A LARGE-scale western pastoral spread straddling the NSW-Queensland border and dog fence has returned to the market for private sale, just as the season appears to be turning in its favour.
The “Talyealye”/“Karto” aggregation at Hungerford is one of the remaining pastoral assets of Hunter Valley cattleman Manuel Fernandes, who is in the final stages of his phased retirement from the industry.
Last year he sold his “Wanaka” property at Merriwa, and in 2014 his Comara Station at Bellbrook, leaving him now with just “Talyealye”/“Karto”, his “Cuttabunda Aggregation” at Goodooga (also for sale), and his Sandy Hollow home property.
Comprising some 107,000 hectares (265,000ac) fronting the main Hungerford road 220 kilometres northwest of Bourke, “Talyealye”/“Karto” was originally listed for private sale in 2010, and subsequently went to auction without result in 2013.
In both those cases, the season was a mitigating factor, but following falls of around 100mm in recent months, the country is now starting to turn and if cyclical factors come into play, the property could be on the threshold of better times.
The property has been listed for sale by Mr Fernandes’ Hunter Valley agent, G.M. Llwewlyn and Company of Merriwa, as a walk-in, walk-out package including livestock and plant, with offers invited around $5 million.
With a rated carrying capacity of 21,500 DSE and a history of carrying up to 2500 breeders for the present owner, the property is of a scale likely to attract offshore as well as local investor interest – especially as part of a larger, integrated operation.
It is currently lightly stocked with about 1100 cows and 200 young cattle, all of Brahman-infused breeding, and in earlier times carried sheep.
A sizeable feral goat population also generates useful income from an annual muster.
Mr Fernandes bought the property as an aggregation in 2000 from the Sandral family, as a breeding base to supply grower and fattener cattle for his higher-rainfall eastern properties.
The “Talyealye” (NSW) section of the aggregation has a long and colourful ownership history, having been taken up in the 1860s by Simpson Newland, son of a pioneer settler in South Australia and earlier co-founder of “Marra” on the Darling.
Newland later returned to Adelaide where he became a leading colonial figure, parliamentarian and author, while “Talyealye” – originally a holding of some 100,000ha - entered a phase of company ownership before reverting to private hands in the 1940s.
Described as predominantly red sandy loam country with areas of heavier flood-out adjoining the Paroo River and good stands of mulga, “Talyealye”/“Karto” supports a wide range of native grasses and seasonal herbage.
Average rainfall is about 300mm and the property is watered by a long (12km) double-frontage to the Paroo River and 16 bores, reticulating to watering points.
There is a five-bedroom 1950s brick homestead on “Talyealye” and a four-bedroom home on “Karto”.
