Daniell family sells southwest Victorian farm Wairere

A New Zealand family has sold the former home of its Australian Romney stud, with a southwest Victoria family the new owners.

A New Zealand farming family with almost a century of ram breeding experience has sold what was the former home of its renowned Australian Romney stud.

The Daniell family offloaded the 1156ha three-farm aggregation near Heywood, known as Wairere, ending their Australian farming pursuits.

It is understood Hamilton district producers, the Crawford family, purchased the property for an undisclosed sum.

When the property was listed for sale in December last year, a price guide of about $17.5-$18.5 million was offered. It is understood the property was sold in line with current market conditions.

Located at 6405 Woolsthorpe-Heywood Rd, Heywood, the aggregation comprises three holdings: Wairere (268ha); Ettrick (388ha); and Ettrick Moor (495ha), which are partially adjoining neighbouring farms.

The property has the capacity to carry 17,000 dry sheep equivalent through winter, running their Romney stud and commercial flock of 5000 ewes.

The Daniell family had owned the Wairere aggregation for more than seven years.

The Wairere cattle enterprise also trades up to 600 head a year.

It is understood the Crawford family have purchased the aggregation as one, as they expand their existing operations on the outskirts of Hamilton in Victoria’s southwest, and will continue to be used for sheep and beef pursuits.

Nutrien Harcourts Warrnambool selling agent Neil Hammond handled the sale, but did not comment on the terms of the deal.

The Ettrick Moor block has 10 paddocks and is suitable for cattle wintering thanks to its portion of stone country.

He said the property attracted interest from a variety of buyers including corporate parties and established farming families.

The Daniell family’s ties to their Heywood aggregation date back to 2015 when they, via their Wairere Romney sheep stud enterprise, bought the three farms as they expanded from their base at Masterton, near Wellington on New Zealand’s North Island.

Shortly after the acquisition Wairere sent 190 ewes to Australia via airfreight and followed this with two years of multiple ovulation embryo transfers.

Len Daniell started the Akoura Romney stud in 1929, with current principal, Derek Daniell, the third generation to lead the operation after taking over from his father, John Daniell in 1983.

As part of their divestment from their Australian ventures, they sold the Wairere Australia stud business to the Ranken family at Hexham, who run maternal composite ram breeding operation Boonerah.