A MOVE to wind up a long-standing three-way family partnership has triggered the listing of a well-known Purlewaugh Valley property in prime Northern Slopes grazing country.
The property, "Uliman", boasts 90 years of ownership by the Bruce family - a dynasty established when Charles Bruce, a Sydney medico, bought it as a 13,892 acre (5624 hectare) station for his sons, with stock and plant, in 1923.
At the time, "Uliman" was one of the several large stations occupying that western fringe of the Liverpool Plains.
Neighbouring stations included "Bomera", "Bando", "Garrawilla" and "Ulamambri".
The property grew to 17,600 acres with the annexation of a portion of "Bomera" in 1934, but was subsequently trimmed down by resumptions for post-war soldier settlement, and a family asset split in the 1970s.
Today "Uliman" is a manageable holding of 1020ha (2520ac), operated by David Bruce (Dr Bruce's great-grandson) and his wife Cynthia, in partnership with David's father, Alec (now retired, in Coonabarabran) and sister Sally (at Walcha).
With their sons pursuing other careers, David and Cynthia Bruce plan to retain an adjoining 400ha block where they live, "Uliman South", and sell the main property to wind up the family partnership.
They have listed the property with Michael Guest of Ruralco Davidson Cameron Real Estate and it will go to auction in Coonabarabran on November 5 with bidding expected in a range of $1750-$2250/ha ($700-$900/ac).
Situated near Purlewaugh, 42 kilometres east of Coonabarabran, "Uliman" is a property of level to gently-sloping country with rich black and chocolate basalt soils running to heavy red and light loams.
About two-thirds of the total area is arable, 120ha of which is now sown to grazing oats.
The balance of the country is a mix of native and introduced pastures, including 140ha sown to lucerne and phalaris and good stands of clovers and summer grasses.
This supports a cattle breeding enterprise based on 330 cows and calves, with progeny grown out to yearling weights for sale to local EU-accredited feedlots.
Average rainfall is 600mm and the property is watered by the semi- permanent Saltwater Creek, seven dams and two bores, one equipped and supplying a reticulation scheme servicing 12 paddocks.
The five-bedroom weatherboard homestead was built in the early 1950s and has high ceilings, formal lounge and dining rooms, large kitchen/pantry and north-facing enclosed verandah.
Close to the homestead are several original station buildings now serving other uses, and some distance away the original 16-stand shearing shed, today equipped with four electric stands and in good condition, but unused since the 1960s.
Working improvements currently in use include a new set of steel Weean-design cattle yards, steel machinery shed, hayshed and silos.
The property has a history of successful sheep and cereal cropping production before being tailored to its present all-cattle regime, and offers scope for further development or diversification.
Contact Michael Guest, 0429 921 700.
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.
