Stud beef enterprise for sale: Anvil Angus at Acheron

THIS week’s offering of 873 cattle at the Anvil Angus stud in Victoria’s Acheron Valley marks the end of a rich chapter for the extended Handbury family.

Rare offering: For the Anvil Angus stud near Taggerty, it will be the first time since settlement it has been offered for public sale.

THIS week’s offering of 873 cattle at the Anvil Angus stud in Victoria’s Acheron Valley marks the end of a rich chapter for the extended Handbury family.

The two-day event — Australia’s largest-ever dispersal of herd book-registered Angus females — heralds the imminent sale of the stud’s home base, Craggan, at Acheron.

Located 10km from Taggerty and 12km from Alexandra, the property is being sold as a whole or in three separate lots — the first time it has been publicly offered for sale since settlement.

ACHERON

CRAGGAN

PROPERTY: Stud beef enterprise

SIZE: 650ha

SALE: expressions of interest close November 28

PRICE: Craggan, $5.5 million-plus; Cragganmore, $1.35 million-plus; Burnside, $700,000-plus

AGENT: Pat Rice & Hawkins/Ruralco Property

CONTACT: Matt Childs, 0418 512 494, Bart O’Sullivan, 0408 576 582, Adam Mountjoy, 0428 926 610, or Brendan Woodley, 0429 032 620

Anvil Angus.

Stephen and Melissa Handbury have managed Anvil Angus for their parents, Paul and Robyn, for the past 14 years.

“Mum and Dad bought the property privately from the Cummings family who had held the original block since settlement in 1869,” Stephen said.

“Over that time, we’ve installed a significant laneway system,” he said.

Stephen said they also “upgraded the fencing, put in many more stock troughs, built the sale barn and have done some major pasture improvement work”.

Craggan comprises alluvial creek flats and rich loam soils, gently undulating pastures and steeper grazing country with some native timber and shelter belts.

Anvil Angus.

It backs on to the Black Range with clear views of the Cathedral Range close behind.

It has an estimated carrying capacity of 18DSE while also growing supplementary fodder — a figure which translates to about 450 breeders and calves or 700 steers.

“The sale of a property of this size in the valley is rather unique,” Stephen said.

“As far as I understand, nothing on this scale has been offered here in 25 years.”

Stock watering is covered by a reticulated trough system with a registered private bore, long frontage to permanent Connelly’s Creek and 25 dams.

Craggan (474ha) includes one of the original homesteads — a four-bedroom weatherboard building that’s been upgraded over time.

For sale: Anvil Angus at Acheron

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The property has 25 paddocks with a laneway system and all-weather gravel roads, carrying capacity of around 350 breeding cows and improvements including cattle yards with undercover crush, scales and loading ramp, shearing shed, workshop and hay and machinery sheds.

The cattle selling facility, built in 2013, includes an auction ring, toilets, kitchen, office space and storage.

Mobile tiered seating is employed on sale days.

Cragganmore (118ha) offers excellent water supply from four large dams, while Burnside (58ha) features power on-site and riparian double frontage to Connelly’s Creek, plus dams. Stephen and Melissa plan to move to Melbourne for family reasons.