About Ridge Wares

My grandfather, Ken Watts, started a small hardware and farm supply shed in Albany back in 1971. Nothing fancy, just a corrugated iron building on the south end of town where farmers could pick up fencing wire, feed buckets, and whatever else they needed heading into a long weekend. My dad, David, took it over in 1994 and widened the range a bit, adding pet supplies alongside the farm gear because half his customers were driving in from Manjimup or Denmark with a dog in the back of the ute anyway. I grew up stacking shelves there on school holidays and weekends, learning which products actually held up and which ones fell apart after six months of real use.

Before I took over the business side of things, I spent about eight years working in logistics and buying for a wholesale distributor out of Bunbury. That job taught me a lot about where products actually come from and what the margin between a decent product and a cheap knockoff really looks like on a pallet. I watched a lot of small regional retailers get squeezed out because they couldn't compete on price with the big chains. What they could compete on was knowing their customer, stocking things that worked, and being straight about it. That stuck with me. When Dad had a heart scare in 2019 and needed to step back, I drove up to Albany from Hobart where I'd been living, and we had a long talk about what came next.

— Thanks for shopping with us. — John, John David Watts

Our team

• Priya Nambiar — Operations and Fulfilment Lead: Priya joined Ridge Wares in early 2022 after six years running dispatch for a Launceston-based outdoor gear importer. She manages the day-to-day fulfilment out of our Moonah warehouse, which means she's responsible for every order getting packed correctly and leaving on time. Priya introduced the current pick-and-pack system that cut our average dispatch time from two days to same-day for orders placed before 1pm, and she handles all our carrier relationships with Australia Post and Sendle.
• Callum Drage — Customer Service and Returns: Callum grew up in Manjimup and moved to Hobart in 2018 to study at UTAS, staying on after graduating. He came to us in mid-2023 through a referral from a mutual contact in the local small business community. Callum handles all inbound customer enquiries, warranty claims, and returns processing, and he's the one who answers the phone. He also keeps the product FAQ pages updated based on the questions he gets asked most often, which has noticeably reduced repeat enquiries on common issues.
• Theodora Vukovic — Digital and Marketing Coordinator: Theodora worked for three years at a Hobart-based digital agency on the Salamanca waterfront before joining Ridge Wares in January 2024. She manages the website, product listings, email campaigns, and paid advertising, and she also takes most of the product photography in our small in-house studio. Theodora grew up with animals, which helps when it comes to writing honest copy about pet products rather than just copying supplier descriptions. She's currently working through a Google Analytics certification and is about halfway done.

Frequently asked questions

How long will my order take to arrive?

Standard delivery takes 3–8 business days depending on your location, with metro areas generally at the lower end. Express orders placed before 2pm AEST Monday–Friday typically arrive in 1–3 business days. Remote and regional areas may take a little longer.

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes — orders over $75 qualify for free standard shipping Australia-wide. Orders under that threshold attract a flat shipping rate calculated at checkout based on your postcode.

What carriers do you use?

We ship standard orders via Australia Post and express orders via StarTrack. Once your order leaves our Hobart workshop, you'll receive a tracking number by email so you can follow it the whole way.

Can I return a product if it doesn't suit my pet?

You can return most unused, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a refund or exchange. Perishable products like the TurkeyTreats Dehydrated Chew Sticks cannot be returned once opened for hygiene reasons. See our full returns policy for details.

How do I clean the stainless steel food bowl?

The PetSafe StayPut Stainless Steel Food Bowl is dishwasher safe — top rack is fine. If hand-washing, use warm soapy water and a non-abrasive cloth. Avoid steel wool or harsh scouring pads, as they can scratch the surface over time.

Are the TurkeyTreats chew sticks safe for dogs with allergies?

The TurkeyTreats Dehydrated Chew Sticks contain a single ingredient: dehydrated turkey. There are no added preservatives, flavourings, or fillers. That said, if your dog has a known poultry sensitivity, check with your vet before feeding.

Do you offer custom sizing or personalisation?

At this stage we don't offer custom sizing or personalised engraving on our products. John is exploring options for future ranges, but nothing is confirmed yet — sign up to our newsletter to hear about any updates first.

Do you sell wholesale?

We do accept wholesale inquiries from Australian pet stores and independent retailers. Send your business details and an idea of the products you're interested in to wholesale@ridgewares.com and we'll come back to you within 3 business days.

Customer reviews

• 5/5 “Solid bowl, stays exactly where it should” Ordered the PetSafe StayPut Stainless Steel Food Bowl after my previous one kept sliding across the kitchen tiles. Arrived in four days to Melbourne, well packaged with no rattling around in the box. My border collie hasn't moved it once since we switched — the non-slip base actually works.
• 4/5 “Good bed, delivery was quick” The Cozy Paws Orthopedic Memory Foam Dog Bed in XL arrived faster than I expected — two business days to Brisbane. My 35kg Labrador took to it straightaway and hasn't slept on the floor since. Only minor thing is the cover zipper is a little stiff, but it works fine.
• 5/5 “Finally a harness that fits properly” My cat has wriggled out of two other harnesses before I tried the WhiskerComfort Adjustable Cat Harness. The adjustable straps actually have enough range to fit her properly without any gaps. We've done three walks around the block and she seems comfortable in it.
• 4/5 “Good treats, dog goes nuts for them” Picked up the TurkeyTreats Dehydrated Chew Sticks on a recommendation from a friend. The single-ingredient thing was important to me as my staffy has a sensitive stomach. He's had no reaction and chews through them slowly, which is what I wanted. Shipping to WA took six days on standard, which is fair enough.
• 5/5 “Local and does the job well” Nice to support something coming out of Hobart. I ordered the retractable lead and it arrived the next day — obviously that's a local advantage. The tape cord on the FlexiLeash feels more solid than the string-type leads I've used before, and the brake button is easy to reach.
• 5/5 “Dog bed held up after two months” Bought the XL memory foam dog bed back in November and wanted to wait before reviewing. After two months of daily use from a 40kg Rhodesian Ridgeback, it's held its shape well. The cover washes without shrinking, which was my main concern with a bed this size.

From the journal

• Taking over the workshop, first summer in charge — Dad left the keys on the kitchen table with a note and drove to Albany, and that was the handover after forty-one years.
• Where the turkey treats actually come from, specifically — I drove up to meet the turkey treats supplier properly in October because I'd inherited the range without really knowing where it came from.
• Fitting an XL dog bed in a small Hobart house — Clancy is seven, his hip has been stiff since last winter, and I pulled one of our own stock beds to see if the memory foam actually did anything.
• Grandfather's inventory ledgers and what they show me now — Three ledgers from 1971 turned up under the workbench last month and they've changed how I think about running the stock.
• Retractable leads, what people get wrong using them — The brake button is for stopping, not for letting out line, and that single misunderstanding causes most of the problems people have with retractable leads.
• Winter stock decisions after a quick trip to Margaret River — The Cowaramup distributor had been supplying Dad since 2020 and his read on the southwest market turned out to match mine almost exactly.