Around $10,000 an acre was paid at auction for some of the most reliable cropping land in Victoria's Wimmera.
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After more than a century of ownership, the Hill family offered some versatile country in the St Helens Plains district, south-east of Horsham.
Agent Stephen Kelly from AWN Livestock and Property estimated between 30-40 people attended the auction at Haven Hall on Friday.
The property was passed in after reaching $9100 per acre at the auction but later sold for "a higher figure", Mr Kelly said.
Neighbours were the successful buyers of the 133 hectares (328 acres) of almost all arable add-on block across two large paddocks.
Mr Kelly was on the money with his price estimate for the sale saying it was some of the "very best" farm country in the Wimmera.
"It would be hard to find better cropping country in the Wimmera than the St Helens Plains," he said.
Mr Kelly said it was a successful day for the Hill family who had been farming the St Helens Plains country for three generations.
He said the land on offer had been conservatively farmed.
Soils across the property primarily consist of the renowned self-mulching clays of the St Helens Plains district.
The plains country is said to be gently undulating.
Mr Kelly said the holding was suited to all types of cropping enterprises.
He said the property is well fenced with bitumen road frontage on two sides and is located about 20 minutes travel time from Horsham and is east of the Grampians National Park.
The land also includes a livestock containment area plus a 60m x 30m steel hay shed.
GWMWater piped water is connected.
Meanwhile, for those who missed out on this sale, there is more choice St Helens Plains farm land south-east of Horsham also on the market.
Noorong's farm's owners have suggested an asking price of $7250 per acre for the property near Dadswells Bridge.
The cropping and mixed farming property is offered for private sale on Crutes Bridge North Road by Ray White Rural agent Max Brown across 258 hectares (640 acres).
At the suggested price, the farm which covers the old square mile is on offer for around $4.6 million.
Noorong is subdivided into six well fenced paddocks with seven dams and agents say the land has been farmed successfully by the vendor since 2008.
Among the improvements include a three-bedroom brick home with recently renovated kitchen and bathroom.
It has a steel framed and clad open fronted and multi bay high clearance machinery shed and workshop measuring 30 by 21 metres.
On the property is a three-stand shearing shed although it is not equipped.
A small extraction pit is operated under permit for fine white sand.
"Noorong on the St Helens Plains close to Dadswells Bridge and Stawell on the Western Highway is a ready to go farming operation with a good quality and comfortable family homestead and useful and quite valuable farming infrastructure".
For more information contact Mr Brown from Ray White Rural on 0429 854772 conjunctional agent Aaron Lewis from Aaron Lewis Real Estate Horsham on 0418 824724.
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
