THE highly-publicised sale of the icon Riverina property Uardry Station at Hay, NSW, hit an unfortunate snag on Tuesday, when the paperwork submitted for the transfer of water licences was delayed.
While this technical hitch to the planned settlement date is not expected to halt the eventual sale of the property, it has upset current owners the Black family of Melbourne.
Graeme Black said he is annoyed with the incumbent buyers, Brinkworth family of South Australia, who have already flagged their intention to disperse the Uardry studs and surplus equipment by running advertisements in rural newspapers.
The advertisement details three auctions to be held at Hay, which includes the selling of world famous Uardry Merino Stud and its other sister studs Sim Uardry, Poll Uardry and Uardry Dohnes.
Graeme Black said the Brinkworths and their agents Elders have been hasty to advertise for sale of property "they did not own yet".
"We are assisting them in every way possible but they have got the horse before the cart," Mr Black told Stock & Land yesterday morning.
"We're still running the business. It has done damage to the reputation and to the name of Uardry."
Because of the extremely tight advertising timeline set and the unfortunately delay of the settlement, an advertisement in The Land newspaper was unable to be pulled from publishing when similar advertising was withdrawn from other Fairfax Media rural weeklies, including Stock & Land.
The advertisement has however lifted the veil of secrecy over the future direction over icon stud, which is earmarked to depart its birthplace after 148 years.
Elders Rural Services, who were engaged by the Brinkworth's to formulate a nation-wide advertising campaign in Fairfax Media papers, has announced the sale of each of the individual stud flocks, their stud names, all semen straws and intellectual rights, if not sold previously, would go under the hammer in mid-December.
Elders Victoria/Riverina livestock operations manager Ron Rutledge said it was unfortunate settlement was delayed.
"The Brinkworth's have done nothing wrong in reality other than to flag their intent to sell the studs, and annoy some people," he said.
"At the end of this process, the auction will go ahead and will be a signature event in Australian history.
"It will be a rare opportunity for the Merino stud industry to purchase rarely offered genetics off the one property.
"It will be an opportunity for stud breeders across Australia to purchase the unique genetics of the Uardry bloodlines which has access to all States."
The three auctions are planned for December 12, 13 and 14 and will include 120 heifers and cows with spring born calves at foot plus 100 mixed weaners and bulls from the Uardry Hereford heifers.
A reduction sale of plant and equipment surplus to Watervalley's future operational needs will also he held.
Angas Brinkworth told Stock & Land that nothing fundamental has gone wrong with the sale.
"Everybody is still talking, it's a hold-up in the transfer of the water licences which is apparently its common in NSW," he said
"We're still waiting for the settlement to happen but we've been advised it won't be today (Wednesday)."
The Brinkworth family is one of Australia's largest private landowners already controlling more than one million hectares across South Australia and NSW, grazing some 350,000 sheep.
Their deal with the Black family to buy Uardry's entire operations (including the studs and farming), and the Charles Mills (Uardry) trading name is reportedly worth $32 million.
