Jim and his wife, Carmel, purchased Tanderrum in 2016, a charming property with over 2 km of dry-stone walls in various stages of repair. Encouraged by his brother, Andrew, a passionate historian, Jim decided to embark on a journey to restore these walls; Andrew's relentless enthusiasm being difficult to ignore!

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Finding a qualified business for the task proved challenging, with limited options and exorbitant costs. Jim realised that while the principles of dry-stone walling were straightforward, it would take years for a waller to develop high-level skills.

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Undeterred, Jim founded Kyneton Dry Stone Walling Centre (now Kyneton Dry Stone Walling) in 2016. He developed a training facility and brought in skilled wallers to instruct students. One memorable day, a student asked for help with a personal project, which led to the hiring of KDSWC's first full-time waller, Evan. This small step slowly evolved into a thriving business.

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In just four years, the walling team completed over 100 engagements, both residential and commercial, totalling over 3,000 meters of dry-stone wall. More than 300 people have completed training courses, and KDSWC was named Business of the Year at the Macedon Ranges Business Awards in 2022.

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Jim brings a wealth of experience to Kyneton Dry Stone Walling with five tertiary qualifications including Civil Engineering, Human Resources and Professional Studies. His career has taken him around the world, with stints in Iran, the UK, Switzerland, and every state and territory in Australia except Western Australia. A certified project management professional, Jim has successfully run three other small businesses and consulted for numerous businesses worldwide across a variety of industries.

 

Jim has been heard to quip, "I never thought I'd spend my days focused on stacking rocks, but here we are!" His friendly demeanour and approachable nature won the hearts of both clients and colleagues.