While the curated combination of award-winning wine and well marbled beef reads like an elegant dinner party menu, it is in fact the new lifestyle venture of mining industry executives Liza Carpene and Ian Bamborough, whose stunning Chittering property has led them down a road full of challenges and up a steep learning curve — and the couple couldn’t be happier.
High on the hilltop with sweeping 360-degree views of the valleys, vineyards, and bushland beyond, Liza introduces her herd of Speckled Park Cattle by name —this year the letter X is proving a little more challenging than previous years.
A starter herd selected by their own admission with ‘no experience but a keen desire’ from the 2021 Kamarah Speckle Park auction in Wannamal saw one bull and four cows arrive at Roman Road Estate, soon joined by additions from JAD in NSW.
“Ian started researching the breed and completely fell in love with the genetics. Once he got interested, he went all in,” says Liza.
A year later they welcomed their first eight ‘T drop’ calves, Tiffany, Treasure, Titan, Trinity, Texan, Tahlia, Trooper, and Tilly.
“One of the things I love most about the Speckle Park cattle is how different they all are,” says Liza. “A typical Speckle is black with a white stripe but some are born almost black, whilst others come out white, even when they’re bred from grey, brown, and black animals. Every now and then you get one with a really striking pattern that looks completely unique.”
Trinity not only has a distinctive dished face, but a distinctive voice as well.
“She’ll bellow,” she laughs, “and even if I’m over on the other property, I know it’s her. I’ll hear it and think, ‘Yep, that’s Trinity.’”
Taking inspiration from the unique characters in their herd Liza and Ian have developed Roman Road — a wine label bubbling with personality and capturing the diversity of their beautifully blended enterprise.
Inheriting 30-year-old grapevines with the purchase of their established properties, they were initially cautious about launching a wine label — particularly during the grape glut caused by COVID — but like so many fortuitous experiments, they decided to give it a go.
“The Rosé came out first, and the Shiraz followed the next year. After that we also released a Chenin, a Chardonnay and a traditional method Sparkling wine, so we ended up with a full range. I suppose 2025 was our proof-of-concept year.
“I remember saying, ‘If they’re terrible, we just won’t continue.’ But the Chardonnay turned out beautifully. It’s a real throwback to those buttery, oaky Chardonnays from the ‘80s. It’s nicely oaked, creamy, and exactly the kind of wine I like.”
Each varietal label features a different character from their evolving herd — stylishly captured in watercolour by a talented neighbour — and the back of each bottle shares a short story about the wine, the Speckle Park cattle, and the property.
The delightful Tiffany, their first born stud calf at Roman Road Estate, became the face of the ultimate T drop — a refreshing and flavoursome Rosé — and their powerful stud bull Real Deal (Tiffany’s dad) was the perfect ambassador for Roman Road’s bold Shiraz. Their first stud calf born at Brockman was Volt and has the honour of gracing Roman Road’s label — a clean crisp Chenin.
Holding a special place in their hearts is the Unity Sparkling. Described as a joyous coupling of Chardonnay and Chenin, The méthode traditionnelle is named after Unity — a calf born on the very day of their 2023 wedding.
“It felt fitting because the Sparkling is made from two grape varieties — so it became a symbol of two things coming together,” explains Liza.
This year the synchronicity between the cattle and the wine has developed even further.
“Because feed was running short, we put the cows and their calves into the vineyard. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we’d made! They grazed the grass perfectly, leaving the vineyard beautifully tidy without damaging the vines. The results surprised us!”
“The cattle looked healthier than ever after eating all that lush green feed, and at the same time, we used less diesel, less labour, and far less herbicide.”
While they were careful to extract the cattle before all important bud-burst, seeing how well it worked has changed the way they manage the property.
“With six bulls working across different breeding groups, we’ve become much more creative about using cattle to maintain paddocks. At one stage we even had one bull, one cow, and a calf grazing outside my bedroom window to tidy up the lawn. They’ve been everywhere.”
Keen to maintain profitable management, and no doubt drawing on their broad career experiences, Ian and Liza have stayed on top of the latest research and have remained open to new ideas and diversification.
Last year they were pleasantly surprised to sell 10 tonnes of their Shiraz fruit to a company called Whole Green Foods for use as a health elixir rather than wine.
“After the grapes are pressed, they don’t want the juice — they take the skins, seeds and remaining flesh, freeze it, then process it into an ultra-fine powder. I don’t know all the science behind it, but it preserves the anthocyanins — the compounds that give Shiraz its deep red colour and are known for their antioxidant properties,” says Liza.
“For us, it’s exciting — we’re not just relying on making wine anymore.”
While the goal was never to build an empire, they are keen for the property to pay for itself.
“If it becomes financially sustainable, then we get to keep enjoying the lifestyle we’ve built.”
The couple are also looking to offer homestays and have hosted a wedding party already — as keen entertainers they simply love welcoming people to the property and sharing their new-found passion for the land and their cattle.
Liza loves seeing other local businesses embrace their wine, which is now available at the Moustachery in Bindoon and Landing 7 in Chittering — as well as in several high-end Airbnbs as welcome gifts for guests.
Although she maintains connection to the mining industry through her board role with Alchemy Resources and mentoring with WIMWA (Women in Mining), Liza now spends the majority of her time at Brockman Park, happily embracing the daily work of tending and moving the cattle and overseeing vineyard production while Ian continues to work as Managing Director of Saturn Metals.
Surrounded by wonderfully helpful neighbours, she is relishing the simplicity of her new life on the land.
“I don’t have to wake up wondering what I’m going to wear,” she laughs. “I just pull on old jeans.”
Yet to open their cellar door, Roman Road Estate Wines are available online at www.romanroad.com.au.
