Location:
Bolwarra is situated 53 kilometres Southwest of Chillagoe, 200 kilometres west – south west of Mareeba and 288 kilometres from Cairns and its International airport.

Services:
Satellite television reception, AUSTAR, telephone/fax service, all weather airstrip. Mareeba is a major service centre for the region with educational facilities, medical and professional services, and proximity to sale yards on a weekly basis plus state of the art feedlot.

Area and Tenure:
Pastoral Holding 9/5518
155,000 hectares (383,005 acres) Lot 2 Crown Plan BW 17, Mareeba shire
50 year lease to 31/3/2036

Rent and rates:
Rent: $5,705.40/annum
Rates: $14,580/annum

Rainfall:
35 inches per annum (875mm)

Country:
Bolwarra is well developed property split into 24 main paddocks
with principally undulating Ironbark and Bloodwood ridges to extensive areas of Box flats inters[pressed with good sand ridges. Bolwarra holds a good body of grass, consisting of mainly black spear, red spear, kangaroo and summer perennial grasses with introduced legumes of Secca Stylo, Verano and Wincassia. Since 2004, 40,000 acres has been aerial seeded with Secca Stylo.

Water:
Water is a feature of Bolwarra with an abundance of natural water and more than 50 dams (some spring fed) being constructed on the property in the last 10 years. Bolwarra has 40 kilometres of double frontage to permanent water holes in the Lynd River, with Sandy Tate River running in the wet season. There are 10 kilometres of double frontage to the Dickson and Rocky creeks with permanent holes, 25 kilometres double frontage to Pinnacle Creek and also double frontage to the Black Gin Creek with semi- permanent water holes. Underground water is present and is utilized through wells.

Fencing:
Fencing is also a feature of the property wit the entire boundary secured by fencing or natural barrier. Internal fencing is in good order with some being new. Most of the major dams have fencing around them, which is an integral part when mustering to hold cattle.

Yards:
House yards – mainly steel construction with under cover draft, crush and branding area plus weighing scales. Well watered with a turkeys nest to trough and sprinklers. Capacity: 3,000 head. Herman Yards – steel construction, working area fully undercover, extensive watering system, capacity 3,000 head. Herman’s camp – steel construction, cement floor, all amenities. Piccanini yards – steel construction, portable panels, holding yards, 800 head capacity. Lighting Flat yards – steel construction, working area fully undercover, 2,500 head capacity. Lighting Flat camp – steel and timber construction, cement floor, all amenities. Vans Yards – portable panels, branding cradle, overhead race draft.
Improvements:
Main homestead – Red brick homestead set in established gardens, 5 bedrooms plus office. Fully air- conditioned.
Overseer’s house: 3 bedroom, 2 storey home, fully air- conditioned, all new.
Quarters: 5 bedroom accommodation, fully air- conditioned, all new with amenities.
Butcher shop with large cold room attached.
Large machinery shed with equipped workshop, saddle and feed shed attached.
Electricity supplied by diesel generators – 2 x single phase power. Stables and horse yards. Large shed at house yards for storage of hay and supplement. Camps are maintained at the outlying yards and all improvements are in first class order.

Carrying capacity:
Bolwarra has a core herd of Brahman cattle with a carrying capacity of 20,000 head. This includes cows, calves, weaners, joined heifers and bulls. With additional fencing, water points and pasture improvement the carrying capacity can be further improved. A full stock reconciliation will be available in early August once the first round of mustering is complete. It is estimated that the final cattle numbers will be around 14,000 head.

Management:

Bolwarra can be operated smoothly with three staff. The property practically runs itself when not mustering. General day-to-day duties include the well being of cattle, repairing fences, checking waters, distributing supplement and reporting to the manager. Throughout mustering staff numbers may increase to eight which is sufficient and economical to complete the job. Mustering occurs twice a year, April- June and August – October.