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ALEX McDONELL

Born and raised in the Riverina area of New South Wales on his parents wheat, sheep, cattle (shorthorns) and thoroughbred horse breeding property.

The eldest of five boys he left school at age twelve to work on his parents farm after his Father was confined to a wheel chair.

He planted and harvested his first wheat crop (25 acres) at age twelve, rode in his first registered horse race at thirteen , won the Jerilderie Gift (120 yard professional foot race ) at fifteen, played Australian rules football, pennant tennis, basketball, competition table tennis and had a 210 average in ten pin bowling. Competed in showjumping and three day eventing.

For thirteen years he worked on the home property and other rural based industries, Contract mulsing, lamb marking, cattle work, horse breaking etc., and managed the merchandise department of a large stock and station agency for a couple of years.

Married in 1965 and purchased first hobby farm 70 acres. Worked in agricultural engineering for four years. Sold hobby farm 1969 and purchased a larger property, 600 acres in the Riverina. Grew wheat, sunflowers, corn, soybeans, Lucerne alongside Angus cattle and pony studs.

In 1973 leased the Riverina property after being offered a position with an international insurance brokering agency as a Bloodstock/Livestock Consultant. The next twenty years were spent with this group and others in the same field. During this time he worked in The U.K. and The U.S.A.

He has been operating full time as a rural property consultant/manager since 1993.

He specializes in Northern Australian cattle properties.

If you are looking for a rural property, I can find it for you, inspect it, asses it and advise on the potential it offers.

FISHING

Australian fisher persons are spoilt with good coastal fishing almost anywhere and anytime, excellent trout fishing in southern areas and fishing our tropical waters yields all the main light game species up to marlin. Inland rivers provide good fresh water fishing for many native fish.

Southern Australia offers good year round fishing, fresh and salt water.

Angling for fish in fresh and salt water in Northern Australia continues throughout the year.

Some periods are better than others for both zones, it is only when you target a species that the time of the year becomes an issue. Fishing for Barramundi is at its best at the end of the wet season, March to June.

Fly fishing in the quite surf on northern beaches for Barramundi, Golden Trevally, Queenfish and Threadfin Salmon is superb sport. Using sunglasses to cut the glare you can see the fish. The trick is to lay a wet fly ahead of the hunting fish, it is not easy but fantastic sport. Any of these fish on a no 8 fly rod will test you out. You need to be fit and able to run, you have to keep up with a hunting fish, then a fighting fish and this is crocodile country. You can fish from a boat close in, but it is not as thrilling.

HUNTING

In northern Australia hunting is restricted to water fowl, wild pigs and wild cattle.

LINKS TO AUSTRALIAN FISHING WEB SITES