Our Story
Holman Tolmie opened its doors in 1982, when Rod Holman and Steve Tolmie felt the Cootamundra district needed a new private stock & station agency to service local livestock producers.
Starting out in the middle of the 1982-83 drought made for challenging beginnings, but with hard work, determination and loyal clients, the business grew rapidly.
In 1994 Holman Tolmie welcomed Cootamundra local Garry James to the team. Following Rod’s retirement in 2003, Garry became a Director of the business. In 2013 Corey Nicholson joined Holman Tolmie, and then in 2015 he became a shareholder in the business.
Over the past four decades, Holman Tolmie has grown to employ 10 full and part time employees, selling sheep and cattle out of the Cootamundra saleyards each fortnight.
Recently, the business expanded into new markets to give clients broader buying and selling options. Holman Tolmie is one of the founding agents at the newly established South Eastern Livestock Exchange (SELX), based just off the Hume Highway on the western side of Yass. We have kept up to date with the growth of the digital marketplace, now also trading on Auctions Plus.
On top of these exciting new advancements, we still provide direct sales of livestock to feedlots and abattoirs across the eastern seaboard, as well as the major supermarkets Woolworths and Coles.
In addition to the above:
- We are proud members of the RMA (Rural Marketing Agents) which provides us with a nationwide network of independent agencies
- We can help with marketing of your wool, through our partnership with Schute Bell Badgery Lumby.
(L-R) Suzie McGeachie, Corey Nicholson, Steve, Jock and James Tolmie.
Our Staff
Steve Tolmie
Partner / Agent
Steve Tolmie started his career as a stock and station agent in Armidale in 1969 with Winchcombe Carson Ltd. He remained in Armidale until 1972 before he was transferred to Winchcombe’s Sydney office to be the livestock auctioneer at the Homebush saleyards.
In 1973 he was transferred to Orange for about six months before moving to Cootamundra. Winchcombe Carson was subsequently taken over by Dalgetys in 1979.
Steve soon realised that Cootamundra was where he wanted to stay, and the formation of Holman Tolmie with Rod Holman in 1982 was the natural progression.
Steve has been an active member of the local community over the last 40 years. He was involved with junior soccer when his children were young and has had a lengthy association with horse racing and the local rugby club. He is currently the President of the SELX (Yass) Agents Association and the Cootamundra Saleyards Committee.
Corey Nicholson
Partner / Agent
Born and raised in Forbes, Corey completed his HSC studies in 2009 at Red Bend Catholic College, where he was heavily involved in the school’s rugby league program and cattle show team.
Following high school, he embarked upon a 12 month trainee-ship with Landmark (now Nutrien Ag Solutions) in Wagga Wagga and then moved to Yass, where he continued working as a Landmark agent for another two years.
In July 2013 Corey joined Holman Tolmie and two years later in July 2015, he became a shareholder in the company.
Corey is highly involved in Cootamundra’s Rugby Union Club as a player and committee member and volunteers with the local Rural Fire Service.
Suzie McGeachie
Office Manager
Suzie arrived at Holman Tolmie in 2017 with an abundance of experience in customer relations after working for ALDI, Yass for five years and before that Suzie managed the Royal Hotel in Yass for 10 years and worked at Doyles (now Miller’s) Pharmacy for 14 years.
Suzie quickly made the transition to the role of Holman Tolmie office manager in Cootamundra, illustrating efficient account management skills as well as building professional and courteous relationships with our clients.
In her free time, Suzie enjoys team penning and working with her horses on their small acreage near Binalong.
James Tolmie
Agent
Following a career working predominantly in agricultural media and public relations, James joined the Holman Tolmie team in October 2017 as an agent working in the livestock and rural property divisions of the business.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Journalism from Charles Sturt University, Bathurst and then working in journalism and marketing positions in New South Wales and Queensland for more than six years, James finally decided to enter the family business and hasn’t looked back.
Since arriving back in Cootamundra, James has involved himself with the Cootamundra Picnic Race Club and Cootamundra Rugby Union Club committees.
Jock Tolmie
Broker / Agent
Jock Tolmie started at Holman Tolmie in February 2018, following five years working as an insurance underwriter for Rural Affinity in Sydney.
Prior to working primarily as a crop underwriter, Jock completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics at the University of New England in Armidale.
Jock heads up the insurance arm of the business under the banner of RMA Insurance Brokers Cootamundra, but is also involved as a livestock and rural property agent.
Jock was recently married in 2019 and lives with his wife Michelle near Illabo, where he’s involved in the local community, including a position on the Illabo Show committee.