Len Knight, a lover of life

Born in 1936 and growing up in Wandong and Kilmore and then on a farm in Broadford, Len and his family ran Knight’s Riding School, the largest riding school in the Southern Hemisphere, with up to 200 horses in work.

This no doubt ignited Len’s passion for animals, which would inform the rest of his colourful life.

As a young man he left Broadford to travel the world before returning to the farm in the 1970s. There his collection of animals, and many ingenious ideas related to them, flourished.

Len’s son Adam Knight said that growing up, he was surrounded by the various animals his father had, including rhesus monkeys.

“He loved animals, he was like Steve Irwin on heat,” Adam said.

Included in Len’s extensive collection were tigers, monkeys, water buffalo, chipmunks, donkeys, ostriches, emus, llamas, alpacas, deer, camels, horses and dingoes, all housed on his Broadford farm.

“He always had something very interesting going on. He had tigers on the farm and used to catch snakes for people to make anti-venom,” Adam said.

“He loved anything that was a bit unique or different … he had a white emu, which he sold for $25,000, which was a world record.”

Len was also involved with many industries related to the animals he kept.

He is acknowledged as the person who restarted the ostrich industry, was a pioneer of the emu industry and was one of the first people to breed and market llamas and alpacas.

“He imported a coloured donkey from England. There were none in Australia at the time, and he paid $6000 for a donkey,” Adam said.

“Everyone thought he was crazy. You could have bought a house for that.

“He then bought tons of grey donkeys from a station, Anna Creek station in the Northern Territory, and would sell the colourful foals for $2000.”

Len’s willingness to push the boundaries and love for the rare or exotic was not without its hiccups, though.

“He got bitten by a tiger snake, attacked by a monkey, kicked by a horse. He had nine lives,” Adam said.

“He had water buffalo. One day they escaped and he and his mates were out trying to catch buffalo along the Hume Fwy.”

Len was a grand champion at many agricultural shows, including the Royal Melbourne Show, where he was the main supplier for the animal nursery.

“Wherever he would go, he would clean up. When he did it, he did it pretty well,” his son said.

His expertise was also recognised by fellow animal lovers in Australia and across the world.

“He advised people like Bob Irwin, Lord Alaister McAlphine and Warren Anderson, owner of Kipper station in the Kimberleys, who had a collection of rare animals,” Adam said.

Len was even invited to have dinner with Queen Elizabeth II — twice, by two different people — but he was too humble to accept.

Len’s adventurous spirit led him to all corners of the globe, including living in a Maori camp in New Zealand planting pine trees and sourcing animals from Africa.

In his later years, he joined Adam, who works in the Aboriginal art industry, and began spending large amounts of time in the Kimberley and Alice Springs.

“His later life was all about the Indigenous people, going out bush and having them home as well,” Adam said.

“The artists used to come and stay with him in his house — not even to paint, sometimes just as friends to visit.”

Len’s love for all living things was abundant and his appreciation for difference flowed into all aspects of his life.

“Anything different or interesting captured his eye, that included people,” Adam said.

“He didn’t care what colour or religion you were, he just loved everyone.”

Len was a friend to many and had extensive family in Broadford and Kilmore.

The funeral service for Len will be held on Thursday, March 2.