Historic Western District farm split between two buyers

A 675ha three-farm portfolio, 30km south of Ballarat, has been sold including a historic homestead built in 1871.

The Homestead and adjoining properties Faggs and Rices have been sold to separate buyers.

A historic homestead built in 1871, and 675ha of farmland in Victoria’s Golden Plains Shire have changed hands after being sold between two separate buyers.

The Homestead, a 412.14ha holding about 30km south of Ballarat at Mt Mercer, and two adjacent farms, 194.25ha Lot B, known as Faggs and 68.80ha Lot C, known as Rices, have been sold by a retiring Western District family.

Listed for sale in September last year, the mixed grazing and cropping property was offered with its centrepiece, a 153-year-old bluestone homestead built in 1871 and offering four bedrooms, formal entrance, drawing room, lounge, dining and cellar plus recently renovated kitchen, bathroom and utility or laundry room.

Inside there are 14-foot ceilings and numerous original features, with generous verandas skirting the homestead.

The Homestead bluestone residence has been sold along with 412ha of mixed farmland.

As a whole, the three-farm portfolio was expected to be worth about $11-$12m in total.

It is understood an interstate farming family has acquired the 412ha Homestead property, while a district buyer has acquired both the Faggs and Rices properties, adding them to their existing holdings.

The value of the transactions remains undisclosed.

Surrounding the home is hundreds of hectares of mixed farmland, which is suited to beef breeding and fattening, prime lambs and cropping pursuits.

The properties were also supported by an abundance of water, supplied via two bores that are gravity-fed to troughs in all 22 paddocks.

Wind turbines are set across The Homestead property at Mt Mercer.

One wind testing tower and 10 wind turbines also offered an alternative income stream.

Six of the wind turbines are set on Faggs, which also offers seven dams and is held in three titles.

Rices hosts a further two wind turbines and has been subject to a lease arrangement.

Charles Stewart and Co agent Michael Stewart handled the sale alongside T.B. White and Sons Real Estate agent Tom Madden.

“The property is being sold as a whole or in three outstanding contingent lots and comes

with assured income from the wind farm turbine lease,” Mr Stewart said.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to secure a well-located, financially versatile and productive

property in such a sought-after location.”

Originally published as Historic Western District farm split between two buyers