RURAL PROPERTIES

In 1990, as a result of amendments to the ALRA, NSWALC assumed ownership and operational responsibility for a number of rural properties including:

  • Appin Station (Menindee)
  • Barooga Karrai (Euabalong)
  • Calooma/Nulty Springs (Bourke)
  • Kaituna Uno (Coonamble)
  • Winbar (Wilcannia)

Since 2002, significant capital has been invested in the Rural Property portfolio in terms of plant and equipment and with the assistance of Riverina Farms (specialist rural property consultants engaged by NSWALC) the farms are now in the best shape they have been in, since 1990

Acheivements made from 2002 to the present include:

  • Appropriately skilled and experienced staff engaged.
  • Infrastructure dramatically improved, buildings and plant maintained and renewed.
  • Cropping programs developed and implemented by experienced agronomists giving consideration to soil condition, crop rotation, seed varieties and improved farming practices.
  • Hundreds of kilometers of fencing repaired and replaced. Stockyards upgraded.
  • Farming practices bought into line with changing technology and are now at industry best practice.
  • A livestock program has been implemented, which embraces 3 of the 4 rural properties, with stock rotated between properties to take full advantage of natural feed availability.
  • Properties are managed on a "portfolio" basis rather than "stand alone" ventures with equipment and staff being deployed to different locations as cropping cycles dictate.
  • Occupational Health and Safety Policy implemented on each property, ensuring safety of staff and legislative compliance for NSWALC.
  • Aboriginal employment achieved in various full time and casual positions.

Recent valuations completed confirm that the capital value of the properties have increased over the years as a direct result of NSWALC investment in infrastructure, equipment and in improving condition of paddocks etc.

[Click here for a feature on Kaituna Uno - PDF]

 

RESULTS FOR THE 2008 /2009 CROPPING SEASON
The farming program for the 2008 /2009 year was expected to deliver the best results NSWALC had seen for the previous 10 years. Ample summer rains had delivered the best soil moisture levels in years and in many areas it appeared that the drought had broken.

The business plan for the year included cattle programs and cropping programs at Barooga and Kaituna Uno. For the first time in 2008 NSWALC had the opportunity to enter into risk sharing agreements with WA based company AACL. A summary of activity for each farm and the AACL arrangements follows:

  1. Appin - agistment income generated from a neighbouring property owner. Additional water troughs installed to ensure availability of water for stock.
  2. Calooma / Nulty Springs - complemented Barooga and Kaituna in terms of the livestock program with 400 head of cattle purchased to take advantage of available native grasses / fodder
  3. Barooga / Karrai - cropping and livestock programs run again this year. Ample Summer rainfalls led to the planting of wheat crops however follow up rain was not received, crops could not be harvested and were used as fodder for cattle.
  4. Kaituna Uno - Almost perfect cropping conditions prevailed until harvest time when heavy rain over 3 days destroyed extensive areas of wheat. Just prior to harvest, agronomists estimated expected yields at over $2million for all the crops. Unfortunately, torrential rain over a 3 day period destroyed a large portion of the crop, reducing the returns on investment for NSWALC by over $1million.