Vale Dr William (Bill) Costello
26 December 1926 – 19 September 2025
Angus Australia acknowledges the passing of Dr William Thomas “Bill” Costello, a respected figure in the Australian cattle industry and a pioneer in the development of the Angus breed. Bill passed away peacefully at his home, Nairn Park, Grafton, aged 98.
Bill founded the Nairn Park Angus Stud on 4th September 1962, establishing the first Angus stud in the Clarence Valley and the NSW North Coast. His vision for the stud was shaped during his professional and academic experiences in England, Ireland, and Northern Ireland in the 1950s, where he observed the commercial success and consumer preference for Angus beef at London’s Smithfield Markets. This insight became the catalyst for his commitment to breed development upon returning to Australia.
In establishing Nairn Park, Bill sourced nine females from the Leitch family’s Tunbridge Stud at Merriwa, NSW. The stud’s foundation sire, Barwidgee Figaro (by Bruce of Mangatoro), was purchased alongside a mature cow, Barwidgee Nymph 2nd (by Kahlua Crusader), and a heifer calf from Mrs Kelly’s Barwidgee Stud at Caramut, Victoria. Another prominent female, Rossmoyne Tryst, was added during the Victorian’s stud dispersal in the 1960s. Descendants of these original female lines continue to graze the pastures in the Nairn Park herd today.
Bill was a strong advocate for promoting Angus. He was a regular exhibitor at the New England Angus Show and Sale in Tamworth, where his bull Nairn Park Jupiter was awarded Supreme Angus Exhibit in 1969.
Bill was an early adopter of performance recording and a member of the inaugural Angus Herd Improvement Group. A skilled cattle judge, his breeding philosophy centred on engraining key traits—fertility, structural soundness, temperament, and doability—principles that remain foundational to Angus breeding programs across the country.
Bill contributed to industry development, including serving as Chairman of the South Grafton Abattoir. His efforts to explore international markets, notably through a visit to Japan in the 1970s, reflected his strategic vision for expanding the reach of Australian Angus beef. Bill used to say that if every Japanese consumer would eat an additional 1kg of Angus beef a year it would make a significant increase to Australia’s Angus breeders.
Bill’s contributions to the cattle industry and medicine were formally recognised with the awarding of an AOM and a Centenary Medal.
Today, Nairn Park continues under the stewardship of his son Rob and partner Jo-Anne, and grandchildren Emma, Thomas, and Lachlan. The stud now operates from Moona Plains Station, Walcha, NSW, with the original Nairn Park property remaining in the Costello family.
Condolences
On behalf of the Board of Directors, Staff, and Members of Angus Australia, we extend our sincere condolences to the Costello family. Bill’s legacy is firmly embedded in the history and progress of the Angus breed in Australia. His commitment to genetic excellence, performance recording, and industry leadership has left a lasting impact that will continue to shape the future of Angus breeding.
A funeral service celebrating Bill’s life will be held at Christ Church Cathedral, Grafton on Friday 3rd October at 10am.
