“Lana” in Spanish means wool. Located in the south west portion of the NSW Northern Tablelands, Lana is located at the upper end of the Gwydir River catchment, which then feeds into the Murray-Darling basin.

At 850m above sea level, and an average annual rainfall of between 750 to 800mls, the property is 3350 hectares of granite soil, undulating landscape, with Roumalla Creek frontage and its two spring-fed tributaries.

Populated by granite boulder outcrops, the property is well-vegetated with linked tree-corridors and improved native pastures. As a result of our long-term holistic-management approach, Lana embraces a broad range of native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous flora – all naturally regenerating.

Our whole-of-landscape management approach has enabled Lana to become rich in biodiversity. The property hosts a diverse range of life above and below the soil. We share our home with Australia’s iconic koala, echidna, bell turtle and platypus.

A NSW-registered Wildlife Refuge since 1968, Lana is a working farm producing superfine wool, lamb and beef.

In the wake of the Millenium drought, in 2021, as part of the pilot phase for Natural Capital Accounting, research data showed Lana’s Net Carbon sequestration to be 9,452 tonnes/CO2e per year, and represents 80% more sequestered soil carbon than the CO2 our enterprise emits*.

In holistic terms, soil carbon is only one segment contributing to all biodiversity underpinning the balanced eco system of our farming landscapes.

As well as building resilience of landscape, carbon sequestration does offer economic value, however, there is a trend in a new appreciation and recognition that biodiversity, rather than carbon sequestration, is at the “top of the tree” for its value-adding potential.

We continue to participate in and support scientific measurement of biodiversity

Historically, Lana was the lambing area for Balala Station, a 99,000-acre settlement established in 1841 by Thomas Tearle and George Morse. Lana’s unique granite boulder outcrops, open-wooded grassland and fresh spring water provided shelter for lambing ewes. In the 1870’s the Hudson family bought Balala Station, which, over the years was subdivided. Pre-WW1, some areas of Balala were allotted as soldiers settlement blocks and Lana Homestead was the Balala community’s Post Office.

When Peter and Jane Wright acquired Lana in 1952, the property totalled 8,400 acres (3350 h). With one large paddock and fenced-off woolshed, shearers quarters and homestead - the overall property was managed by shepherds for the Hudson Family.

By comparison, in 2023, Lana has 350 permanently fenced and watered paddocks designed and used for planned grazing.

*Natural Capital Management Report, NESP Case Study 5 “Lana”, 23 February 2021, Gardner, M; O’Brien, D; Lawrence, R. and Ogilvy, S. (emissions (tCO2e/year) at 2,473 minus estimated C sequestration (tCO2e/year) -11,925).