Board Executives
Paul McPherson
Paul owns and operates Allanvale in partnership with Christine which with the incorporation of Milkengay is around 14,000 Hectares in the lower Anabranch region.
Phil Baird
Phil, his wife Amber and their 3 teenage sons live and work on the 13000 Hectare property ‘Oakbank’ on the lower end of the Anabranch. The family run operation is predominantly Dorpers but can include cattle and Merino’s when seasons permit.
Board Members
Fiona McLeod
Fiona McLeod moved to Coombah Station with her husband Andy in 1982. Raising 3 children on the property with a strong interest in horses, the property has always been a busy operation, particularly as it expanded over time.
Denis Miller
Denis owns Wycot and Whurlie stations approximately 70km Northwest of Pooncarie. The 47,000 Hectare combination has frontage on both the Darling and the Anabranch and incorporates the family’s meat sheep operation.
Hayden Cullinan
Hayden is the newest member of the Anabranch Board joining early in 2022.
“I’m still learning the ropes – don’t think you ever get your head around all of it, it’s a lot more than just managing the pipeline. I’m still new so they haven’t given me too many jobs yet, so that’s good”
Hayden’s property, Nindethana is midway up the Anabranch at the bottom end of the lake system, where 700 acres of Nitchie Lake is cropped through a share-farming arrangement, with the bulk of the 38,000 acres utilised for their self-replacing Dorper operation.
“My family property was Trelega in the Darling area, and we bought Nindethana back in 1997. The Cullinan’s came out to Western NSW in 1888.”
Hayden divides his time between the property and a house in Wentworth which is a useful base for the family.
“It’s handy to have a place in town, especially while the girls are at school, but Nindethana is home.”
Mark Withers
Mark and Lindy Withers live on Woodlands, which, with the adjoining property Manilla, comprise around 64000 Hectares of the country in the middle of the Anabranch. The Withers family are one of the earliest settlers in the region, with Mark being a 5th generation Anabranch farmer and his grandchildren 7th generation in the mixed enterprise.
Peter Crettenden
Peter lives on the 59000 Hectare Popiltah Station, roughly halfway along the Anabranch, with access to both Popiltah and Popio Lakes. Peter’s operation incorporates small numbers of cattle with meat-sheep, goats, and occasional cropping on the lake beds. Peter has lived on Popiltah for over 40 years and operates the property with his son.
Gary Hill
Born on Roo Roo Station, with a family history dating back to the 1860s, and still working in the region, Gary Hill is one of the longest-serving members of the Anabranch Water board.
With his family, Gary Manages around 220,000 Acres with Roo Roo, Nertherby, Noola and Nulla Nulla combined. The operation is mainly Dorper sheep but now includes a couple of hundred acres of wine grapes, and a bit of cropping – along with the necessary machinery.
Management & Operations
Tony Hickey
Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Economics), MIMC
Partner, Findex (Aust) Pty Ltd
Board Member/Treasurer, Princes Court Homes
Tony is a Partner in Findex and has over 30 years’ experience in the public practice and the agribusiness industry. He has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Economics) and is a Member of the Institute of Management Consultants.
Pam Anderson
Administration Officer with Anabranch Water since 2010, Pam came to the organization from the Department of Human Services, and with the commissioning of the pipeline just completed, she found herself immediately immersed in the ‘deep end’.
Jim Andrews
Jim is the Operations and Maintenance Contractor for Anabranch Water. An A-Grade mechanic, he started as the contractor in November 2014 and came to Anabranch Water from Western Murray Irrigation, where he had been involved in the development of the O&M for the pumps & pipeline infrastructure. Now he’s on call for any operational needs.