AFTER a gruelling week in the so-called bearpit that is State Parliament in Sydney's Macquarie Street, the late Sir John Fuller - like many a rural politician before and after him - would relish a return to the farm.
In the case of Sir John, a long-serving Country Party (now Nationals) Member of the Legislative Council and government minister, it was a return to his Coolah grazing property, "Kallateenee".
He had held the property since 1939, passing on management progressively to his son, Bryan, and now after 76 years of one-family ownership, Bryan and his wife Margot are selling "Kallateenee" to ease into retirement.
The property has been listed for private sale with Chris Meares (himself a former Coolah stock and station agent) of Sydney-based Meares and Associates, with a price tag of $2 million.
Comprising 1671 hectares (4129ac), "Kallateenee" is a conservatively managed property now used for cattle breeding and fattening, but with a history that also takes in Merino and crossbred sheep and cropping.
Other properties nearby are significant producers of pasture seed and hay, and "Kallateenee" offers scope for further development in one of a number of possible directions.
Alternatively, it might suit a city-based buyer who likes it just as it is, as a low-stress, sustainably-managed grazing property in a picturesque setting handy to markets and services.
The property occupies gently undulating valley country about 18 kilometres west of Coolah, where the country rises from alluvial flats to grazing slopes of sandy loam soils.
Of the total area, 728ha is native timber (including potentially millable ironbark) which forms a visual backdrop on the south-western side of the property, leaving about 900ha developed for grazing and cropping.
More than 300ha of this has been sown to high-performance pastures including sub and white clovers, Digitaria, serradella and Consol lovegrass, leaving a balance of native pastures oversown with sub-clover.
Virtually all of the cleared country is accessible by vehicle and most of it arable, of which about 110ha is cropped each winter to grazing oats.
Shade trees of apple, yellow box and grey box have been retained to give the open country a park-like appearance - an impression further enhanced by the two permanent creeks that wind through the property.
Average rainfall is 675 millimetres and apart from the two creeks, the property is amply watered by a well reticulating to paddock troughs, and dams.
Two bores (one equipped) provide further water security.
Under present management "Kallateenee" has typically supported a breeding herd of about 250 cows with progeny either being fattened for market or backgrounded for local feedlots.
In response to current seasonal conditions the breeding herd has been trimmed back to 180 head, and the country is reportedly in good heart.
An attractive weatherboard homestead of four bedrooms with a north-easterly aspect is set in established gardens with an in-ground pool and tennis court.
Built as a cottage for a young John Fuller in 1940 and extended in stages to become the present comfortable country home, it features formal lounge and dining rooms and an open-plan family room.
Additional accommodation for guests or workers is provided by a two-bedroom cottage (the original "Kallateenee" homestead).
Working improvements include round-timber (ironbark) cattle yards with steel race and crush, three-stand shearing shed (unused in recent years), two machinery sheds, a workshop and silos.
Contact Meares and Associates, (02) 9362 8111
