ALTHOUGH it’s a decade now since the property was home to a leading cattle stud, the name “Bahreenah” still carries a certain residual cachet in Tamworth grazing and social circles.
For all of the latter half of last century, “Bahreenah” was the base of the eponymous Poll Hereford stud of the late Dr David Leake, who moved there in 1949 from the Upper Murray, renaming the property to match his already-established stud prefix.
In 2005 the Leakes sold “Bahreenah” – then comprising about 280 hectares – and relocated their stud to a larger property near Tingha, where Dr Leake’s daughter Jane now runs the stud in conjunction with a commercial cattle enterprise.
The next owner of “Bahreenah”, John Scott, sold off about 120ha of the property as a three-block subdivision, before selling the balance in 2010 to northern livestock industry identity Luke Scicluna and his wife Kate.
Having recently purchased another, larger property elsewhere in the district, the Sciclunas are now selling “Bahreenah”, and it will go to auction in Tamworth on July 20.
The sale is being handled by Daniel McCulloch of Ruralco Property Davidson Cameron at Tamworth – a logical choice, given Mr Scicluna’s “day job” as the general manager and chief auctioneer for that same Tamworth-based agency group.
“Bahreenah” today is a property of 163ha (403ac) conveniently located just 14 kilometres south of Tamworth with its regional saleyards and its Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre.
As such, and with its two quality homes, the property is ideally suited to use as a horse or cattle stud, or as a productive lifestyle farm and country residence for a local family with business or professional interests.
Originally part of “Goonoo Goonoo”, the Australian Agricultural Company’s founding station on the Peel River, “Bahreenah” is a property of gently undulating country described as about 70 per cent arable.
The present owners have used the property for growing steers from weaner to heavy feeder weights, last year turning over about 380 head with supplementary cropping, in addition to a commercial hay enterprise based on 12ha of irrigated lucerne.
Water for irrigation is sourced from a well drawn by electric pump to underground mains, backed by a 152 megalitre licence. Stock water is also supplied by a well, plus two bores reticulating to 12 troughs throughout the property, and four dams.
The main homestead is of brick construction with four bedrooms and features a large entrance foyer, polished timber floors and new carpet, ducted air conditioning, wood fires, a self-contained flat and large, northeast-facing enclosed verandah.
Both it and the three-bedroom weatherboard cottage are set in established gardens with views over Goonoo Goonoo Creek.
Working improvements include a large stud complex built for cattle but now converted to a horse barn with eight stables and associated facilities, plus two sets of steel cattle yards, machinery shed and hay shed.
According to the agents, the evidence of recent sales plus the strength of inquiry for “Bahreenah” indicates a likely bidding range around $2m.
