Award-Winning Butcher Champions Speckle Park Beef

Gerringong butcher Nathan Alcock has built Mountain Side Meats into one of the South Coast’s most respected names in quality beef — and Speckle Park genetics are playing a growing role in that success.

For more than 30 years, Nathan has served the Shoalhaven and Illawarra districts, expanding his business from Shoalhaven Heads to thriving stores in North Nowra, Berry and, most recently, Vincentia. In 2021, the Alcock family took the next step, establishing Mountain Side Farm at Pyree, producing their own grass-fed beef to deliver a genuine paddock-to-plate experience.

Mountain Side Meats, Berry — proudly showcasing premium Speckle Park beef. Source: Mountain Side Meats Berry

That focus on local, premium product has set Mountain Side Meats apart — and the introduction of Speckle Park beef has only strengthened its reputation. Working with Andrew and Alison Havadjia of Hollyhill Speckle Park, Cambewarra, the business now features purebred and high-percentage Speckle Park beef renowned for its tenderness, marbling and rich flavour.

Nathan says customers love that the beef is local and grass-fed — and that it quite literally “walks out the door.” From a butcher’s perspective, he values how efficiently Speckle Park cattle finish on grass, producing carcases that are consistent, high-yielding and a pleasure to cut.

Impressed by the breed’s standout qualities, Nathan is now considering introducing a Speckle Park bull into his own herd — a clear sign of confidence in the breed’s ability to deliver premium, reliable beef from paddock to plate.

This story first appeared in Queensland Country Life on August 31, 2025. Read the full story here.→