Moorna Station offered with $8 million plus hopes

A Western Division pastoral property, Moorna Station is being marketed by CBRE on behalf of the Walsh family, who have held the historic property since 1983.

Expressions of interest for Moorna Station close on October 27, with offers expected to be submitted on the high side of $8 million. 

Moorna Station, in the lower Murray region, is a sustainable grazing operation supplemented by cropping, with further potential for more intensive development, including irrigated horticulture and viticulture.

Situated 30 kilometres west of Wentworth, fronting the north bank of the Murray River, Moorna Station is 18,896 hectares.

The property was one of the first to be settled on the lower Murray when it was taken up in 1846 by Ned Bagot, at about twice its present size.

In 1850 the station changed hands to E.B. Scott, who built the first homestead before selling in 1862 to John Crozier, whose extended family stayed until 1939.

It was then bought by a syndicate of South Australian interests including the Hawker family of Bungaree Merino stud, who introduced their bloodlines to the 70-year-old Moorna stud.

In 1972 Moorna was acquired by Douglas Morphett, who divided the property in two when reselling in 1978, the eastern section becoming Warrananga, while the homestead block was bought by David Hawker, who sold to the present owners.

The Moorna homestead, erected in 1869 by William Crozier was expanded by his brother-in-law Ben Chaffey in 1912.

Set in established gardens beside the Murray River, the rendered brick homestead of 10 bedrooms comprises three wings with a central courtyard.