A substantial Central West grazing property with direct links to one of the founding stations of the Wellington district will go under the hammer in Sydney next week.
Historic “Narroogal” has been listed for October 6 auction with Ray White Rural Dubbo and it will be only the fourth time in 180 years that the property has undergone a change of family ownership.
Comprising 1184 hectares (2926 acres) of versatile country fronting the Bell River 27 kilometres south-east of Wellington, “Narroogal” is an unusually large land parcel for its prime location.
The property is an aggregation of “Narroogal”, “Narroogal North” and “Tralee” and has been held by the present owners, Ian and Susan Law, for about 10 years as home to a White Dorper stud.
Before that it was held by the Coffee family, who had bought the “Narroogal”/“Narroogal North” aggregation about 25 years earlier, later adding “Tralee”.
“Narroogal” was originally taken up in about 1837 by pioneer settler John Maxwell, and by 1847 was on the books as a holding of 21,120 acres (8550ha).
In 1871 the property was taken over by Edwin Smith, one of five sons of colonial pastoralist/parliamentarian John Smith of “Gamboola” at Molong (who had earlier worked as an overseer on “Narroogal”).
Other sons were settled variously on “Boree Cabonne”, “Toogong”, “Boree Nyrang” and “Nandillyan”, collectively a veritable treasure chest of Central West pastoral country.
By 1897 “Narroogal” was carrying 18,000 sheep and subsequent annual shearings often topped 20,000, before the property was divided between family members following Edwin’s death in 1908.
Today “Narroogal” is still managed primarily for sheep grazing, with about two-thirds of the property leased (until January 2018) and the balance effectively destocked and carrying a good body of feed.
Rising from rich alluvial river flats to arable slopes and elevated grazing plateaux, “Narroogal” lends itself to a wide range of commercial or stud livestock enterprises.
The property enjoys a long six-kilometre frontage to the Bell River (including 2.5km double frontage) and comes with a 149 megalitre irrigation licence.
About 260ha of the total area is described as arable, including 220ha of river flats, of which half is established lucerne and half phalaris-based pasture.
The balance of the country is predominantly native pastures with scattered shade trees of box, kurrajong and pine.
Carrying capacity is conservatively estimated at 4600 DSE, although the property also offers ample scope for further development.
Average rainfall is around 600 millimetres and stock water is supplied by two bores and a river pump feeding header tanks and troughs.
A feature of “Narroogal” is its Federation double-brick homestead, built in 1919 on the river bank (above flood level) and set in established lawns and gardens.
Recently renovated, the five-bedroom homestead combines period features with modern additions including European kitchen appliances and reverse-cycle air conditioning.
A second, three-bedroom home of brick veneer construction, built 25 years ago on “Narroogal North”, has served as a manager’s residence, and a two-bedroom garden cottage provides guest accommodation.
Working improvements include a four-bay steel machinery shed and workshop, a three-stand (two equipped) raised board shearing shed, hay shed, old stables and tackroom, and four silos.