- Mudgee
- Agent: Peter Druitt, 0428 634 376. PDC Mudgee.
A newly-listed Mudgee district property is already attracting strong interest from locals seeking expansion opportunities, while further inquiry is expected from Sydney 'tree change' buyers.
On offer is Caloola, the 861 hectare (2128ac) grazing property of Mick and Rachael Flynn, situated 23 kilometres north-west of Mudgee in the historic Upper Piambong locality.
Owned for more than half a century by the Flynn family, Caloola is a property combining lifestyle appeal with proven production capability and substantial upside.
As such, it would well suit a city-based buyer (Sydney is less than four hours away) seeking a private country getaway with established working infrastructure and scope for investment and development.
Caloola has been listed for private sale by Peter Druitt of PDC Mudgee at a realistic asking price of $2.8 million.
It was Mick Flynn's parents, Paul and Anne Flynn, who bought Caloola - then somewhat smaller in area - from Charlie Hudspeth in 1966.
Paul left his previous career in the advertising industry to become a full-time farmer, adding more country to Caloola in 1999 to bring it to its present size.
Ranging from fertile valley floors to open grazing slopes and hills of brown and clay loam soils, the property includes some 360ha of green timber at its hillier southern end suitable for cattle or wethers.
The balance of the country is open grazing comprising native grasses and clovers with a scattering of shade and shelter trees, and an estimated 160ha suitable for cultivation.
As such, the property offers scope for further development with pasture improvement, lifting production well beyond its present estimated carrying capacity of 2500 DSEs.
Now destocked, and enjoying the best autumn season for many years, the property in pre-drought time would typically run 40 cows and calves, 700 Merino ewes with followers and 500 wethers.
Average rainfall is 650mm and the property's 20 paddocks are watered by 20 dams, while an equipped bore (now supplying the homestead garden) provides back-up supply potential if needed.
The spacious weatherboard homestead is a feature of the property. Renovated in 2017, and set in established gardens, it has an open-plan kitchen and family room, formal lounge, four bedrooms, two new bathrooms and two covered decks.
Internal features include cypress pine floors, reverse-cycle air conditioning, slow-combustion heating, large windows affording wide valley views, an in-ground pool and self-contained studio.
The livestock handling infrastructure is of a high standard, most of it having been renewed in the past 10 years to facilitate ease of management.
A steel-framed two-stand shearing shed erected in 2011 has a raised board and concrete floor, and incorporates under-cover steel sheepyards with drafting race and drenching race.
It is complemented by a set of steel cattle yards erected in 2018 with working capacity for 120 head.
The yards also have an Arrowquip crush and loading ramp.
BY PETER AUSTIN.