Community & Business
6 May, 2026
Changing of the guard
IN the mid-1980s, the Herbert family was already elbows-deep in bread dough and pie mince, feeding the masses in Melbourne.
Despite the lack of ‘Google’ and online browsing of businesses for sale, further afield, Ray Herbert nudged son Paul in the ribs and asked what he thought about buying a bakery in a small country town.
With mum Lorraine, brother David, wife Heidi, toddler Lauren and six-week old Megan in tow, the Herberts headed to Casterton, where the rolling green hills, welcoming community and willingness to roll their sleeves up and join in the country lifestyle, had them calling 61 Henty St their second home, for almost 40 years.
On Friday, despite being ready for their own lifestyle change, an emotional Paul and Heidi said farewell to the bakery, handing it on to the next ‘local’ family.
“It’s hard work but we know we have done something right when you have got kids of our workers looking here for their first job, then coming in when they’re on their uni holidays to let us know they’re back in town, here to work if needed,” Paul said.
From cooking butts of beef in the bread ovens for footy club roasts, before the club had a kitchen, supplying bread to countless barbecues and sausage rolls to school lunches, to feeding merrymakers at 1am as they walk home from the pub, the Herberts’ generosity in working with the community has been endless and they’re grateful to the community that has supported them.
“The messages that we have got from people, just letting us know how much they’re going to miss us, they appreciate what we do, what we have been, is incredible,” Heidi said.
Taking on the bakery, Sam and Ash Robertson have jumped in feet-first with their new venture.
Ash, a chef by trade and Sam, operated an earthmoving business in Geelong, before deciding a tree change was in order, for their young family.
“We actually brought the business here, but we did not want to be stepping on the toes of the fella who already operates here,” Ash said.
“Then Sam came in one day and said ‘what do you think about buying a bakery?’”
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Already altering his work clock to hit the ovens with baker, Barry Wishart, from midnight, six days a week, Sam said they were looking forward to adding their own flare to the business.
“It’s been full-on, hard work, but everyone’s been great, getting us started,” Sam said.
“And we keep getting asked if we’ll be changing anything ... everyone’s got their favourite things they have loved for years here.
“We have said, if it ai not broke, do not fix it; we will not be changing any of the bones of what the Herberts have been doing here, just adding a few things over time ... we cannot wait, it’s going to be great.”
Read More: Casterton