The Paraway Name

Few did more to open up the wide open spaces of middle Australia to cattle operations than Nathanial (Nat) Buchanan (1826-1901). An Irish born immigrant, Buchanan turned to droving after a stint as a gold miner. He was the first European to cross the Barkly Tablelands from east to west, and the first to take a large herd of breeding cattle from Queensland to the Territory, proving the viability of cattle operations in the North.

Over the course of his many treks across Queensland and the Northern Territory he came to be known among the local Aboriginal people as “Paraway” (he always seemed to have come from, or be going, far away).

When the Company was established in 2007, a suitably iconic name was sought for the new agricultural venture, and with Nat’s pioneering spirit and bold vision as inspiration, “Paraway” was chosen. Paraway has now grown to encompass some 4.4m hectares, including parts of the country traversed and opened up for cattle farming by Buchanan in his day. The connection was strengthened when Paraway acquired “Aberbaldie” near the town of Walcha, where Buchanan was buried and where his family had been employed.

Almost 120 years after his death, Buchanan's pioneering vision for agriculture in Australia lives on, and Paraway is proud to play its part in preserving his legacy.