Rick and Jenny Robertson sell Gracemere Merino farm, at Bengworden, for $7m-plus

For the first time in more than 70 years, Gracemere Merino in East Gippsland will change hands after it was sold in a multimillion dollar deal.

One of East Gippsland’s most renowned Merino studs and cropping farms has been sold to a Western District buyer in a multimillion dollar deal.

Rick and Jenny Robertson have sold their 964ha Gracemere Merino farm, at Bengworden, 20km southwest of Bairnsdale, in a deal worth more than $7m.

The property was secured recently by Jarrod Blandford and wife Meagan, who own sheep and cropping farms around the Ararat district, in Victoria’s west.

Mr Blandford said the purchase, which was believed to be worth around $3000 per hectare, was about diversifying his families existing 404ha holdings in the Western District.

“The purchase gives us the opportunity for diversification,” Mr Blandford said.

“We mainly have broadacre cropping here in Ararat and we wanted to run a few more sheep with this farm.

“The farms will be separately run and it gives us the security down the track with the different weather conditions.”

Rick and Jenny Robertson

First National Real Estate King and Heath selling agent James Counihan said there was strong demand from locals and other Victorian buyers to get their hands on the tightly-held farm.

Gracemere farms, which is held in 12 titles and has been divided into 80 paddocks, is an award-winning operation.

In 2020, the Robertson family were Sheep Farmer of the Year Finalists in The Weekly Times Coles Farmer of the Year awards.

Mr Robertson is a second-generation wool and sheepmeat farmer, who took control of the Gracemere Merino flock back in 1989.

He said winning the Victorian flock of the Year and other industry awards was some of his highlights.

And with market conditions never better, the Robertsons decided it was time to move onto the next chapter.

The Blandford’s purchased one mob on the Gracemere Merino flock, with the remaining herd sold at different locations across the state.

Bairnsdale farm The Weekly Times

The Robertson family have held the farm for more than 70 years, with a focus on merino sheep breeding and growing 19 micron wool.

A rotational grazing program was used for the most of each year, with Gracemere emphasising regrowth and plant recovery.

Gracemere is also home to a four-stand woolshed with three sets of sheep yards.

The yards are each capable of holding up to 2000 sheep, with the main yards partly covered.

The sale of the renowned East Gippsland farm comes after the 1236ha Lockdale farm at Narromine, NSW, was sold for the first time in 93 years, in a deal worth almost $10m.