Consolidation plans have resulted in the listing for sale of a substantial grazing property handy to Canberra offering both development and future subdivision potential.
Waratah is a property of 1302 hectares (3217ac) owned since 2012 by Tom and Christie Johnson, who operate it as an outstation of their main holding, Johnson Park at Bookham.
The Johnsons recently bought more country closer to home and are now selling Waratah to consolidate, thereby creating a strategic opening for investors not spooked by the present drought.
Waratah has been listed for private sale with Col Medway of CBRE with a price tag of $4.2 million which equates to $3225/ha ($1305/ac) or about $583/DSE.
Formerly one of the local Longley family's Longaroo Pastoral Company holdings, Waratah has been managed by the present owners as a low-cost first-cross lamb factory.
Typically, around 4000 Merino ewes bred on other family holdings are joined to Border Leicesters on Waratah to lamb in July-August.
The wether drop are sold off their mothers as stores, either at the nearby South East Livestock Exchange or on Auctions Plus, and the bulk of the ewe drop transferred to Bookham after weaning.
A small number of ewes is retained and grown out for sale as two-tooths at an annual SELX feature first-cross ewe sale.
This year's wether lamb drop of 1788 head averaged $94 with an average liveweight of 34 kilograms, all being sold by the end of October.
Cast-for-age ewes are usually sold off after shearing in December, resulting in stocking density during the year matching the pasture growth cycle.
Situated 30 kilometres south of Yass and just 35km from Canberra, Waratah is an undulating to hilly property of sedimentary-type soils ranging in elevation from 540 metres to 760m.
The topography provides excellent natural shelter for lambing ewes.
This is augmented by shade and shelter belts of remnant timber comprising mainly yellow box, Blakely's red gum, apple box and stringybark.
A 308ha remnant stand of green timber has been fenced out.
Pastures are predominantly native perennials including microlaena, danthonia, red grass, themeda and brome with ryegrass, sub-clover and trefoil.
Topdressing has been minimal under the present ownership, with just two applications of 125kg/ha of single super being made in 2013 and 2015.
The property thus offers considerable scope for lifting production through improved pasture establishment as well as the adoption of a targeted fertiliser program.
Average rainfall is 805mm and the property is adequately watered (even during this drought) by three spring-fed creeks and six large dams which also feed three paddock troughs.
The property is subdivided into 17 main paddocks, with more than 65km of new or replacement fencing undertaken in the past five years, including laneways servicing all paddocks.
Working infrastructure is adequate for the scale of the operation.
It includes a four-stand (three equipped) timber and iron shearing shed, steel sheep yards with bugle drafting race, timber cattle yards and portable steel yards.
The recently-painted fibro-clad homestead, currently occupied by a manager, has three bedrooms, open-plan kitchen/living area and new carpets, stove and blinds.
Under present council zoning, the property has potential for subdivision into minimum 40ha lot sizes, making Waratah a strategic 'land bank' on Canberra's doorstep.
By PETER AUSTIN.
