Kalyeeda Station snapped up by Emanuel family after 30 years

One of the Kimberley’s most iconic pastoral properties has been sold after less than 18 months on the market, with the well-known Emanuel family snapping up Kalyeeda Station for an undisclosed amount. The 122,519ha property, located 100km south west of Fitzroy Crossing, was first listed for sale in June last year with expressions of interest open for offers above $27.5 million. It was this week bought by Nerrima Pastoral Company, which owns the neighbouring Nerrima Station and is owned by the Emanuel family — which founded and later sold the WA livestock export business, Emanuel Exports. The sale of the station came formed part of the Camp family’s succession plan after 30 years on the property. It was bought on a walk-in-walk-out basis including 9000 head of Droughtmaster cattle, as well as stock horses and equipment. Kalyeeda sits alongside Hancock Agriculture’s Liveringa Station and Nerrima and is buoyed by 40,000ha of fertile flood plains, and watered by Fitzroy River and the Kalyeeda Creek system. The station was made Instagram-famous by fourth-generation stockwoman Camille McLymont, nee Camp, who holds a following of more than 38,000 on her personal account as she documents life in the outback of northern WA. Ms McLymont first started her social media account @camille_monica when she was working at her parents’ Kalyeeda station, before moving to manage Nerrima station last year. Kalyeeda’s sale was managed by LAWD directors Olivia Thompson and Simon Wilkinson from June this year, who said the average turn off of 3000 too 35000 steers and females reflected the “efficiency and scale of the management systems on property”. “During the past five seasons Kalyeeda Station has mustered close to 12,000 head of cattle per year, reflecting the significant capital investment the vendors have made in state-of-the-art handling facilities,” Ms Thompson said. “This has included a $900,000 centrally located cattle yard complex with capacity for 2500 head, as well quality fencing and a laneway system for efficient stock movement.” Kalyeeda also includes two houses, a cottage, a 12-bedroom staff quarters, 39 troughs, several lakes, and steel water tanks drawing water from 21 solar-powered bores with remote monitoring systems and gauges. It is also equipped with machinery sheds, hay storage, stable, and a 1200m gravel airstrip built in 2024. Mr Wilkinson said the sale represented a vote of confidence in WA’s cattle industry. “While we are unable to disclose the final sale price, we are please it was in line with the price guide offered,” he said. “The property attracted solid enquiry throughout the sale process, with four expressions of interest during the campaign. “The commitment of the Camp family to develop Kalyeeda durinng the past 30 years using technology-driven modern pastoral practices and sustainable land management, ensured it presented as an outstanding investment opportunity.” The same creates an aggregation of about 325,000ha between Kalyeeda and Nerrima, which was sold to Johnathan Emanuel — in partnership with the McLarty family of Pinjarra — by Gina Rineheart for $30 million in 2021. Mr Emanuel is a great grandson of Isadore Emanuel who, with his brother Samuel, were among the first to bring livestock from the east coast to the Kimberley along with the Durack and Macdonald families. The Emanuel family were once the largest leaseholders in the Kimberley — owning Gogo, Cherrabun, Christmas Creek, Jubilee Downs, and Meda stations since the late 1800s — and were instrumental in the establishment of Emanuel Exports with the Daws family. The sale marks the second Kimberley station to change hands in recent weeks, with Yeeda Pastoral Company — and its subsidiaries including Yeeda Station and Kimberley Meat Company — changing hands to Canadian-backed TLP4 on October 31.