FARMING properties in the renowned Tooraweenah area of the Central West Slopes seldom last long on the market, and "Bramble Aggregation" is unlikely to prove an exception.
In fact, the property's ownership pedigree speaks for itself: of the three original blocks making up the present aggregation, none has had more than one owner before the present one.
And given that three generations of the present owners, the O'Brien family, have held the property's component parts for periods spanning from 40 to 75 years, this is clearly country that people cling to.
But all good things come to an end, and with the next generation taking other directions, retirement now beckons for the two owner couples, Jamie and Alison O'Brien and Jamie's brother Roy and his wife Judy.
They have listed the 1973 hectare (4876 acre) aggregation for sale as a whole by expressions of interest with Schute Bell Property, offers to be lodged by a closing date of September 4.
It was Jamie and Roy O'Brien's grandfather, J.S. O'Brien, who founded the present dynasty when he moved from Warren in 1941 to buy the "Bramble" block from the estate of Samuel Andrews, the original settler.
His son, Martin, took over the property in 1947 and in 1953 added a portion of the adjoining "Lenark", followed by "Bellevue" in 1959 and "Wattle Creek" in 1976 to make up the present holding.
Situated 26 kilometres north of Tooraweenah and 60km east of Coonamble, "Bramble Aggregation" is a property of mostly basalt formation ranging from deep black self-mulching flats to red basalt slopes.
About 80 per cent of the total area is arable of which 360ha is currently sown to oats and barley and reportedly looking "brilliant" after well-timed rain.
Under present ownership the property is managed conservatively, with winter cropping of cereals and canola complementing a self-replacing Merino flock and prime lamb enterprise.
Although the country is now lightly stocked, the owners estimate a stocking rate capability of 2.5 ewes/ha with fodder cropping.
Natural grasses and clovers make up the pasture base and the property carries a scattering of shade trees of rosewood, kurrajong, white box, wilga and pine.
Average rainfall is 600 millimetres and stock water is supplied by three equipped bores reticulating to paddock troughs, and 11 dams.
The aggregation has three dwellings, the main ("Wattle Creek") homestead being a substantial brick structure of five bedrooms with wide verandahs, family and formal living areas, wood heating and evaporative air-conditioning.
Working improvements include a four-stand woolshed with bugle-design sheep yards, steel cattle yards, grain and machinery sheds, hayshed and nine elevated silos of 660 tonnes total capacity.
As a guide to present value, mixed farming country in the district has reportedly been selling in a range from $2000 to $2500 a hectare ($800-$1000/ac) depending on land types and improvements.
Contact Cam McIvor, 0429 900 118.
