ONE of the largest cattle-breeding properties in the Upper Hunter – the “Mountain Station” aggregation at Merriwa – is back in play following the death earlier this year of Queensland cotton mogul, Susan Marchant.
With estimated carrying capacity for 2000-plus breeders, the 5744-hectare (14,199ac) property has sparked keen interest from institutional and established farming interests seeking scale with low-input production.
Ms Marchant, whose family-owned RMI Pty Ltd cropping operation at Carrington Farms, Goondiwindi, Queensland, is one of Australia’s largest agribusinesses, bought “Mountain Station” in 2008 as part of a planned directional change.
She had intended to sell Carrington Farms – which went on the market in 2010 with only limited success – and shift enterprises to a less intensive cattle-breeding operation based on “Mountain Station”.
Part of Ms Marchant’s plan had also been to shift her well-known SDM Quarter Horse stud to the Hunter Valley property, and ultimately retire there herself, but circumstances dictated otherwise.
Only a fraction of the 57,000ha Carrington Farms package and its huge water entitlement found a buyer, with the result the continuing demands of RMI’s Goondiwindi operations precluded the planned move.
Now, following Ms Marchant’s unexpected death at just 66 following a short illness, “Mountain Station” has become surplus to the family’s requirements, and is for genuine sale.
The property has been listed for sale by expressions of interest with Bruce Gunning of Ray White Rural Sydney and Gavin Beard of Landmark Harcourts, Scone.
It was Mr Beard who marketed the property previously in 2008, when it was sold by Garry Rothwell’s Fernside Pastoral Company for a reported $13 million.
Mr Rothwell had held the property since 2003, when it was sold by receivers for the failed Q-Rural venture of coalmining identity John Williams, who put the aggregation together in the 1990s.
Today “Mountain Station” is managed as an extensive cattle operation, based on about 2000 breeders with calves being turned off as well-grown weaners.
According to Mr Beard, the property is now enjoying an “unbelievable” season following well-timed autumn rains, and could probably support double its present stock numbers.
Situated about 17 kilometres north of Merriwa, “Mountain Station” is a property of mostly gently undulating, open grazing country of heavy black basalt soils, with some basalt stone on higher ridge areas.
About 2000ha has been cultivated throughout the years for fodder crops and improved pasture, and about 500ha is currently under grazing oats.
The balance is native pastures, and about 300ha of green timber.
Average rainfall is 640 millimetres and the property is watered by numerous creeks and a reticulation system delivering bore water by gravity from strategically sited storage tanks to a network of paddock troughs.
The property has eight dwellings, reflecting its build-up history, including the main homestead of four bedrooms, built of Hardiplank in contemporary style with formal and family living areas.
Working improvements include two sets of steel cattle yards, four shearing sheds (unused since the property was switched to all-cattle 20 years ago), numerous sheds and about 500 tonnes of silo capacity.
Co-selling agent Bruce Gunning said the property was being offered with a “realistic” reserve, reflecting the owners’ desire to move on, and concentrate their management focus on the Goondiwindi interests.
Expressions of interest for “Mountain Station” will close with the selling agents on June 30.
Contact Bruce Gunning, 0428 667 831 or Gavin Beard, 0438 452 810.
Click here to visit the Domain Rural website.
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.
