As well though, the Marriott family is famous for breeding and showing Clydesdale horses for many years. They were vital for carting the family's market garden produce to the Queen Victoria market two or three times a week from their 20ha farm in Bentleigh.
The family started showing four horse Clydesdale gelding teams at the Royal Melbourne Show in 1946 and have continued showing, particularly at a big annual Werribee show.
Urban sprawl took over the Bentleigh farm in 1962 and the family moved to 40ha in Dandenong and later 200ha in Ferntree Gully where they employed 15 to 20 people.
But vegetables would not continue to dominate their farming and in 1973 the family changed to fattening bullocks.
Now Andrew and family run 2700 mainly Angus cross cows at Caramut and bring calves to Benalla for finishing on silage and grain so they gain 1.5 to 3kg a day.
They sell most of their cattle to Coles when their estimated dressed weight is 300 to 325kg.
With the Clydesdales, Andrew joins a dozen or so mares a year to gain 10 or 12 foals annually.
Stock and Land’s speakers for Tuesday June 4 will be Helen and David Kennett, Pinjarra Alpacas, based at Strathbogie.
David Palmer