Background
Riddoch was born at Turriff, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and arrived in Victoria with his parents and family in 1851, settling in Newtown, Geelong.
Riddoch was born at Turriff, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and arrived in Victoria with his parents and family in 1851, settling in Newtown, Geelong.
He left for the Ovens River goldfields and was quite successful. He returned to Geelong and set himself up as a storekeeper and wine merchant. In 1861 he purchased Yallum Park Estate, a sheep and cattle station near Penola.
He founded the Coonawarra fruit colony there, and built a grand residence.
He was noted for his hospitality. When the Riddoch brothers dissolved their partnership in 1898, John took the southern end and broke it up for closer settlement.
George named his portion "Koorine". In 1901 he was returned to the Legislative Council as a representative of the Southern District, and retired at the end of 1909.
He was the first chairman of the Penola District Council and a great supporter of the Penola Agricultural and Horticultural Society.
He endowed the Mount Gambier Art Gallery, and presented them with his portrait, painted by Tennyson Cole.
He was a good friend of the poet Adam Lindsay Gordon, who was a frequent guest at Yallum, and there wrote arguably his most famous poem The Sick Stockrider.