Notman family to sell Walcha Dairy for $25m-plus

A Victorian farming family, who runs a major seed business in West Gippsland, is selling their blue-ribbon northern NSW dairy farm.

The Notman family’s Walcha Dairy is for sale for $25 million-plus

A Victorian farming family who runs a major seed business in Gippsland has listed its first-class northern NSW dairy farm for sale.

Peter and Elaine Notman have listed their 626ha dairy aggregation, Walcha Dairy, 16km south of Walcha, for sale with a price tag in excess of $25 million.

Mr and Mrs Notman purchased what was Fred and Barbara Mulligans’ Dumby Park in 2008, converting it into one of Australia’s best dairy farms and adding it to their 310ha dairy farm at Poowong.

The Notmans have also run well recognised seed business Notmans Pasture Seeds since founding the company in 1987 and hosting the Notman Pasture Seeds field days. The Poowong dairy was sold in 2015.

Since acquiring their Walcha property 15 years ago, it has been developed to milk 1000 cows and produces up to 8 million litres of milk every year.

Walcha Dairy can milk 1000 cows and supplies fresh milk to Brisbane and Sydney.

The property comprises a 477ha holding with the main milking platform, as well as a 149ha heifer block used for raising animals to enter the milking herd.

Colliers selling agents James Beer, Bob Coote, Thomas Quinn and Nick Connor are handling the sale of the property, which is being sold on a walk-in walk-out basis, inclusive of livestock, plant and equipment via an expression of interest campaign closing 4pm on Friday, May 19.

“Walcha Dairy is an institutional grade dairy farm in a tightly held and highly reliable agricultural region,” Mr Beer said.

Peter Notman in 2005.

“The property has been developed from the ground up, with significant investment in pasture improvement and farm infrastructure.

“The attention to detail when developing the farm is quite remarkable.

“The paddock configuration, location of farm infrastructure, laneways, stock water system and the investment in technology has all been designed to minimise animal stress and maximise milk production.

“We anticipate Walcha Dairy will be of strong interest to a range of purchasers, including high net worth individuals, corporates and offshore parties.”

Existing infrastructure includes an 80-unit rotary dairy, six dwellings and new machinery and hay sheds.