Adrenalin and Profits Attract High Flying Investors
Retiring cattle station owner Charlie Chalmers is banking on healthy profits and an impressive list of "toys" to sell his property to a high-flying investor
It's 5am and there's a knock on my bedroom door. Suffering slightly because of the time difference and more thanks to the nice red wine from the night before, I stumble quickly out of bed and pull on some clothes. I'm about to take a ride in one of the world's largest road trains.
Fully loaded, the train has three double-decker carriages which can carry about 200 head of cattle to market up in Darwin - two days drive to the north. The massive cab of the truck is kitted out with multiple radios and satellite phones, and a comfy sleeping cabin completes the interior, tucked behind the seats.
Paul - the professional road train driver - has been driving for MacDonald Downs for three years, and has managed to avoid any serious incidents. Patience, and just taking everything really slowly is the key to this unblemished record, says Paul. I don't want to imagine the consequences if the driver of a full road train loses control.
As he intuitively changes through the truck's 18 gears, the enormous train rumbles along the red dirt roads that go for miles through the 2,000+ square kilometre property.
Suddenly a red helicopter lands up in front over the radio Charlie Chalmers directs Paul to send me over. I climb aboard for a fly by over the 2000+ square kilometre property in this nimble bird they use for mustering the cattle.
Given there are more than 5,000 head on this station, I'm surprised that I don't see a single cow as we fly over massive dams of water and endless stretches of red earth and spiny green vegetation.
"That's part of the fun when it's mustering time," says Charlie, who will buzz the helicopter down very low to the ground to spot elusive cattle underneath the trees, then radio to the motor bikes and quad bikes to chase them out.
I'm up at MacDonald Downs - about 285km northeast of Alice Springs in central Australia - to meet with Charlie and Sonja Chalmers, on the property that has been in the Chalmers family for three generations.
It's for sale, and the Chalmers are hoping that the size of the station - "toy" size according to their marketing campaign - and the adventurous lifestyle of central Australia, will attract attention from investors who are looking for experiences out of their investments, not just financial returns.
Though the financial benefits are there too, in spades. MacDonald Downs produces around 500 tonnes of beef each year, from a herd of cattle between 5,000 and 6,000 head. Alongside that, revenues from retail (there are many general stores in the area that are run by the owners of the land on which they sit) and tourism also contribute to a very healthy business.
After only two days up there, I'm convinced and desperate to talk family and friends in to "pooling resources" and becoming the proud owners of a cattle station.
And while that is not likely to happen for me, Charlie says that anyone can learn how to run a cattle station.
"You don't need to be born on the land to make a success of this business," he says. "In fact, this is the perfect choice for someone who wants to enjoy the unique lifestyle we have up here - either on a permanent basis or perhaps as a holiday option with a manager running the property."
As they are retiring nearby, Charlie and Sonja say they would make themselves available to any new owner who wanted their input.
"I'd be happy to pass on some of my skills, or help to staff the station to run itself," says Charlie. "There are plenty of options for how it could work."
The annual cattle muster is probably the most exciting time on the station, when all the cattle are gathered for a check up. It's time to monitor how many steers, how many heifers and how many calves of either gender are now residing across the station.
Watching the expert handlers draft the cattle - sorting them in to groups by eye according to their size, age and gender - is lightning quick and completely accurate.
There's always plenty of organic beef and the homestead slaughters one of their herd every couple of weeks in the purpose-built meat house. The full flavour of the steaks we dine on that night beats anything you can buy from a butcher in the city.
The cattle graze on the naturally occurring vegetation of the area. Timbers and shrubs include large areas of Mulga, Bloodwood, Gidyea and Witchetty bush, with eucalypts along the watercourses. Grasses include Buffel, Button, Mitchell Grass and Speargrass.
There's plenty of water at MacDonald Downs for the cattle and crop irrigation - the property also offers the opportunity to grow almost anything - lucerne, citrus, grapes and other crops - thanks to the plentiful supply of sub-artesian water than can be accessed at 20 litres per second. Large areas of kitchen garden provide plenty of organic vegetables for all.
The Chalmers are sure there are potential investors out there who may not have even considered a cattle station, even though it would fulfil a lot of their desires.
"We want to make the suggestion to people, put the idea in their heads, that investing in a cattle station is a good option for making money," he said. "It's an exciting lifestyle."
Charlie and Sonja will be retiring to a small farm nearby, and also assisting Charlie's son with a much larger - and more remote - cattle station in the Northern Territory when the need arises.
"My son is carrying on the Chalmers pioneering tradition at the family cattle station, Marqua. The Chalmers family was one of the original pioneering families in central Australia, and I'm proud to see that continue.
In comparison, says Charlie, MacDonald Downs has been "tamed" over the generations, into the smooth-running and highly profitable business that it is today.
With its 12 paddocks, extensive water system with 10 bores and 13 dams, eight cattle yards, the general store and enough plant & equipment to handle most of the station's needs, there's nothing for the new owners to do except just walk in and take over.
There are plenty of opportunities however, for the savvy new owner when it comes to tourism, especially eco-tourism, and potential for more crops.
And for spotting the cattle hiding in the bush at muster time.
MacDonald Downs will be auctioned on 18th June 2010.
To contact the owners for more information, visit
[http://www.ultimatetoy.com.au]
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=117743018259020
[http://www.twitter.com/ultimatetoy]
It's 5am and there's a knock on my bedroom door. Suffering slightly because of the time difference and more thanks to the nice red wine from the night before, I stumble quickly out of bed and pull on some clothes. I'm about to take a ride in one of the world's largest road trains.
Fully loaded, the train has three double-decker carriages which can carry about 200 head of cattle to market up in Darwin - two days drive to the north. The massive cab of the truck is kitted out with multiple radios and satellite phones, and a comfy sleeping cabin completes the interior, tucked behind the seats.
Paul - the professional road train driver - has been driving for MacDonald Downs for three years, and has managed to avoid any serious incidents. Patience, and just taking everything really slowly is the key to this unblemished record, says Paul. I don't want to imagine the consequences if the driver of a full road train loses control.
As he intuitively changes through the truck's 18 gears, the enormous train rumbles along the red dirt roads that go for miles through the 2,000+ square kilometre property.
Suddenly a red helicopter lands up in front over the radio Charlie Chalmers directs Paul to send me over. I climb aboard for a fly by over the 2000+ square kilometre property in this nimble bird they use for mustering the cattle.
Given there are more than 5,000 head on this station, I'm surprised that I don't see a single cow as we fly over massive dams of water and endless stretches of red earth and spiny green vegetation.
"That's part of the fun when it's mustering time," says Charlie, who will buzz the helicopter down very low to the ground to spot elusive cattle underneath the trees, then radio to the motor bikes and quad bikes to chase them out.
I'm up at MacDonald Downs - about 285km northeast of Alice Springs in central Australia - to meet with Charlie and Sonja Chalmers, on the property that has been in the Chalmers family for three generations.
It's for sale, and the Chalmers are hoping that the size of the station - "toy" size according to their marketing campaign - and the adventurous lifestyle of central Australia, will attract attention from investors who are looking for experiences out of their investments, not just financial returns.
Though the financial benefits are there too, in spades. MacDonald Downs produces around 500 tonnes of beef each year, from a herd of cattle between 5,000 and 6,000 head. Alongside that, revenues from retail (there are many general stores in the area that are run by the owners of the land on which they sit) and tourism also contribute to a very healthy business.
After only two days up there, I'm convinced and desperate to talk family and friends in to "pooling resources" and becoming the proud owners of a cattle station.
And while that is not likely to happen for me, Charlie says that anyone can learn how to run a cattle station.
"You don't need to be born on the land to make a success of this business," he says. "In fact, this is the perfect choice for someone who wants to enjoy the unique lifestyle we have up here - either on a permanent basis or perhaps as a holiday option with a manager running the property."
As they are retiring nearby, Charlie and Sonja say they would make themselves available to any new owner who wanted their input.
"I'd be happy to pass on some of my skills, or help to staff the station to run itself," says Charlie. "There are plenty of options for how it could work."
The annual cattle muster is probably the most exciting time on the station, when all the cattle are gathered for a check up. It's time to monitor how many steers, how many heifers and how many calves of either gender are now residing across the station.
Watching the expert handlers draft the cattle - sorting them in to groups by eye according to their size, age and gender - is lightning quick and completely accurate.
There's always plenty of organic beef and the homestead slaughters one of their herd every couple of weeks in the purpose-built meat house. The full flavour of the steaks we dine on that night beats anything you can buy from a butcher in the city.
The cattle graze on the naturally occurring vegetation of the area. Timbers and shrubs include large areas of Mulga, Bloodwood, Gidyea and Witchetty bush, with eucalypts along the watercourses. Grasses include Buffel, Button, Mitchell Grass and Speargrass.
There's plenty of water at MacDonald Downs for the cattle and crop irrigation - the property also offers the opportunity to grow almost anything - lucerne, citrus, grapes and other crops - thanks to the plentiful supply of sub-artesian water than can be accessed at 20 litres per second. Large areas of kitchen garden provide plenty of organic vegetables for all.
The Chalmers are sure there are potential investors out there who may not have even considered a cattle station, even though it would fulfil a lot of their desires.
"We want to make the suggestion to people, put the idea in their heads, that investing in a cattle station is a good option for making money," he said. "It's an exciting lifestyle."
Charlie and Sonja will be retiring to a small farm nearby, and also assisting Charlie's son with a much larger - and more remote - cattle station in the Northern Territory when the need arises.
"My son is carrying on the Chalmers pioneering tradition at the family cattle station, Marqua. The Chalmers family was one of the original pioneering families in central Australia, and I'm proud to see that continue.
In comparison, says Charlie, MacDonald Downs has been "tamed" over the generations, into the smooth-running and highly profitable business that it is today.
With its 12 paddocks, extensive water system with 10 bores and 13 dams, eight cattle yards, the general store and enough plant & equipment to handle most of the station's needs, there's nothing for the new owners to do except just walk in and take over.
There are plenty of opportunities however, for the savvy new owner when it comes to tourism, especially eco-tourism, and potential for more crops.
And for spotting the cattle hiding in the bush at muster time.
MacDonald Downs will be auctioned on 18th June 2010.
To contact the owners for more information, visit
[http://www.ultimatetoy.com.au]
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=117743018259020
[http://www.twitter.com/ultimatetoy]
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