Western District Angus breeders list former dairy farm for sale

One of the best beef breeders in the industry is selling a 194ha farm which could be worth up to $37,000 a hectare. See the details.

A five-year makeover of a dairy property into a beef operation has been a labour of love for the Branson family.

Best known for their Banquet Angus operation near Mortlake, Stephen and Noeleen Branson have fallen in love with their out block which offered extra grazing area from their home base.

They bought the property when there was less enthusiasm for the dairy industry, and Stephen said it was clear the land was productive.

“They say that if you can feed a bit in winter, that you can run a dairy cow to the acre here, and we’ve run well more than that because we are running beef cattle,” Stephen said.

The Bransons have used the country to run commercial females, which are bought in as weaners, then joined to Banquet bulls and grown out and sold at the annual autumn sale each year.

Some of the Angus females run on The Dingey, which the Branson family have used as an outblock from their main operation.

NARINGAL EAST
THE DINGEY
Property: livestock, dairy
Size: 194ha
Sale: expressions of interest close December 17
Price: $24,600-$37,000 a hectare
Agent: Elders Real Estate
Contact: Rob Rickard, 0407 354 025

Banquet Angus’ Stephen and Noeleen Branson Picture: Zoe Phillips

And the country has done this job well.

“It is warmer country than Mortlake in winter and cooler country in summer, and the growing season is longer,” Stephen said.

“It’s pretty country, it’s productive and on this block, each paddock has amazing shelter on at least two sides of most paddocks, so the cattle do well.

The Bransons have put their own touch on the property. Stephen said they liked to buy dairy properties because “the laneways are good and the water is good and they are productive”.

What they have done is converted some of the temporary dairy fencing to make it “beef proof”, resurfaced existing laneways and implemented a weed control program.

The end result is a property they are proud of and clearly love – and would love even more if it was closer to home.

The sign says it all – The Dingey has been a labour of love for the Branson family as they converted a dairy farm to beef.

The 40km commute is proving a challenge in terms of logistics of moving cattle backwards and forwards, and that’s the reason Stephen said they put it on the market.

“We don’t feed a roll of hay to the cattle down there, and it’s a lovely bit of country,” he said.

When the Bransons bought The Dingey, they closed the doors on the dairy but all infrastructure is still there. That includes the 40-unit rotary dairy, four silos, a machinery shed, workshop with a concrete and power connected, two other hay sheds, one of which has an area for calves, and undercover cattle handling facilities with yards, crush and loading ramp.

While the Branson family have converted their Naringal East property, The Dingey, from dairy to beef, the infrastructure remains allowing the buyer to go back to dairying should they wish.

There is also a three-bedroom home with double garage.

The property is subdivided into 42 paddocks and there is a central laneway which loops to service those paddocks.

Water is supplied by bores with new pumps put in by the Bransons, and is reticulated to troughs in the paddocks.

The Dingey is 20 minutes to Timboon, Cobden and Warrnambool.