AS local and offshore investors circle, the big pastoral listings keep coming, and now one of the Bourke district’s larger aggregations is back on the market – this time, to be sold.
The aggregation, “Talyealye”/“Karto”, is a 105,218 hectare (260,000ac) sprawl which straddles the NSW/Queensland border at Hungerford, 225 kilometres north-west of Bourke.
It is owned by Manuel Fernandes from Sandy Hollow in the Hunter Valley, who bought it in 2000 from the Sandral family as a cattle breeding base for other properties he then owned, further east.
Mr Fernandes has already offloaded most of his higher-rainfall country in a phased reduction program that started in 2014 in response to his advancing age and deteriorating health.
He previously listed “Talyealye”/“Karto” for sale as part of his retirement plan in 2010, later putting it to auction without result in 2013 and listing it privately again last year, when offers were invited around $5 million.
Now he is committed to a sale, and the property has been listed for June 22 auction in Bourke, with Landmark Walsh Hughes of Bourke and G.M. Llewelyn and Company of Merriwa.
The property is for genuine sale, and on the basis of recent sales of comparable country, it is expected to attract bidding around $3.8-$4 million, or less than $40/ha ($16/ac).
At this price, and given its rated carrying capacity of 21,500 DSE and its history of running up to 2500 cows for the present owner, the offering should appeal as a low-cost breeding investment.
“Talyealye”, the larger of the two contiguous holdings, comprising about 63,000ha, is itself an aggregation of “Talyealye” and “Weebah”. It was incorporated with “Karto” during the 1980s.
Situated immediately south of Hungerford where it has a long double frontage to the Paroo River, “Talyealye” also straddles the main roads leading south to Wanaaring and Bourke.
During the mid-1900s it was held for many years by the Robinson family, who built the present homestead. Before that it was part of the Marra Pty Ltd pastoral empire.
The station, originally some 100,000ha in extent, was taken up in the 1860s by Simpson Newland from a founding South Australian family, and is featured in a semi-autobiographical novel he later wrote.
Situated immediately south of Hungerford where it has a long double frontage to the Paroo River, “Talyealye” also straddles the main roads leading south to Wanaaring and Bourke.
“Karto”, which joins “Talyealye” to the north, across the border dog fence, lies to the west and north-west of Hungerford, and joins the Currawinya National Park.
Described as flat, mostly open, red to sandy mulga country, the property received good rains last year and carries a good cover of grasses plus saltbush and edible salines.
Average rainfall is about 300mm and the property is watered by 17 bores (not all equipped), plus waterholes in the Paroo, and seasonal creek systems.
Although now used exclusively for cattle breeding, the property has a longer history of running Merino sheep, and derives useful income from goat musters. It also has potential for earning carbon credits.
A comfortable brick homestead built in the 1950s alongside a lagoon on the Paroo has four bedrooms, extensive living areas and gauzed breezeways.
- Contact: Greg Seiler, 0429 701 136; Huw Llewelyn, 0429 482 291.
