AN UPPER Namoi property boasting one of the original irrigation developments in the Gunnedah district will go under the hammer next month with generous water entitlements as an optional extra.
"Manaree", the 496-hectare (1228ac) property of Richard and Kerrie Moyes, who are selling after 21 years for health reasons, has been listed for sale with George Avard Rural Property Sales of Gunnedah.
Originally a part of the well-known Kibah Station, it was hived off as a separate property in 1914 for Isabella Hyem of "Kibah" when she married Peter Miller.
Later owners included the Gordon family and Bob and Marie Vickers.
It was Bob Vickers, originally a dairy farmer in the Hunter Valley, who first developed the property for irrigation of crops and pasture in the 1960s.
The irrigation infrastructure, comprising an extensive network of channels and head ditches, is not currently in use, but has the capacity to flood irrigate more than 300ha of the property.
Water for irrigation is drawn from the Namoi River and from an irrigation bore (both equipped with electric pumps), the river pump supplying up to 30 megalitres a day and the bore 4ML.
The property has a 506ML river licence and 94ML groundwater licence.
It will be sold with 10 units of bore allocation given in, the balance of the licences being offered separately after the sale of the property.
Situated 16 kilometres east of Gunnedah, where it joins "Kibah" (still owned by the Hyem family) to the west, "Manaree" is on the northern bank of the Namoi River, which it flanks for about 2km.
The country is high-quality river floodplain, with alluvial loams and chocolate soils supporting a rich mix of natural and introduced pastures which provide year-round growth, ideal for cattle finishing.
About 190ha of the property is arable and suitable for fodder or cash cropping, and in past years has grown lucerne, wheat, grain sorghum and other crops.
An aesthetically pleasing feature of the property is the generous retention of shade and shelter trees of apple, yellow box, bimble box and river gum, imparting a park-like appearance to the grazing country.
Stock water is reticulated to large cement paddock troughs from seven equipped bores, the closed system enabling water to be treated if necessary to reduce bloat risk in times of lush clover growth.
The present owners have operated the property as a commercial Angus stud breeding enterprise, at their peak typically joining from 120 to 150 breeders and selling up to 40 bulls at an annual sale in Gunnedah.
Alternatively, the property's proximity to Gunnedah and also to major feedlots make it well suited to a trading or finishing operation, with estimated potential to turn off 1000 steers a year.
The "Manaree" homestead, which pre-dates the property's subdivision from "Kibah", is of weatherboard construction and set in established gardens shaded by mature trees overlooking the Namoi River.
Although fully renovated for modern living, the four-bedroom homestead retains original features including an open fireplace and gauzed verandahs with a sleepout.
Other structures include a second two-bedroom cottage, a large steel machinery shed, two large haysheds, storage sheds and a large set of steel cattle yards.
Stock movement is facilitated by fenced laneways and most of the internal and boundary fencing has been renewed during the present owners' tenure, and electrified.
Bidding for "Manaree" with its 10ML bore allocation is expected to top $3 million, while the market will determine the water licence values.
n Contact Chris Avard, (02) 6742 4166.
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.
