 In 1900 McCaughey bought North Yanco and at great cost constructed about 200 miles of channels and irrigated 40,000 acres (160 km²).The success of this scheme is believed to have encouraged the New South Wales government to proceed with the dam at Burrinjuck.McCaughey had become a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1899, and in 1905 he was made a Knight Bachelor.