Latest farms to hit the market include Riverina and Gippsland properties seeking millions
The latest listings include a Riverina property asking more than $22,000 per hectare and a winery at Longwood East winery.
A GRAZING property in the Riverina is one of the latest farms to be listed for sale, with an asking price of more than $6 million.
The 274ha property, Mayfield at Bungowannah in NSW, is seeking more than $22,140 a hectare.
The property will be sold under the hammer on May 14.
It comes as a mixed farming property in the Riverina recently sold for more than $9 million – well above its asking price.
The 3341ha property, Yaloke at Deniliquin sold for $9.35 million after it had an asking price of more than $8.5 million.
See the latest listings below.
BUNGOWANNAH, NSW
MAYFIELD
PROPERTY: grazing
SIZE: 274ha
SALE: auction May 14
PRICE: more than $22,140/hectare
AGENT: Elders Real Estate
CONTACT: David Gittoes, 0409 362 722
A HISTORIC homestead teamed with frontage to the Murray River are two of the features of Albury-district property Mayfield.
Potential owners are expected to be tempted not only by 2.75km of private access to the Murray River and 274ha of productive land but also the 1865-homestead which has been extensively renovated.
Elders Real Estate agent David Gittoes described Mayfield as “a blue-ribbon livestock property with the potential to crop or grow fodder”.
“With all due respect to people further downstream, we think the land with frontage to the Murray between Albury and Howlong is some of the most productive you can find,” Mr Gittoes said.
“Add to that the higher rainfall closer to Albury and it is an impressive package.”
The country is described as river flats and undulating areas with red loam soils. About 95 per cent of the property is arable.
Pastures include perennials and lucerne and they have received regular additions of lime and fertilisers to boost productivity.
Water is a big part of the Mayfield package. Along with the Murray River frontage, there is a water river licence and a stock and domestic licence, several dams, a stock and domestic bore and a full reticulated system to supply stock troughs.
Mayfield has been stocking 150 Angus cows and calves, but Mr Gittoes said this was a conservative number and there was potential to run more stock.
The property is divided into 21 paddocks and has extensive laneways and established shelterbelts which add to the natural stands of shade and shelter trees.
LONGFORD
Property: lifestyle
Size: 41ha
Sale: private
Price: $2.75 million
Agent: One Lifestyle Real Estate, Leongatha
Contact: Julia Merrington, 0435 791 114, or Jane Gardner, 0401 333 564
SWANS, pelicans, spoonbills, ducks and eagles are frequent visitors in the ever-changing vista stretched out before this pair of luxurious Colonial-style homesteads at Longford in Gippsland.
Located eight minutes’ drive from Sale, the property’s single title consists of two distinct sections, all fully fenced – 17ha of higher ground fronting a further 24ha of low wetlands and red gum forest shouldering the Latrobe River.
Peter and Robyn Latham began work on the houses in 2010 as owner-builders, acquiring bare land which was once part of a larger farm.
The main homestead, of 86 squares, features three large living areas, five bedrooms (the master suite including walk-in robes, ensuite and private retreat), study/office, two further bathrooms, kitchen with stone benchtops and butler’s pantry, games/rumpus room and laundry.
Eye-catching features include spotted gum flooring, 3m-high ceilings and a 5.5m vaulted ceiling, ducted vacuum system, an enclosed outdoor entertaining area, generous verandas and a three-car garage.
The second home is currently tenanted, but Robyn believes it would also be ideal as a B&B or for caring for dependants. It’s fully self-contained and designed to closely mirror the first, in design, building materials and fittings.
Far enough away from the main house to guarantee privacy, but sharing the same water views, the home provides two bedrooms (both with ensuites), modern kitchen, lounge and living area and freestanding two-car garage.
HUNTLY NORTH
MEADOWVIEW
Property: lifestyle
Size: 52ha
Sale: private
Price: $1,865,000 to $1,950,000
Agent: Bendigo Real Estate
Contact: Angela Walter, 0401 282 976
WINERY, farm stay, horse riding, land bank or hobby farm – the options are potentially wide open at Meadowview, a 52ha cropping property at Huntly North in Central Victoria.
If nothing else, it offers a generous family home seven minutes from the thriving Huntly township and 20 minutes from the centre of Bendigo.
Bordering both the Kamarooka and Whipstick State Forests, Meadowview has three road frontages, town water connection and a proven record in hay and crop production.
Chris and Sandra Vaughan-Spruce bought the land as bare paddocks in 2008 and started work on their new home the following year.
Built on a slight rise, the steel-framed house offers four bedrooms (the master with ensuite and walk-in robe), kitchen/meals area with walk-in pantry, lounge/dining room, family bathroom, study, two casual living areas and laundry.
The home has abundant storage, bay windows, ducted reverse-cycle heating and cooling, NBN connection, a four-car carport and outdoor entertaining area with water feature.
The well-established landscaped gardens include native and non-native trees, fruit trees and shrubs, all of which have been planted by Chris and Sandra since they arrived.
There’s also a summer house, barbecue area, chicken pen and vegetable garden with mains water connection.
BUNBARTHA
MANEROO
Property: lifestyle
Size: 16ha
Sale: auction on-site, April 24 at 11am
Price: around $2 million
Agent: Kevin Hicks Real Estate, Shepparton
Contact: Kevin Hicks, 0428 271 270
NOTABLE connections to a mining pioneer and prominent cricket administrator are part of the distinguished story of Maneroo, a gracious homestead northwest of Shepparton in northern Victoria.
Located at Bunbartha, the property features the heritage-listed house, private access to the Goulburn River, two titles and an abundant supply of water.
John and Robin Pettigrew bought Maneroo homestead 31 years ago together with its adjoining farm, continuing their long-established fruit growing business there for a further two decades.
They mainly grew canning peaches for SPC, planting out around eight hectares to some 10,000 trellised trees.
In 2012, the couple retired from fruit growing, sold the adjoining land and have since used Maneroo as a dryland farm to fatten steers.
Maneroo sits on sand hill country with sandy loam soils watered via a pump on the Goulburn River, generous rainwater storage and a groundwater bore. A 5Ml high-security water right is included in the sale.
The house was built in 1910 by entrepreneur and politician William Orr, who was an early shareholder in Broken Hill Proprietary Co and, along with a business partner, established the Mt Lyell copper mine in Tasmania in 1892.
He also served as a member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1901-04.
“Orr had property in Melbourne, but this was his country retreat,” John said.
“Maneroo has had other significant owners as well over the years, such as Dr Ramsay Mailer, one-time president of the Melbourne Cricket Club, and the Cornish family’s famed Maneroo Murray Grey Stud in the seventies.
“The house is architecturally significant as one of the earliest remaining Californian bungalow homes in Australia.”
LOCH
GLENCAIRN
PROPERTY: dairy
SIZE: 140ha
SALE: for private sale
PRICE: $5.2-$5.3 million
AGENT: Nutrien Harcourts
CONTACT: Barry Redmond, 0477 622 292
COUNTRY where blue gums grow naturally is highly prized by those who own it.
It’s what attracted Phillip Ould to buy a dairy farm right on the outskirts of Loch, knowing the soils were deep and productive and the rainfall was high.
Since buying Glencairn, Phillip alongside his sharefarmers Paul and Louise Sherar, has worked hard to bring even more value to an existing dairy farm.
“We have done lots of improvements on the tracks and we have subdivided paddocks and established tree plantations,” Phillip said.
“It was blue gum country, so we definitely saw the potential in the farm, and what we have been able to achieve has increased its productivity.
“This is renowned South Gippsland dairy country for a reason.”
Glencairn has been supporting a 280 to 300-cow herd from its pastures, which grow all year round thanks to the 1000m rainfall.
“We are green most of the year and this year, we have been green right through,” Phillip said.
The country is described as a balance of undulating to rolling hill country and has a northerly aspect.
The all-weather laneways have been maintained each year, allowing access to the 32 paddocks. Fencing is in excellent condition with a large amount new in the past few years.
Farming improvements include the 20-a-side swingover herringbone dairy which, while not new, has been well looked after, Phillip said. There are air-operated stall gates, an 8000-litre vat, a cow yard which can hold 300 cows, a feed pad, a feeding system and a grain crusher.
There are also two six-bay machinery sheds (one measuring 16m by 8m and the other 30m by 10m); two workshops and a 6-bay hay shed.
The farm has solar power with a 108-panel solar system at the dairy and two others fitted on each of the weatherboard houses.
LONGWOOD EAST
MAYGARS HILL WINERY
PROPERTY: vineyard/lifestyle
SIZE: 8ha
SALE: expressions of interest close April 15
PRICE: more than $800,000
AGENT: Elders Real Estate
CONTACT: Brendan Allen, 0499 229 007
CREATING an award-winning winery was never part of any kind of formal plan for Jenny Houghton.
When she moved across from Perth to be with her partner more than two decades ago, she held a hot-air balloon license and took visitors for flights across North East Victoria.
But she bought a neighbouring piece of land to their existing holding and all the advice was that the land was perfect for grapevines, she started her winery journey.
“I was speaking at an event recently and I said that in 30 years, I had never developed a business plan and I think they were horrified,” Jenny said.
“What I have done is taken good advice, got great help and been able to create something which now has a wonderful reputation and has been so rewarding.”
Jenny first planted vines in 1997 from cuttings and the property now has 5000 vines, a mix of shiraz (1.6ha) and cabernet sauvignon (0.8ha). The grapes are watered by a bore fitted with a new pump and there is also a large dam on the farm.
The first wines were made by Sam Plunkett who turned their wine grapes into show-winning wines.
“When we were awarded our first gold medal at the Sydney Wine Show, it went to my head and so we planted more cuttings,” Jenny said.
“We have always concentrated on producing quality – we prune for gold medals, not for quantity.
“There are now people in the district who will do this for you, and this property can be as much or little work as you want – it would be ideal as a weekender for someone who wanted to be involved or you could pay someone to do the pruning and slashing and just use it as a lovely place to relax.”
Initially a three-bedroom cottage was built for visitors to stay at the winery, but it could be also used as a more permeant house.
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