The McNamara name is synonymous with the sale of stock and real estate throughout this region.

Maurice McNamara and Co. is a Numurkah institution, opened by Maurice on August 15th, 1962, after the man this region knew as ‘Mo Mac’ had worked as branch manager for John McNamara and Co. for almost 11 years.

Maurice’s great uncle John opened the first of the McNamara stock agencies at Yarrawonga in 1881.

It was followed by his grandfather Patrick opening an office at Shepparton and another great uncle, David, opening one in Numurkah.

The brothers joined forces to open at the Newmarket saleyards in Melbourne in 1900 under the name of John McNamara and Co.

Upon the retirement of two of the original founding brothers in 1921, a new company proprietary was formed in Melbourne and substantially increased its network of branches in the 1920s and 1930s.

John McNamara and Co. Melbourne created a world record when they auctioned one million sheep for the year at Newmarket in December 1944.

At this stage, young Maurice was just 16 but after completing his schooling two years later, he joined his father and brothers Bryan and Gerald at the Shepparton office where his eldest sister Kath also worked, being in charge of accounts.

Maurice took up the position as Branch Manager for John McNamara & Co in Numurkah on September 1st, 1951 at just 22 years of age, just prior to his marriage to Hilda Heritage.

After 11 years as branch manager Maurice took the leap and in 1962 formed his own company Maurice McNamara & Co. By this time Maurice and wife Hilda had six children – David, Peter, Tim, Mark, Julie and Michael.

Mo was joined by eldest son David in 1973 just prior to the company becoming a founding member of the First National Real Estate group in 1982.

David’s oldest son Danny then joined the company in 1991 and for a period there were three generations working together.

Maurice passed away in 2014 but the business continues to thrive under the leadership of David McNamara and is still based on the same principles and values that Maurice had all those years ago whilst continuing to embrace new technology and selling methods that never existed back in Mo’s day.

You will find us in the Original State Bank building which stands prominently in the centre of town in Numurkah.