A WELLINGTON district property recently listed for sale was a focus of landholder attention under a previous extended ownership as a shining example of what could be achieved with native pastures.
During their 50-year tenure, which ended in 2006, the Taylor family demonstrated on “Pine Park” that native grasses, contrary to popular belief, could be harnessed to underpin a productive grazing operation.
By using grazing management to promote the growth and spread of productive natives like microlaena and danthonia, the Taylors were able to improve ground cover and soil structure, reduce dependence on artificial fertilisers and better equip their country to cope with drought.
The Taylors, who acquired the Mumblebone Merino stud while on “Pine Park”, have since moved to adjoining properties where they continue to practise native pasture enhancement.
But the legacy of their pasture development work, and conservative grazing management, lives on at “Pine Park” and is now available to a new owner, following the listing of the property for private sale.
Current owners, the Holland family, who also own adjoining country, are selling “Pine Park” to reduce their workload and allow for succession.
They have listed the property with Peter Dwyer of Ruralco Property Davidson Cameron Real Estate in Dubbo with a price tag of $2.9 million.
Situated 24 kilometres south-east of Wellington and just north of Lake Burrendong, the 1692 hectare (4183ac) “Pine Park” is highly regarded locally as a well-managed grazing property ideally suited to sheep or cattle breeding and woolgrowing.
It is currently running Merino ewes and wethers and a Hereford breeding herd, within a vendor-estimated optimum carrying capacity of about 6000 DSE.
The property was originally much larger, and owned by the Killen family, before resumptions for Burren-
dong Dam took away most of the land (and homestead), leaving the area bought by the Taylors in 1956.
Like most grazing properties in higher-rainfall areas, “Pine Park” received the standard pasture improvement treatment of “super and sub” in the 1960s, before the Taylors realised that the runaway clover was inhibiting growth of potentially useful native perennial grasses.
Since that “light bulb moment”, which happened in about 1970, the country has been managed and stocked in ways designed to encourage year-round growth of productive native grasses.
Today the results of that approach are evident in the dense bulk of feed now cloaking the “Pine Park” hillsides: sub-clovers interspersed with vigorous stands of microlaena, danthonia and other valuable natives.
Comprising mostly undulating to hilly country, with about 160ha suitable for cropping, “Pine Park” is considered more tablelands than slopes country, and enjoys a relatively high 650mm average rainfall.
The property fronts the Ilgingery Creek which has permanent holes, and is abundantly watered otherwise by 23 troughs fed by three bores (two solar) and 16 dams.
A central fenced laneway divided into five sections facilitates stock movement between the property’s 30 paddocks and the two sets (each) of sheep and cattle yards.
Other working improvements include a four-stand woolshed and two machinery sheds.
The homestead is a comfortable weatherboard structure set in attractive gardens overlooking the creek. It has four bedrooms, wood heating, reverse-cycle air conditioning and polished timber floors.
Higher parts of “Pine Park” are within an area proposed for the Uungula Wind Farm which, were it to proceed, could see 20 turbines erected on the property.
Contact Peter Dwyer, 0418 266 523.
Peter Austin
Former editor and long time columnist and property writer for The Land.
Former editor and long time columnist and property writer for The Land.
