Nearly 20 years in Australia

Maremma Sheepdogs have been in Australia since 1982 when Charles and Sandra Curwen from Government House in Victoria, imported their first Maremma bitch puppy Tavoliere Zecca from England.

Not long after Zecca had settled on their property outside Melbourne, where she kept guard over the house and the goats, she was joined by a male Maremma, Abruzzo Enrico Delphino from England.

Charles and Sandra bred 41 pups under the prefix Hollinsdale.  Most of the puppies went to friends of the family as pets, or as the foundation stock of the early kennels in Australia.

In March 1986, Don Bull from Wangaratta in Victoria bred a litter of pups from Hollinsdale Zecarina. From this litter Killawarra Bianca is the foundation bitch of Frank McCarroll and Rosemarie Kluge's Lurgenglare Maremmas, near Shepparton, Victoria.

In 1987 Don Bull imported a young dog Sunshoo Daytripper from England.  Unfortunately for all the Maremma owners this dog proved to be infertile. In the same year Peter and Glady's Goodson, Lake Rowan, Victoria imported a bitch in whelp, Sunshoo Devil-Inherheart, a sister to Daytripper.

In March 1988 Lurgenglare Maremmas imported Maremmano Knight Commander, a dog pup out of an Italian bitch that had whelped in England in quarantine.

The following year, 1989, saw an upsurge in new Maremmas coming into the country.  Don Bull imported Sunshoo Elenurrigby (the mother of Daytripper and Devil-Inherheart), and he also imported Abruzzo "Aussie". Lurgenglare Maremmas imported a bitch in whelp from Sweden, International Champion Norwegian Champion Maremmano Eloquent Guard.

Mr and Mrs Handley from Lancefield, Victoria imported a dog Charlian Escapade from England. Laurie Ashford, Tamworth, New South Wales, imported a bitch Sonymer Joyful; and a dog Sonymer Kyber, out of an Italian bitch. Peter and Glady's Goodson imported Sonymer Carlo, brother to Kyber.

Also in 1989, Lurgenglare Maremmas imported the first Maremma bitch from Italy: Lola of Lurgenglare.  Her pups Lurgenglare Basilio and Lurgenglare Bernita went to Lurgenglare Maremmas, and Lurgenglare Barissa went to Gail Smith, Rosebud, Victoria.

Since 1988, when the Maremmas first gained publicity in Australia, pups have been introduced to all states of Australia and New Zealand.

A variety of livestock operations takes advantage of their intelligence and versatility for guarding purposes. These include sheep, goats, deer, alpacas, geese, cattle and horses. The Maremma Shepherd Dog protects his charges from foxes, dogs, dingoes, pigs, cats, crows, eagles and also from thieves.

The Maremma Sheepdog has also started to make his mark in the showring in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.  Several Maremmas have gained Best In Group wins and Championship titles.

The first bitch to obtain her Championship title was Killawarra Jessica, owned by Herb and Laurie Ashford (N.S.W.) and the first male was Lugenglare Ciro, owned by Gale Smith, Rosebud, Victoria.

As a family pet the Maremma is gaining increasing popularity as he is devoted to his family and guards them and their property with all his might.