Reliable Rocky River

The grazing, open woodland property is currently owned by Toby Smith, a former mayor of Tenterfield for seven years who also served on the local council from 1999 to 2013.

His great grandfather Merton Smith first took up the property - at the time it was a holding extending to virtually the entire Rocky River Valley in the vicinity of about 32,000 acres (about 12,950ha).

His son, William Henry, continued the ownership and the property pulled back to about 16,000ac (about 6475ha), and that land was then divided between four sons, one of whom was Colin Smith, Toby's father.

The property today covers about 1633ha (4060ac), with Toby Smith taking up ownership in 1968.

Gold was discovered in the valley in the 1870s, and at the time the property produced meat for the gold miners.

Later, with the advent of the railway at Tenterfield, cattle were sold to southern buyers.

During the ownership of Colin Smith, cattle on the property were bred as weaners and were sold to store buyers as far south as the Riverina and into Victoria.

Toby Smith owns additional country closer to Tenterfield, and has produced calves on Rocky River Station which are then grown out to feedlot weights on the other property.

Mr Smith said the property received good rainfall, with an annual average of about 1000mm, and with about 800mm having already fallen so far this year.

Mr Smith said the purchase of Rocky River Station would prove to be an ideal opportunity for a buyer to take advantage of a strong cattle market and get into the beef industry.

"Not only is it a good cattle property it is also, scenically, very beautiful," he said.

Most of the country is accessible by four wheel drive.

Given the extensive, four- generation family ownership and a strong emotional attachment, Mr Smith said he was reluctantly selling Rocky River Station, given age and succession reasons, seeing it as a good time to move on.

"I think that whoever buys it will enjoy it as much as we have," he said.

He said he expected the property to appeal to a range of buyers, extending from those people seeking to expand their current holdings - it would complement a smaller holding on the North Coast perhaps, or would attract those from western areas seeking higher rainfall.

He said it could also serve as a great recreational property combined with cattle production.

Soils are mostly granite and pastures predominantly native grasses, and there is a small portion on the flats of the property of about 20ha (50ac) which is suited to growing oats, as has been carried out in the past.

Rocky River Station is about 65 kilometres east of Tenterfield.

It is listed for a September 18 auction through Mark Clothier and Ben Sharpe of Ray White Rural Tenterfield.

Structures include a three bedroom timber house constructed in 1932 and various sheds, while Mr Smith said fencing was in good order.

Highlights include good water from several creeks and rivers.