WHEN Robyn and Richard Lyon bought the Walcha district property “Rushbrook” in 1995, it was virtually bare of improvements, and the country that had been cleared for grazing was still dotted with the stumps of the logged timber.
But it had two big things going for it: rich basalt soils and a high and reliable rainfall, the ideal prerequisites for an intensive development program to transform the former bush block into a highly productive grazing property.
And now, 20 years later, “Rushbrook” is home to a successful cattle fattening enterprise, where young cattle achieve weight gains of 1.5-2 kilograms a day on rich pastures of high-performance ryegrass, clovers, cocksfoot and fescue.
The 499 hectare (1233ac) property has also become the idyllic home base for the Lyons, who operate “Rushbrook” in conjunction with a breeding property on the Ellenborough River further east.
But now the Lyons are ready to scale down their cattle business, and “Rushbrook” has been listed for auction on December 16 by Colliers International in conjunction with Australian Wool Network.
It’s an offering with dual appeal, both as a productive and strategically located cattle fattening property and as a lifestyle farm combining seclusion, picturesque surrounds and easy access.
Situated at Yarrowitch, 65 kilometres east of Walcha via the Oxley Highway and 120km inland from Port Macquarie, “Rushbrook” combines the best natural features of the prized Eastern Fall country of the New England.
With an elevation of more than 1100 metres and a surrounding environment of rainforest-rich national parks, the property enjoys its own micro-climate, the main element of which is a prodigious and reliable average rainfall of 1550mm.
(Even during the recent drought, the lowest rainfall recorded was 1120mm.)
This, combined with the sown pastures that occupy the 300ha of arable country on “Rushbrook”, enables the property to carry from 500 to 600 cattle, which are usually a mix of Charolais-cross calves brought up from the Ellenborough River property or weaners bought in from nearby annual breeder sales.
Cattle are grown to turn-off weights of around 330kg, when they are sold over the hook into markets with EU or MSA accreditation.
The improved pasture country (which includes recent plantings of Impact 2 perennial ryegrass and high-performance Shogun hybrid ryegrass) has been supered every year since 1995, and 200 tonnes of lime has also been applied in the past two years across more than 120ha.
Pastures and livestock alike benefit from the protection afforded by remnant timbered areas through the centre of the property, while heavily timbered slopes occupy the southern and western boundaries.
The property is subdivided into 14 main paddocks, watered variously by running streams and spring-fed dams.
A feature of the property is the homestead, which was brought originally from Sydney by the present owners, later extended and most recently renovated in 1999.
Set in extensive landscaped gardens and sited to catch both sunlight and views, the three-bedroom brick veneer home boasts a modern kitchen, polished blackbutt flooring, plantation shutters and slow-combustion heating.
Working structures include steel/timber cattle yards plus machinery and hay sheds and workshop.
