AFTER 70 years of one-family ownership the Coonabarabran district property “Ringwood” is on the selling block, in what is being seen locally as a timely pointer to farmland values.
The Ulamambri property has an impressive ownership pedigree and a rich history of mixed farming productivity and now awaits a new owner to realise its full potential.
Comprising 1274 hectares (3155 acres), “Ringwood” is owned by Stephen and Fiona Border and Stephen’s mother, Margaret, whose husband Gordon died last year.
It is being sold to finalise family affairs and has been listed by Chris Korff of Ray White Korff and Company, Coonabarabran, for auction on March 19.
It was Gordon’s mother, Gertrude Border, who bought the original “Ringwood” in 1945 for her two sons, Gordon and Doug.
Previously, the property was owned by Carlyle Henderson, a son of noted Northern Rivers cattleman Cunningham Henderson, of “Main Camp” and later, “Mynumi” at Coraki.
Carlyle bought “Ringwood” from longtime owners, the Lawson family, after selling his “Beaufort” property at Glen Innes to the government in 1938 for closer settlement.
Gordon and Doug Border ran the property initially as Border Brothers, before dissolving the partnership in the 1950s to leave Gordon and Margaret as the sole owners.
Adjoining parcels of land were purchased, taking the total area at its peak to about 2000ha, of which some 600ha was regularly cropped to winter cereals and sunflowers.
In the boom wool year of 1988 the property recorded a shearing of 8000 sheep and sales of 6000 sheep from its long-established Egelabra Merino flock, as well as running 300 breeding cows.
The sale of some 800ha from the property’s western side in 2011 reduced “Ringwood” to its present size, making it an easily-managed yet commercially viable proposition.
Situated 25 kilometres east of Coonabarabran in a locality of successful farms, “Ringwood” is described as mostly undulating country of productive black and red basalt soils.
About 320ha of the total area is arable, although the production focus now is towards grazing rather than cropping, with a modest stocking of 1200 ewes and 160 Poll Hereford cows.
Pastures are mostly native grasses with oversown clovers and ryegrass, capable of supporting a stocking rate under present conditions of about five DSE/ha.
However, experience on similar country nearby suggests that with judicious investment in pasture upgrading and fertiliser, carrying capacity could be lifted by up to 100 per cent.
Average rainfall is 650mm and the property is watered by four bores, wells and dams.
Working infrastructure is sound and includes a four-stand shearing shed (three equipped) with steel yards of 3000-head capacity, steel and timber cattle yards, machinery and hay sheds, workshop and silos.
The weatherboard main homestead of five bedrooms is complemented by a second two bedroom house and a cottage.
Contact Chris Korff, 0427 005 090.
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Peter Austin
Former editor and long time columnist and property writer for The Land.
Former editor and long time columnist and property writer for The Land.
