading South
For the South East Merino Field Days!
An update on our On- Property display below 👇🏻
A display based on showing our Balanced Breeding philosophy to optimise Wool, Meat & Lamb production
🚨This Wednesday 🚨
203 Sanderson Road, Keith
8.30-5pm
Breakfast available 🥓🍳
70 young sale rams for inspection 📈
Full genomic data & information available
South East Stud Merino Field Day 3 Comments 103 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

‘TOP OF DROP’
2026’s young sire team heading out to the paddock, retained for Stud & Commercial duties here at Gum Hill, these boys will sire a majority of next years lambs.
Sitting right at the top end on figures, and physically appealing and functional with their deep long bodies and white wools these boys aim to maximise genetic performance whilst maintaining genetic diversity 🧬📊
#gumhillpollmerinos #geneticgain #ausag #merino 1 Comments 47 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

1 Week to go until the South East Stud Merino Field Day 🐑
Plan your trip to Keith for a look at this years sale rams !
#gumhillpollmerinos #visitus #merinosa 12 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post There's a very special anniversary to be acknowledged today at Gum Hill
10 years ago today since Stuart Dale started working with us, and he and Holly moved to Canowie
Both Stuart and Holly have injected themselves into the local community through many different roles since moving here and their contributions to our local area and the farm is much appreciated.
Alongside their kids there's never a dull moment when they're around and we're all the better for having Stuart part of the Gum Hill team. A patient and passionate Stock Person, Stuart has seen some pretty good years and some absolute stinkers but throughout has always been a team player and truly valued part of the team.
Thanks for 10years of working partnership and friendship Stuart and Holly, it's been great having you and hopefully you've enjoyed your time with us as much as we have enjoyed having you here🤝 12 Comments 120 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post Stud lambs marked in the South- East this week, lambs receiving their stud family tag alongside an EID tag, and relevant health treatments.
Lambing % up on the last few challenging years all whilst running the ewes very commercially to mirror the farming systems our clients operate in so our genetics are under realistic pressure and bred to perform.
#performancebred #genetics 53 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post This Stud Ewe lamb was getting tagged, tailed and marked 12 months ago almost to the day.
Today she dropped her first lambs, and has already produced 2x fleeces
Exciting times at Gum Hill, first time trying a Ewe Lamb joining and they’re hitting the ground now, keen to learn all we can about joining ewe lambs and sharing with others
13 months old. A new mum
#happydays #ewelambjoining #ausag 4 Comments 101 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post 📊 TRAIT TUESDAY 📊
FLEECE WEIGHTS
#traittuesday #gumhillpollmerinos #merinosheep 16 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

This picture defines mixed farming
Jobs often competing with each other, seeding, harvest, shearing, crutching, lambing
Set up for sowing and ready to go but first to collect the final data piece of the ‘profitability puzzle’ of traits we measure on our rams. Carcass scanning to generate genetic fat and eye muscle breeding values
We know often there’s competition for your time between cropping and livestock enterprises that’s why we purposely breed productive easy doing sheep that don’t create extra work. A lot of our rams go into breeding flocks in mixed farming areas of the country.
We want sheep that can be out in the paddock doing well on grass, growing wool, and having stacks of lambs whilst we are busy with other jobs 1 Comments 94 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post Shearing of the young rams (25drops) is always an impactful and insightful week at Gum Hill, we’re lucky to have a professional and experienced team doing the job 🙌🏻 60 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

2026 drop Lambs have started to arrive at Gum Hill over the past week. These ewes and lambs are up in the hills at our property ‘Catarpo’, north-west of Mt Bryan, and are loving the sunshine ☀️ and a bit of grass around, this mob of stud breeding ewes scanned in at 148% so it’ll be exciting to see how they go 70 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Stud ewe lambs at Keith coming in for their micron and wool testing, 10-11 months of age.
One mob since weaning, the same competition for feed and resources, the same opportunity to go ahead or fail under mob pressure. Proven scientific principles of achieving genetic improvement.
30 Gum Hill Sires represented amongst them.
Already genomics tested, body weighed and scored up, these ewes will remain un- classed until July, and then fleece weighed in August as their final assessment. 24 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Happy Easter everyone. This video shows the same location 12 months apart, for us Easter 2025 brought dust storms and despair, Easter 2026 and the country is looking so totally different. We are so lucky, wherever you are hopefully you are having some rest and relaxation 25 Comments 578 Likes

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud

Photos from Gum Hill Poll Merino Stud's post COLLABORATION with RESEARCH🤝📊
Last month we had Billie & Megan from Adelaide University come out to conduct some heat trial work being undertaken as part of the Drought Resilient Farming Practices running from June 2025 to October 2030 – integrating genetic selection of sheep for climate, drought resilience to create stable, resilient and productive sheep farming systems under low rainfall.
Temperature loggers were inserted into some stud maiden ewes (black tags) which recorded their individual temperature profile over a period of a few days while under hot conditions. This will capture individual variation in response to heat events, and down the track could assess the influence of a ewe’s temperature variation on her progeny, and production aspects. Body condition scores were also recorded, and some interesting correlations between all the different data points may be found ? Always enjoy being able to contribute to future research that benefits the wider industry, Look forward to seeing the results! 33 Likes