Bunyan family to sell Mutherumbung at Booligal, NSW

A tightly held 5771ha western Riverina pastoral property with irrigated cotton crops has hit the market after several generations with one family.

Endless effort and a drive for diversification have taken the Bunyan family’s western NSW Riverina grazing property to the next level over the past two decades.

The 5771ha property, known as Mutherumbung, is located 110km north of Hay at Booligal, and has historically run an extensive Merino sheep breeding enterprise by owners Patrick and Sharon Bunyan.

But about 20 years ago, the installation of a bore unlocked the potential for irrigated cropping at their Hay Plains property.

“My family has been in the district for three or four generations,” Patrick said.

“My father has owned part of this property since 1952 and I have been running it since 1987 alongside my older brother, until he retired.

“We put in a bore in 2002 in what was the middle of a terrible drought out here.

“We put in our first cotton crop in 2010 and we have grown eight or nine since then.

“We have since added another bore and this gives us reliable water for irrigation and has allowed us to diversify.

The Bunyan family are selling 5771ha of their Mutherumbung Station at Booligal, NSW.

“This has been important for when the stock price is lower, because if that happens you have nothing to fall back on.

“My favourite part about the property is the isolation and being away from everything. It has been great for the family and a great place for the kids to grow up.”

“Unfortunately, it is time to retire with my age and the work it takes to run the stock and cotton crops as well.”

The Bunyan family are offering a 5771ha slice of the greater 12,141ha Mutherumbung Station for sale, with Patrick and Sharon’s son, Simon, to continue farming on the remainder of the property.

Offers of about $10 million are expected for the property, including the 1043ML of Lower Lachlan Groundwater Source water entitlements, via an Elders Real Estate and Tapper Agri Services campaign.

There is also a 50 sqm homestead on the Booligal property which includes six bedrooms, three bathrooms, an open plan kitchen and a recently renovated dining area.

Overall the property comprises 5470ha of grazing with 304ha watered by two irrigation bores and laser levelled into a bankless channel and pond irrigation system in 2016.

Cotton has been grown on rotation of about 150ha each year and the property is currently carrying about 1500 mixed age ewes with lambs at foot and 600 weaners, as well as 110 Angus steers which are to be sold.

At Mutherumbung there is a mixture of grey and red soils with the Merowie Creek running from the southeastern corner of the property and there is predominantly salt bush, cotton bush, native grasses and clovers for livestock.

Existing infrastructure includes six sheds of various sizes, a six-stand shearing shed and yards, shears quarters and a meat house.