Motorists travelling from Mudgee to Dubbo along the road through Goolma would need little introduction to the property now listed for sale as “Warragundi Aggregation”.
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It has long been a district landmark – a welcome panorama of irrigated green flats fronting the Cudgegong River, standing out like a beacon amid the surrounding pastoral landscape.
It is also a standout in terms of scale – a total area of 5798 hectares (14,329ac) in a region increasingly being carved up for lifestyle farms, with an estimated carrying capacity of 25,000 DSEs.
“Warragundi Aggregation” is owned by John and Sandra Harding who are principals also of Mudgee Machinery, and are selling the property now as a step towards retirement.
It is being offered for sale on a walk-in, walk-out basis including all livestock and plant, and is expected to attract bids in a $20-$25 million range by the closing date of September 7. The aggregation has been put together progressively by the Hardings since 2008, starting with the 803ha “Warragundi”/“Warragil” section previously owned by Bob Needham.
Ten further blocks were added as they became available, the last being “Glenlea” of 829ha purchased in 2016. Rising from wide alluvial flats to lightly timbered hills, the property has an estimated 2800ha of arable country including the 90ha of river flats covered by three centre pivots.
About 830ha of the property has been pasture improved, and the owners maintain a program of establishing at least 120ha of new pasture each year, following two cereal crops. A major fertiliser program was commenced in 2012, which since 2014 alone has seen nearly $230,000 spent on pasture topdressing, plus crop fertilisers, lime and gypsum.
Average rainfall is 650mm and the property is watered by a long (14km) frontage to the Cudgegong River plus several creeks and 81 dams.
A 1014 megalitre Cudgegong River irrigation licence underpins the centre pivots, which are deployed primarily to grow fodder crops for hay and silage to secure the mainstay cattle and sheep production. Last summer the irrigation country yielded 3700 bales of hay and wrapped silage, on top of a similar harvest the year before.
Thanks to this resource, the property has been able to weather the drought so far with its normal complement of 1400 Angus breeders and followers and 2500 Merino ewes.
The aggregation comes with a wealth of structural improvements, reflecting its past history of many different owners. There are 10 sets of cattle yards across the property, three of them with covered work areas, three shearing sheds and sets of sheep yards, 13 machinery sheds, eight hay sheds and 13 silos.
The main “Warragundi” homestead is a large, recently renovated double brick dwelling set in two acres of landscaped gardens overlooking the river, with outdoor entertaining area and in-ground pool. Other houses include the century-old “Ben Buckley” stone homestead of seven bedrooms, the large weatherboard “Bindah” homestead and several cottages.
