Well-timed rains earlier this month have set the scene for crop sowing and pre-winter pasture growth on “Bonny Rigg”, the versatile Rowena district property long held by the Pawley family.
“Bonny Rigg”, which has been listed for auction on April 27 with Michael Guest of Rural Property NSW, is an aggregation of three adjoining holdings totalling 3500 hectares (8647ac).
The main “Bonny Rigg” portion, comprising 1993ha, was purchased by George Pawley in 1952 from Thomas Fleming. “Kungi South”, of 712ha, was added in 1984 and “Corrah South”, of 796ha, in the early 1990s.
Ownership passed to George’s son Bert, and upon his death to his wife Pearl, whose son Terry with his wife Meg now live on the property and manage it.
“Bonny Rigg” is being offered for sale now as part of a succession plan, and as such, affords a rare entry opportunity to a tightly-held area for a serious investor or an established farming family.
Until recent times the property was operated as a woolgrowing venture, carrying 2000 Rossmore-blood Merino ewes, but since 2006 the focus has been on cattle breeding, supplemented by cropping.
Situated at Bulyeroi, 35 kilometres east of Rowena and 90km from both Moree and Narrabri, “Bonny Rigg” sits within the fertile strip bounded to the north by Moomin Creek and to the south by Thalaba Creek.
The property comprises mostly level, open plains country of black and grey self-mulching soils, timbered originally by coolabah, whitewood, weeping myall, boonery, wilga and western rosewood.
Well suited to both summer and winter cropping, the property has 485ha cleared for cultivation which is used to grow fodder crops for grazing and hay.
A further 1500ha of country with light timber covering has been partly farmed in the past and could offer scope for future development.
However, the property’s production is chiefly underpinned by its native pasture covering which includes good stands of Mitchell, Coolah and plains grasses, seasonal medics and herbages.
Production under present management is centred on a Hereford breeding herd, with progeny being grown out and fattened on crop to heavy trade turn-off weights.
Although currently understocked in the lead-up to sale, “Bonny Rigg” has a rated carrying capacity of 7000 DSE and as an all-cattle operation is considered capable of running 350-400 breeders.
Average rainfall is 575mm and stock water is reticulated to 29 troughs throughout the property from 15 tanks fed by a capped and piped bore.
The main homestead of four bedrooms is complemented by a second three-bedroom home with new bathroom and four-car carport.
Both homes are serviced by a 40ML dam filled from overland flows.
Working infrastructure includes two steel machinery sheds (enclosed) and concrete-floored workshop, steel cattle yards designed to handle 350 head, a five-stand shearing shed, hayshed and six silos of 550-tonne total capacity.
Based on recent sales results, “Bonny Rigg” is expected to attract bidding in a range of $7 to $10 million when submitted to auction in Narrabri.