FOUR generations of the Widdis family have farmed "Boondari", the Willow Tree property that started life as part of the Australian Agricultural Company's vast Warrah Station.
The original "Boondari" was bought by Charles and his brother William Widdis in the mid-1920s from horse dealer Tom Barrow as an inland outstation to their "Main Camp" cattle breeding property near Casino.
They used "Boondari" - along with the adjoining "Wee Warrah" block purchased earlier - to grow out weaner cattle bred on "Main Camp", where they carried up to 1400 cows.
"Boondari" had been bought by Barrow in 1914 as a block in one of the first subdivisions of "Warrah", the 101,000-hectare Liverpool Plains holding taken up by the AA Company in 1831 as part of its inland relocation from its ill-sited original grant at Port Stephens.
As the company after 1900 looked increasingly to Queensland and the Northern Territory for expansion, the break-up of "Warrah" continued by stages until the last portion was sold as "Windy" in 1998.
Subsequent divisions of family assets saw "Boondari" come under the control of Fred Widdis and his wife Elizabeth, who some years ago made a further division between two of their sons, creating "Boondari South".
Now the 793ha homestead portion of "Boondari" is being sold to settle a family partnership, and it has been listed for sale by expressions of interest with Richard Cudmore of Ruralco Davidson Cameron Real Estate.
Situated 30 kilometres south of Quirindi, the 793ha (1960ac) "Boondari" is one of the "pick" properties of the Liverpool Plains, ideally suited to a balanced mix of livestock breeding, finishing and year-round cropping.
The country rises from heavy black self-mulching basalt soils to lighter red loams with some stony ridges, lightly timbered with shade and shelter trees of kurrajong, box and apple.
About 280ha of the total area is cultivated and used for cash or fodder crops, while the grazing country is contoured, rotationally grazed, and well-covered with plains grass and other native pastures.
Estimated to carry 200 or more breeders and fatten progeny, the property is also well-suited to backgrounding, and has run sheep in the past.
Stock water is supplied by a main bore pumping to header tanks for reticulation to paddock troughs, with a second bore as back-up.
The main homestead is an attractive brick residence of five bedrooms with open-plan kitchen and living areas, north-facing verandah and three-bay garage with workshop area.
It is complemented by a second five-bedroom home and a three-bedroom cottage, both of timber construction, and all three dwellings boast split system air conditioning, slow combustion heating and expansive views.
Working improvements include steel and timber cattle yards with covered working area, stable with tack room and day yards and three-stand shearing shed with sheepyards.
Expressions of interest close with the selling agent on May 1.
Contact Richard Cudmore, 0428 658 497.