Frank Manintveld has always had a passion for farming and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
A love for being outside and working with animals made him the perfect fit for dairy — a job he's loved doing for many years.
Currently living on a 69.6 ha dairy farm just outside Warragul in southern Victoria, Frank tends to the 180 Jersey cows that call the farm home.
Originally from Holland, Frank made the move to Australia in 1960 when he was in his early 20s.
He has lived on his farm since 1963 with his late wife Margaret, carrying on her family’s business.
He only retired about three years ago, and still helps out a little here and there and does the books.
One of his three sons, Evan, now works the farm and continues on the family tradition.
Frank, 83, studied agriculture in Holland once he finished school, and always knew it was what he wanted to do.
“You gotta love to be a farmer to really succeed. It’s hard work,” he said.
Before he was allowed to come to Australia though, he had to enlist in the army for 18 months which is mandatory in Holland.
He was offered officer training but ultimately turned it down to be able to move to Australia.
About six years ago he decided that he wanted to improve his bookkeeping skills and at the age of 77 went back to studying.
What was supposed to be a short course turned into a six-year university degree.
In May last year Frank officially graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration Management from Laureate International Universities.
“I tried to do a bit more bookkeeping and ended up studying a whole degree,” he said.
The course was online and meant Frank went through a steep learning curve but was aided by his professors, with one taking the time on a Sunday afternoon to walk Frank through how to use their online system.
“Using the computer was the hardest part about the course,” he said.
And he is grateful he persevered.
“Anything I learned in my business degree has been applicable to our farm,” he said.
But the best advice he received wasn’t a business model but a mindset.
“You learn more from your mistakes than you do from anything else,” he said.
“If you don’t know something, ask.”
Frank’s advice to anyone who is interested in upskilling, is that it’s never too late.