Kate and Deb Bland purchase Leongatha South dairy, Hillgrove

A South Gippsland dairy farming family have purchased a prized 207ha farm as part of a major expansion. See the details.

A renowned South Gippsland dairy farming family have made a major move to expand their enterprise, snapping up a prized property at Leongatha South.

Fourth generation Foster farmer Kate Bland and her partner, Deb, have purchased the 207ha Hillgrove dairy farm, located 7km from Leongatha and 20km from Inverloch, in a deal with the White family.

Hillgrove, comprising four titles with lot sizes ranging from 5.3ha to 140.8ha, was listed for sale last spring where it initially received interest from local farming families and corporate buyers.

The price of the deal remains undisclosed, however it is understood to have sold for in excess of $8 million or $38,000 a hectare, with the Bland family to take control of the property after an extended settlement process.

The Bland family along with their three young sons, Alex, Blair and Cody, farm across 505ha at Foster, with an additional 405ha of turnout land nearby.

Kate Bland has run their home Foster property for about 20 years continuing the dairy farming legacy that runs through both sides of her family.

Ms Bland said she and Deb were proud and relieved to have secured the Hillgrove property.

Cody, Kate, Alex, Deb and Blair Bland on their Foster dairy farm in 2021. Picture: Zoe Phillips.

“We had been looking for a few years, but couldn’t find exactly what we wanted,” she said.

“We didn’t want to step into something too big, we really enjoy what we do and so we wanted something that would be a challenge, but not a burden.

“We are fortunate to be supplying Coles and their support has given us the stability to look forward.

“It is a proud moment and we are very happy. We are looking forward to a new challenge at this property, and keeping our current dairy pristine.”

They have also purchased an additional 80ha that neighbours the Leongatha property.

Through their enterprise Kaedem Dairies, they employ four full-time staff and relief milkers help to milk more than 800 cows twice a day, plus carry more than 1100 head of young stock.

Kate and Deb Bland run Kaedem Dairies on their South Gippsland properties. Picture: Zoe Phillips

The acquisition of additional farmland has been key for the Bland family’s enterprise, purchasing about 240ha six years ago, using it to carry more stock and grow enough fodder to cover all their herd’s needs plus extra.

While a key expansion for the Bland family, the sale ends the White family’s six generations of dairy farming in South Gippsland.

Hillgrove was home to their Dilee Holsteins herd, running a 340-head split-calving herd producing three-year averages of 120,895kg of butterfat, 103,890kg protein and 224,785kg milk solids at 670kg a cow.

The White family bought their Leongatha property together about 22 years ago.

A family partnership between Les White, wife Dianne, son Russ and his wife, Amy, ran the property.

SEJ Real Estate Leongatha selling agent Irene Walker handled the sale and said relatively strong 2023-24 milk prices renewed interest in the property, particularly from dairy farmers looking to expand.

The deal also comes after an undisclosed local dairy farming family at Athlone, in West Gippsland, purchased a neighbouring 262ha dairy farm from a private Chinese company who had owned the property for more than seven years, via a deal struck in May this year.