Cahill brothers selling Mt McMinn station in the Northern Territory
Cattlemen and truckers Michael and Dan Cahill are poised to offload one of the Northern Territory’s most picturesque cattle stations, Mt McMinn in the Roper River region.
Situated near Roper Bar and east of Mataranka, the 81,000-hectare Top End outback property has been owned by the Cahill family – founders of logistics and warehousing firm Cahill Transport – since 2005 when they bought it from John and Kerry Mackay for $3.55 million.
Now the brothers are going their separate ways and hoping for about $7.5 million for Mt McMinn Station bare of cattle and equipment.
The successful purchaser will also be given first option to acquire over 3000 Brahman beef cattle the brothers run on the station as well as plant and equipment.
“We bought it at a time when water was scarce so we viewed it as a good investment. The security of water here is extremely high. I also like the aesthetics of Mt McMinn with its two rivers and beautiful escarpments,” Dan Cahill told The Australian Financial Review.
The Roper River and Hodgson River run through Mt McMinn Station which has the carrying capacity for between 6000 and 8000 head of cattle as well as offering the potential for eco-tourism given its natural features and homestead complex.
“It hasn’t just been operated as a cattle station, but also as a holiday destination for family, friends and clients,” Mr Cahill said.
‘We’ve had it for a while, and we also have other properties in Australia so we have decided to dissolve this partnership and go our separate ways.”
Mt McMinn will go to auction on May 17 in Darwin. It is being marketed by Nick Myer, Alison Ross and Paul McCormick, of Elders Real Estate.
“Astute investors will recognise the unique characteristics that make Mt McMinn Station one of the Northern Territory’s most desired pastoral holdings,” Mr Myer said.
Apart from its appeal as a productive cattle station amid the global demand for protein, he said Mt McMinn was also a haven for abundant fishing, camping, eco-tourism, bird-watching and hunting.
Mr Cahill said he thought Mt McMinn would appeal to those looking for a profitable cattle station and interested in echo-tourism. Mt McMinn is close to the popular Savannah Way, the 3700-kilometre adventure driving trail linking Cairns with the pearling town of Broome in WA.
“This part of Australia is just magnificent. It’s so pretty … you don’t realise it’s the last frontier of Australia,” he said.
