The Baxter family at the Berrigan Races — Dale, Noel, Kelvin, Marilyn, Glen, Fiona, Mia and Rachel.
In 1923 Sam Baxter purchased Namarang — a 804 hectare property originally part of Old Berrigan Station in the NSW Riverina.
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A century later Namarang remains the founding property for the Baxter family and consequent generations, who have built the farming aggregation up to about 14,174ha.
Grandson Kel Baxter has passed management of the farms onto sons Glen and Noel who now manage multiple properties across multiple irrigation districts.
Kel said he was extremely proud of the legacy his family had created.
“My great, great-grandparents immigrated to Australia in 1869 from Ireland,” Kel said.
“They originally selected a property at Wharing which was titled by Queen Victoria in 1871.
“They went on to have nine children — six boys and three girls – my great grandfather Sam was one of the sons,” Kel said.
Sam purchased Namarang in his own right because there was talk of irrigation coming to the district and he knew the exciting potential that offered for future productivity.
Sam had property at Picola (Lislea Lodge) and it was not unusual for him to send Kel’s father Bert on the 96-kilometre trip on horseback to Namarang.
“Bert used to say he would ride to Namarang in a day and muster the sheep the next day ready for the shearers,” Kel said.
“It is just amazing to think about how they did things back then.”
Capturing a moment in the Baxter family's history.
Bert moved to Namarang in 1946 after he returned home from World War II following four years as a Prisoner of War in Germany.
By this time irrigation had arrived in the district, and while it had opened up the country and increased productivity, it wasn’t without its challenges — establishing channels and check banks with basic equipment.
It was common to use a pick and shovel to cut through banks to water bays.
There was a lot of back breaking work and primitive gear used to lay the foundations of what today is a mastery in engineering — a gravity feed irrigation system that underpins the success and wealth of the community.
“Once irrigation arrived, my Dad was able to grow clover pastures under irrigation and produce fat lambs and irrigate wheat crops,” Kel said.
“He must have done reasonably well because he was able to buy a new car every other year and educate all his children.”
In 1970, Kel returned home to Namarang after finishing his schooling and a farm management course.
That same year the family bought 279ha to grow summer crops including corn and sorghum under irrigation.
And the rest is history.
In 1980, the business began growing rice, a continuous run which lasted for two decades.
Although Kel has handed the farms over to Glen and Noel, he laughs as he says he still likes to offer up his opinion, whether it is asked for or not.
“We have been through some pretty tough years, but I have never been afraid to take plenty of risks and I am pretty proud of what we have achieved and where we are now.”
The business now includes Baxter Transport — an interstate trucking conglomerate of 54 prime mover and trailer combinations delivering freight across the country (Kel is still in charge).
The freight side grew from the challenges of the deregulation of the Australian Wheat Board and a need to maximise marketing opportunities.
Kel said employing good staff had always been a key to success.
“Managing your land and your people is the key and it hasn’t been an individual effort by a long shot.”
Over his lifetime, Kel has seen a lot of change in the ag space including technological advancements he would have never thought possible including direct seeding, GPS guidance, stubble back into the soil and water efficiencies including travelling irrigators and row cropping, growing cotton, corn, faba beans and seed sorghum.
“It is marvellous how far we have come and what our forefathers achieved — opening up land for the arrival of irrigation.”
Although he said his forefathers would be rolling over in their graves if they could see what successive governments have done to irrigated agriculture and the impacts of buybacks in the region.
“Irrigation has bought life into the community, and for the life of me, I cannot fathom why they would want to shut down this great food bowl,” Kel said.
To celebrate the centenary and history of Namarang, the Baxter family brought together extended family, current and former staff and hosted a marquee at the Berrigan Cup at the start of November, which featured a gallery of old photos and memorabilia.
A century later, Namarang remains the founding property for the Baxter family.
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