Five generations of the Crowley family have lived on the Hunter Valley property called “Woodbury” since Daniel Crowley first bought the original title in the late 1800s.
The original block has been progressively added to over the years, and today “Woodbury” is a substantial grazing property of 832 hectares (2057ac).
But the family line has now run out, and the property has been listed for sale by its fourth-generation owners, Yvonne Rice and her brother Ken Cowley (not the well-known businessman of the same name).
It is being marketed by Tavis Chivers of Dillon and Company, Dungog and David Nolan of Webster Nolan Real Estate, Sydney and will go to auction on June 27 with bidding expected around $2 million.
Straddling the Paterson River at Carrabolla on the southern slopes of Barrington Tops, “Woodbury” combines productive cattle breeding country with a spectacularly scenic location.
The property is also rich in local history, having once been the site of the Carrabolla post office and a social centre for the surrounding community.
Situated 36 kilometres north of Gresford and 65km from Dungog, “Woodbury” originally contained rich stands of timber including red cedar and sought-after hardwoods, which were logged for use on neighbouring farms.
Bullock teams were used to haul the logs, while Clydesdale horses were also bred on “Woodbury” and used for tilling the river flats where fodder and vegetable crops were grown.
When the homestead was being built, during the First World War, the timber for use in its construction was pit-sawn on the property, hauled by bullock wagon to Paterson and from there floated down-river to Newcastle for dressing.
Today “Woodbury” consists of about 10ha of alluvial flats, 600ha of open grazing slopes interspersed with timber breaks, and 200ha of forested hill country rich in rare and valuable timbers.
Introduced pastures have been established on the river flats and areas of hill country, complementing the predominant native grasses, and fertiliser applied to the main breeding paddocks (including 60 tonnes of MO super in the past 12 months).
For the past eight years the river flats have received applications of Aftergraze and single super at a rate of 150kg/ha.
The property in its present condition typically supports 120 breeding cows and 120 dry cattle including herd replacements, although the owners estimate a stocking capability of 200 cows and calves.
Underpinning the property’s productivity is its generous 1000 millimetre average rainfall and abundant stock water from a 2km frontage (single and double) to the Paterson River, creeks and dams.
A feature of “Woodbury” is its timber homestead, completed in 1919 after five years of construction and the scene in early days of community dances, tennis parties and meetings.
Recently re-roofed, with verandahs all round and a new bathroom, the four-bedroom homestead is notable for its well-preserved internal linings of red cedar milled on the property.
Adjoining the homestead is a coolroom and an assortment of sheds including the slab building erected in 1917 as the local post office, which has been recently refurbished.
Working improvements include three sets of timber cattle yards, the newest featuring Weean design and under-cover crush, a machinery shed, hay shed and feed shed.
- Agents: Tavis Chivers, 0428 921 704; David Nolan, 0447 278 236.
