Dillon Creek Fern Springs Road Basalt QLD 4820

Dillon Creek could suit lifestyle buyers, a ‘starter block’, Family expansion or semi-retired cattlemen. The work is done!

Location:
Located approximately 50km (by road) west from Charters Towers via Fern Springs Road.  Dillon Creek accesses all the services of a regional town (population approx 9000 people). Schooling, both primary and secondary, are a feature of the Charters Towers community with the town boasting three Private Schools, the State High School and three State Primary Schools.
The Pentland-Towers school bus runs past the Flinders Highway turnoff daily.

Charters Towers is an historic city established in the gold rush of the 1880’s and still services the large Gold Mining and Grazing Industries. For cattleman, the weekly liveweight selling centre in Charters Towers, Live Export ex Townsville (130klm) and Townsville meatworks are all major attractions for this location. Townsville is a vibrant city of approx 200,000 with diverse industry and opportunity for employment, business and higher education.

 Area & Tenure:  
Total Area 2952.6ha (7,292.9 acres)
Rolling Term Lease Term: 30 years commencing on 01/10/1971 - extended to 30.9.2051

Rainfall: The local area has approx 600mm annual rainfall. 

Country:
The property is comprised of several distinct land types …
Alluvial Creek frontages timbered with Paperbark, Pandanus, Moreton Bay, Ghost Gum, Blue Gum and associated understory.
Grey & Red soils timbered with Silverleaf & Narrow leaf Ironbark, Box, Bloodwood, Beefwood, Wattle and various shrubs.
Conglomerate ridges timbered with Lancewood, Ironbark and Wattle.
Western End. Approx 600 Ha.
Buffel and Panic on creek frontages.  Widespread Urochloa (Sabi grass). Extensive heavy body of Seca Stylo.  Some Verano. Wynn Cassia in suited areas. Native grasses include Golden Beard, Desert Bluegrass, Black Spear and Indian Couch. 20 years of Rotational Grazing has fostered many soft grasses and forbs. Records show this area produces excellent weight gains, can grow a large body of feed in even moderate years and is still improving.
Sunrise End. Approx. 1700 Ha.   (Approx 420 Ha of grey soils and 1280 Ha red soils).
Predominantly native grasses include Golden Beard, Desert Bluegrass, Black Spear, Indian Couch and some Aristida.  Some Buffel and Urochloa around waters and scattered elsewhere. Seca Stylo over the entire area but not as extensive as on the Western End. Some areas of heavy Wynn Cassia, now spreading naturally. The grey soils respond more quickly after rain; the red soils hold protein levels well towards the end of the year. The grey soils are carrying increasing amounts of Seca Stylo and Wynn Cassia. Black Spear is increasing rapidly throughout.  Seca Stylo maintains weight gains approx 4-6 weeks longer than grass only pastures. (Based on consumption of Phosphorus supplement).
Red Spinifex country. Approx. 600 Ha.  
Varies from open soft spinifex to thick Lancewood scrub. Interspersed with gullies which carry Indian Couch, Golden Beard, Seca Stylo and small amounts of other softer grasses. Used strategically in cold months and at first rain when Spinifex “oats” provides protein while softer country gets “a start”.
Vegetation Categories 
Category X – 247.8ha (612 acres)

Homestead:
The Dillon Creek homestead (circa 1920’s) is a feature of the property. Recently relocated from Eventide in Charters Towers and tastefully renovated, the weather board home sits in an elevated position facing north-west looking across the paddocks, cattle yards and the setting sun in the evenings … a spectacle worth savouring.
The homestead has three bedrooms, one bathroom, office, and a separate kitchen overlooking a very large undercover deck with a verandah and central breezeway making for very open-air, cool living. Airconditioning and ceiling fans are located throughout. All walls have been meticulously sanded, gap-filled and repainted and timber floors sanded and stained with Black-Japan finish … it really is a special job.
No Ergon power bills … The house is powered by a Tesla Solar power system with 26 roof mounted solar panels, Tesla lithium batteries and a backup 10 KVA generator which is rarely used.
Adjacent to the home is undercover vehicle parking and the newly established garden. Water is plentiful and plants grow easily so it will be straight forward to establish or expand the garden as required. 
Homestead history … The origin of the building is uncertain, but it was relocated from either Ballara Hospital or Koorboora Hospital to Charters Towers. Ballara and Koorboora were mining settlements near Cloncurry which enjoyed brief periods of prosperity in the late 1910s and early 1920s. A hospital was established at Ballara in 1918 but operated for less the 8 years. With the collapse of mining, the town was deserted and in 1926 only two persons remained. The hospital buildings were in good condition and the Dept of Works decided to relocate the buildings to the new Eventide Home in Charters Towers.

Infrastructure & Development:
Dillon Creek has been extensively developed since 1999 with emphasis on improving carrying capacity and ease of cattle management. The property was operated under Cell Grazing from 1999-2019 but has since been operated in a rotational grazing format whilst keeping pasture preservation in mind.
Summary …
40 Paddocks. Ranging in size from 8 Ha to 338 Ha.
19 water points.
14 Km of poly lines
81 Ha Category X on Vegetation Map. PMAV in place. (Approx. 40 Ha treated aerially with Graslan in 2018.).
All controlled waters.
Laneways connect through the property to the cattle yards – approx 4.0km central laneway + 3.0km of laneway along Fern Springs Rd.

Water:
Water:
19 Watering Points comprised of …
• 2 bores, 3 Dams, 1 Well, 1 Spring
• 16 troughs connected to Miracle & Sunrise Bores
• 2 x 10000gal poly tanks (Top Tank & Sunrise Bore). 2 x 5000gal poly tanks (Bendee & Jackos). 1 x 1500gal poly tank (Battery well).
• 13.9km of 50mm Polypipe. Almost all Rural grade polypipe, High pressure polypipe for the first 500m away from Miracle Bore
• Of note is the excellent “rainwater quality” water from Miracle Bore which supplies the Homestead, cattle yards, and troughs.

Sheds:
There is an all steel and concrete floor hut fitted with sink, septic and shower … currently used as storage for tools and equipment.
Additionally, there is also a small shed the front section of which has been used for general storage and stock supplements. The rear section is used for storage of motorbikes and various equipment.

Cattle yards:
 Located on the western end of the property, adjacent the main access from Fern Springs Road. The yards are of steel portable panel construction, in good condition, equipped with loading ramp, crush, head bail, calf branding facilities and water troughs and set up to work 200-300head.  Installed adjacent to the front entrance gate is an unloading ramp. This situation is used only for 6-deck lots and in the event of wet weather.

Internal fencing (approx 60km)
Prior to the property ownership change in Sept 2019 much of the internal fencing was electric. Since 2019 the fencing has been upgraded with additional barb, to permanent multi-wire (plain & barb) fencing. Additionally, some paddocks have been amalgamated. Currently there is 35 paddocks of varying sizes used in a rotational grazing format. In all, there is about 30km in internal fencing.

Boundary fencing (TOTAL 26km)

Cattle production:
Depending on the season, the stocking rate estimate is for approx 400 grown cattle or 300+ breeders and progeny… under rotational grazing management practices.
Currently the property has both breeding and trading herds … ie. Breeders (approx 170 Breeders + Bulls) and Trading (approx 80 Cows & calves).
Both breeding and trading enterprises seem to be a good and flexible fit for this country… stocking rates are flexible depending on season. The combination of Stylo, Wynn Cassia, native grasses and browse yields good and stable overall production.

Woody weeds:
Control of weeds has been a priority at Dillon Creek since 2019. The vendor suggest that Dillon Creek now has little to no Parthenium, Chinee apple or Belly Ache bush. The majority of weeds (Rubber Vine) pertain to the Creek frontages. Regular attention to this issue, and sensible cattle stocking rates, will certainly see the property maintain the 90% woody weed control levels.

Livestock:
Approx numbers included in the sale:
160 high grade Grey & Red Brahman heifers joined to Brangus and Angus Bulls
73 Brahman cross Cows & calves (mixed age and quality) – note approx 39 calves have already been weaned and are included. Joined to Brangus & Angus bulls.
6 Brangus and Angus herd bulls

 Plant & Machinery: Contact Agent

Disclaimer: The above report has been prepared by Slaney & Co based on information supplied by the property owner and other credible sources. Every endeavour has been made to verify its accuracy. Whilst we trust the information to be correct, we make no warranties or guarantees, and prospective purchasers must rely on their own enquiries & research.    © Copyright Slaney & Co