Wrigley family sells central NSW Meryon Aggregation

After a tenure spanning more than four decades, a central NSW farming family has offloaded their 4500ha five-farm aggregation.

A 4516ha central west NSW family-owned aggregation, home to an expansive cropping enterprise, has changed hands for the first time in more than 40 years.

Gary and Jenny Wrigley have offloaded their Meryon Aggregation, ending their 43-year tenure at the amalgamated property.

It is understood a farming family, with existing interests in the Coonamble district has purchased the property as a whole.

The value of the recent sale remains undisclosed, however it is understood the property was on the market with a price guide of $20-$22 million.

Located 20km east of Warren, the aggregation comprises adjoining parcels Meryon (1835ha), Clyde Cottage (1742ha) and The Ranch (939ha).

The Wrigley family had owned the property since 1980, making subsequent additions up to 2021 including a $3.35 million purchase of Clyde Cottage from neighbouring landholders, the Peel family.

Gary and Jenny Wrigley have sold the Meryon Aggregation to retire.

The Meryon aggregation comprises heavy chocolate, self-mulching soils, to some heavy red loams, with most cleared for farming and some timbered areas used for agistment cattle.

Wheat, barley, canola and chickpeas are cropped across about 4250ha with 2343ha sown to wheat, 1245ha to canola and 445ha to barley this year. These crops were to be included in the sale.

The 2021 crop at Meryon yielded 2.3t a hectare for canola, 4.2t a hectare for wheat and 2.7t a hectare for chickpeas.

Peter Milling and Company Dubbo selling agent Peter Dwyer handled the sale via an expressions of interest campaign which closed on June 15.

Meanwhile, in northern NSW the Hickson family has listed its 5926ha five-farm aggregation, located 8km from Boomi and 85km north of Moree.

Three generations of the Hickson family have farmed at the Eural aggregation with the original Eural block purchased back in 1929.

Despite a long history of cropping at Eural, the Hickson family are selling their property to focus on cattle and sheep production. For the past 20 years the Hicksons have run a time-controlled grazing operation on part of the property.

Meanwhile this year’s winter crop spans 1183ha, while a further 1657ha is ready for next year’s winter crop.

Overall the aggregation comprises the 1600ha Eural, 1343ha Naroola 1242ha Glenmore, 1064ha Boonal West and 677ha Broxburn.

Earlier this month a 7600ha northern NSW farm at Armidale was sold to Origin Energy for a figure well in excess of the $35 million price tag.