Pastoralist Tom Brinkworth has died

The Brinkworth empire spans more than a million hectares of land across the country, including more than 250,000 hectares in South Australia's south east.

The enigmatic and reclusive farmer who was no stranger to controversy owned more than 100 properties, including Riverina icon Uardry Station.

He might have continued in relative obscurity beyond his home state but his 2012 purchase of the historic 80,000 hectare Uardry Station near Hay in NSW for about $28 million attracted plenty of attention.

Uardry was, if not pre-eminent in the breeding of Australian stud Merinos, ranked in the top five, with a history that includes bloodlines associated with the iconic Hallmark ram, grand champion at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in 1932.

However, within weeks of the purchase, Mr Brinkworth sold the station's birthright in a dispersal sale of 18,000 stud Merinos.

Mr Brinkworth again made headlines in 2013 when he bought 18,000 cattle from the AA Company's Barkly Tablelands properties, and trucked them to Longreach, enlisting boss drover Bill Little from Roma, to walk them 2000 kilometres to Uardry.

Brinkworth mob crosses the border

The deal negotiated by pastoral firm Elders was worth about $7 million and is the largest purchase of cattle by single vendor to a buyer in Australian history.

Mr Little said he started with nine drovers with 2000 cattle each in Queensland, which made up the 18,000 cattle. Nine drovers all probably with four men working for them with their own teams of horses, their own plant, their own trucks, their own individual gear.

"Once we crossed the NSW border the mobs were split into small groups of 1500 head under NSW Pastoral Protection restrictions," he said.

Mr Little said he was amazed at and didn't realise how much media attention and general public interest would be generated in that droving operation.

The epic journey took seven months to complete and at times proved to be a logistical nightmare.

"Probably one of the toughest, longest trips I've ever done," Mr Little said.

"I've done trips as long, but as tough - seasonal-wise, it would be the toughest we've ever taken on. Our cattle are strong and healthy, they're bright in the eye, they're healthy, they're not fat by any means, but they're good, strong, healthy cattle."

Once the drove was completed Mr Little said Mr Brinkworth was pleased with the overall numbers delivered safely to Uardry.

"He was a tough businessman, but fair to do business with," Mr Little said.

Mr Brinkworth is survived by his wife Pat, sons Angas and Ben, and daughter Annabel.