Killer Pies creator Kate Wendt has once again taken out gold, silver and bronze medals at The Great Aussie Pie Competition. Photos: Supplied.
An act of kindness to her neighbour has gone full circle, with the Riverina’s Killer Pies creator Kate Wendt winning gold in a medal trifecta at the prestigious annual Great Aussie Pie Competition.
Killer Pies won the gold medal in the national competition’s Gourmet Game Pie category for Kate’s Goatfather Feral Goat Curry Pie.
Calling it her “contract killer”, Kate said the pie was created “for one job; to take out the competition”.
“We developed the Goatfather pie specifically for the game section and could not be happier with the gold medal,” Ms Wendt said.
The medal haul continued with a silver medal for Kate’s Bandito Chicken and Chorizo pie, and a bronze medal for her Lethal Lamb Shank pie, which incidentally won a silver medal last year.
“We are happy dancing at the wins.”
Killer Pies’ Lethal Lamb Shank Pie has again been awarded a medal at The Great Aussie Pie Competition 2026. Photo: Supplied.
How Kate developed the Goatfather gold medal-winning pie began when she offered to help a neighbouring farmer who was dealing with feral goats damaging his property.
Across NSW, feral goats cause millions of dollars damage annually to crops, topsoil and fences and they are a habitat and biodiversity threat to 120 plant and animal species as they compete for food and water sources.
However like some other savvy farmers, Kate combined regional biosecurity with her skills as an award-winning chef and made a successful business opportunity.
“Feral goats are a huge problem. A neighbour was shooting them so I took some off his hands, fattened them up and now we have award-winning pies paddock to plate,” Kate said.
Killer Pies are made in the commercial kitchen at the stunning Roseleigh Manor located halfway between Junee and Wagga.
As well as being home to Killer Pies, Roseleigh Manor is an in-demand function and accommodation venue. Photo: Marguerite McKinnon.
The stately manor was originally on the successful pastoral station owned by the Leahy family in the 1800s, which became a prisoner of war camp in the Second World War, then a convent for Catholic nuns and a secluded place to house unwedded mothers when society deemed them a scandal. It then became a Catholic retreat centre before Kate bought the property and rolled out extensive repairs and renovations before unveiling it as a restaurant and function centre with luxury and budget accommodation.
Killer Pies began in 2017 with small batch numbers that ramped up during COVID in 2020. Since then word of mouth, and specifically taste, has seen pie lovers seek out Killer Pies at market days around Wagga and the Riverina, or buy them online.
The name Killer Pies is a salute to paddock to plate, but also Kate’s penchant for dark humour and being unapologetically unique.
“We have embraced the concept and given our pies killer identities to go with their killer taste,” Kate said.
”Each one is unique in its own way with its own flavours and its own development,” Kate said.
Killer Pies customer Emily who is the chef at Danny’s Kitchen at Junee’s Red Cow pub, bought a silver medal-winning Bandito Chicken and Chorizo pie from Alison Dunedin at the Killer Pies stall at Junee’s inaugural Canola Gateway Festival. Photo: Marguerite McKinnon.
The Great Aussie Pie Competition has also recognised other pie makers across the Riverina.
Deniliquin Bakery in the south was awarded bronze and silver medals for 12 pies, pasties and sausage rolls.
Gundagai Bakery in the east won bronze and silver medals for five pies and a sausage roll.
Tumbarumba Bakery in the east near the Snowy Mountains took out silver for its mince sausage roll, and bronze for its cheese and bacon sausage roll.
To the west in Hillston, Uncle Marty’s Bakery won bronze medals for its plain meat pie and bacon and egg pie, and silver for its chicken, mango and sweet potato pie.
Original Article published by Marguerite McKinnon on Region Riverina.
