After nearly four decades in one family, a trio of prime agricultural properties with a combined estimated value of almost $20 million is set to be auctioned at Baringhup.
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The farms - 'Lisoux', 'Denning Rise' and 'Hillside' - make up a total area of 1346.86 hectares, comprising 685.12 hectares for Lisoux, 350.8 hectares at Denning Rise and 310.94 hectares at Hillside.
The estimated asking price for the properties is $19.5 million.
They will be offered as a single package or separately, according to buyer interest.
Owner Mark Ford said the family acquired the land back in the 1980s, initially buying 1100 acres from the property Bradford Hills in 1984 then another 2500 acres from the Fitzpatricks two years later.
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Mr Ford said. the family company, S. Ford & Sons - named for his father Stan - which used to own the Sandhurst Dairy at Castlemaine, have mainly run merinos there.
However, the land was versatile and suitable for mixed farming, he said.
Mr Ford confessed to being "a bit sad" about the coming sale, which he said was necessary because there was "no next generation" coming through to take over the operation.
"The old man would turn in his grave," he said. "But it's the way it happens".
The Eddington resident said he would keep 300 acres for himself to continue to "do a bit of farming".
The properties offer a range of features to attract potential buyers.
A key feature of the 18-paddock, 23-dam Lisoux is a new seven-stand, raised-board shearing shed, with storage, pressing and classing areas as well as a workshop and steel yards. Also on the property is "extensive further shedding" and a brick veneer home.
Denning Rise, which has 16 paddocks and 21 dams, also comes with a three-bedroom weatherboard house and an open bay machinery shed.
Lot 3, Hillside, is subdivided into nine paddocks and has 15 dams.
Agent Alister Kemp, from Nutrien Harcourts, described the sale of the Ford family's successful sheep operation as "a once in a lifetime opportunity" and said the price tag wasn't uncommon for a land package of its size.
"These are ones that don't come through the books very often," he told the Bendigo Advertiser.
The farms were in a "renowned and well held district", with gently undulating granite soils, high rainfall, excellent dams, seasonal creeks and native timber shelter belts, he said.
The land had potential for various agricultural activities in addition to wool growing and fattening, including hay and cropping. With its 35 Crown Allotments and good road frontages, it could also lend itself to development, the agent said.
According to the agents, there has been significant online interest in the property, which will be auctioned on Friday, September 1 at 11.30am at the Baringhup community centre.
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