ONE of the landmark properties in the Cudal “dress circle” area of the Central West will go under the auctioneer’s hammer next week – some of it for only the third time since early settlement.
On offer is the “Montcalm” property of well-known equestrian and cattleman Peter Taubman, who is selling reluctantly as a result of a lingering injury resulting from a horse fall a few years ago.
“Montcalm” is a substantial mixed farming property of 941 hectares (2342ac), situated on prime basalt country fronting the Canowindra road just south of the town of Cudal, about 40 kilometres west of Orange.
Mr Taubman (initially in partnership) bought the first 250ha portion of the present-day “Montcalm” in 1980 from Toby Williams. Before that, it was held since the 1880s with other country by three generations of the Carman family.
The property was featured in The Land in 1937 when, in the hands of Edwin Carman and his son Ray, it was one of the finalists in the first “Master Farmer” competition, and in the years following was regularly among the winners of crop competitions.
Since buying the initial block, Mr Taubman has built up the property with successive annexations of four other blocks, three of them originally part of the Carmans’ “Montcalm”.
He has now listed the property for sale with Ray White Emms Mooney and it will go to live online auction on December 9, with recent sales indicating a likely price in the vicinity of $5000/ha ($2000/ac).
Described as 65-70 per cent arable, “Montcalm” comprises gently undulating country of predominantly red and black basalt soils.
About 40pc of the area is sown to introduced pastures of phalaris, cocksfoot, fescue and sub-clovers, the balance being native grasses and clover or fodder crop (up to 80ha sown in rotation each year).
Water is a feature of the property, with average rainfall of about 660mm and generous frontages to both the Boree Creek and Bourimbla Creek, plus an equipped well, seven dams and access to town water.
As managed by the present owner, “Montcalm” supports a cattle breeding operation based on about 300 Hereford and “blue roan” cows, plus about 100 horses in the owner’s Amaranda Pony stud and Montcalm Stock Horse stud.
However, the country is well suited to a wide range of enterprises, including prime lamb production. It was once home to a Dorset Horn stud.
The four-bedroom double-brick homestead, built originally for the Carmans, with later extensions, has verandahs on three sides, an open-plan kitchen/dining area, formal living rooms, polished floorboards and an attractive garden setting.
Working improvements include four sets of steel cattle yards (all with water laid on and loading ramps), a two-stand raised board shearing shed with steel sheep yards, five machinery sheds, four hay sheds, a workshop and three-bay horse stable complex.
A successful buyer will have first right of negotiation for the prized cattle herd.
