A highly respected Western Riverina grazing property held by the one extended family since the 1940s has been listed for sale in one of the local market highlights of the spring selling season.
“Emu Park” at Deniliquin is owned by well-known Riverina pastoralist Joyce McConnell (nee McDonald) and her sisters, Claire Vance and Margot McDonald, trading as Emu Park Pastoral Company.
The property has been held by the family since it was purchased some 70 years ago from T.G. White by C.H. McDonald and Sons to operate in conjunction with their “Old Cobran” Merino stud and other Riverina holdings.
In 1962 the McDonald holdings were split between six brothers, and Angus McDonald (the current owners’ late father) received “Emu Park” and “Glencoe”, to which “Belaley” at Hay was later added, and “Meringle”, which Mrs McConnell bought for herself.
All have since been sold apart from “Emu Park”, and the sale of this property will wind up the family’s rural interests.
Situated on the Wakool River 30 kilometres west of Deniliquin, “Emu Park” is a property of 4352 hectares (10,755ac) locally renowned for the quality of its Merino sheep, prime lambs and Hereford cattle.
It has been listed for sale by expressions of interest with Elders Deniliquin, on a bare basis but with a successful purchaser having first option to buy selected livestock and plant.
Although managed successfully by Mrs McConnell for many years as a grazing concern for breeding and fattening, “Emu Park” offers potential for further diversification, including intensive irrigation.
Comprising of mostly open plains country interspersed with retained timber clumps for shade and shelter, “Emu Park” has a productive mix of alluvial and red to grey clay loam soils.
Careful development of the property has resulted in excellent pasture cover of native grasses, trefoil and medics, supplemented by lucerne and annual plantings of winter crops.
Under current management, the property supports a Merino flock of 3500 ewes (including the Glen Emu Poll Merino stud) which are mated to Merino and White Suffolk rams, and a top-notch Hereford herd of 200 breeders based on Yarram Park bloodlines.
Also now on hand are 200 steers being grown under contract to the JBS feedlot at Narrandera and 200 replacement and surplus heifers.
Water access is a feature of “Emu Park”, thanks to its nine kilometre double frontage to the Wakool River and a 4.5km frontage to the Yallakool River.
A Murray Irrigation supply channel also transects the property, from which stock water is piped to large dams.
An area of about 520ha developed for contour irrigation is used to grow Wedgetail wheat for grazing and fodder with undersown lucerne and clovers.
The property comes with 83 MIL water entitlements and 2080 MIL delivery entitlements, and additional water is sourced as required each year on the temporary market.
A comfortable brick veneer homestead which serves as the manager’s residence has three bedrooms, living area with polished timber floors, slow combustion heating and split system air conditioning.
Working structures include a six-stand shearing shed with new Arrow Farmquip steel sheep yards to work 2500 head, steel cattle yards, machinery and hay sheds, workshop and silos.
It’s to be sold by expression of Interest closing November 29 2017 at 5pm at Elders Deniliquin.
