Buchanan bullock country

The property, “L’lara”, was once a part of the vast Killarney Station holding of W.F. Buchanan, the Irish-born brother of the legendary overlander and Top End explorer, Nathaniel (“Nat”) Buchanan.

Before it started to be broken up in 1907, “Killarney” was a run of more than 40,000 hectares, extending from Narrabri town to the Nandewar Range and shearing up to 150,000 sheep in its 40-stand woolshed.

It was also used by Buchanan to fatten cattle for consignment to Homebush market, including bullocks overlanded in mobs of up to 5000 from his Wave Hill Station in the Northern Territory.

The property now for sale as “L’lara” (a Welsh name) is owned by Ron and Gloria Campey, who bought it in 1977 as a subdivision of “Mulgate”, owned by the McCartney family (who retained the “Mulgate” name and homestead).

Comprising 1838 hectares (4542ac), “L’lara” is being offered for sale for only the second time since it was carved off the original station, to enable the owners to retire.

It has been listed with Michael Guest of Ruralco Property Davidson Cameron for sale by tender, with bids – expected in a range upward of $5000/ha ($2000/ac) – to be lodged by a closing date of September 1.

Now managed predominantly for farming, “L’lara” comprises about 90 per cent plains country, of which just over 1000ha is under cultivation, and the balance used for grazing.

The farming country is subject to two independent leases which are due to expire in June 2015, at which time they can be either terminated or extended, at the purchaser’s discretion.

Situated 12 kilometres east of Narrabri, “L’lara” lies in a favoured cropping area characterised by easily-worked grey to chocolate loam soils and generous rainfall (average 660mm) influenced by the nearby ranges.

The property is flanked by the ephemeral Mulgate Creek, which is lined with myall, wilga and box timber. Otherwise the country is mostly open, apart from a small timbered hill near the homestead.

When the Campeys were actively farming, they regularly featured in local crop competitions with their winter and summer crops, grown in well-planned rotations using tramline and minimum-till systems.

Notable yields in past years have included dryland cotton at 7.9 bales/ha, wheat at 8.1t/ha and sorghum at 8.9t/ha. This year’s dryland cotton crop came in at 3.2 bales/ha, well ahead of the two bales/ha district average.

As earlier owners proved, the country is also well suited to livestock enterprises, and the present owners run 165 breeding cows on their grazing country of natural pasture and introduced clovers and medics.

The property is well watered by dams (including a large dam off Horse Arm Creek) and two equipped bores, while the mostly gently sloping country is stabilised by contour banks which were renewed in 2013.

A feature of “L’lara” is its elegant modern homestead, built in 1992 and incorporating ducted air conditioning and a double garage. It is set in attractive landscaped gardens with a clay tennis court.

Working improvements include two machinery sheds and workshop, 2000 tonnes of (aerated) silo grain storage, a 50-tonne weighbridge and cattle yards with crush and loading ramp.

Contact Michael Guest, 0429 921 700.