IN SOMEWHAT of a paradox, two picturesque properties at the foot of the Grampians haven't had the attention they deserve.
Leech's and Four Mile, two properties 10 kilometres east of Dunkeld, have been run by Dunkeld Pastoral Company (DPC) – owned by Melbourne-based commercial lawyer Allan Myers QC – for 20-years, but have recently become a victim of company rationalisation strategies.
The two titles are among 12 properties managed by one of the Western District's largest pastoral groups, and general manager Steve Dumsday said the size and location of both farms meant they weren't aligned with the long-term business strategy of the company.
"We're looking for opportunities to increase scale through aggregation, and there is limited opportunity to do that with these properties because they are smaller in size," Mr Dumsday said.
He said while Leech's and Four Mile were "quite profitable little enterprises in their own right", they had not "been at the forefront" of the company in recent times.
Group manager at DPC, Glenn White, said the properties were used as depots for selling stock.
"Because the farms are out of the way (in relation to the other properties in the groups' portfolio) we've used them for when we're selling stock," Mr White said.
"Sometimes they will be carrying a lot of stock and other times they won't – it's quite varied."
Currently 3000 Merino wethers, 1300 first-cross ewes and 100 steers are on the two parcels of land, which have been predominantly used for grazing by the company.
"We've fattened bullocks there and had crossbred lambs for prime lamb production and fine-wool Merino sheep," Mr White said.
"The only thing we haven't had there in the three years I've been managing the property is Merino ewes, but they've run them there in the past."
Mr White said the properties, which have had a stocking rate of 14-16 dry sheep equivalent over the past three years, would be ideally suited to a grazing enterprise, with sheep or cattle both viable options.
"There's not been much cropping done here or in the area; we've cut some paddocks for hay but that's about it," he said.
Fencing and pasture renovation have been key features of DPC's tenure at the properties.
Four Mile (201 hectares) has been separated into nine main paddocks and has mainly phalaris, rye grass and clover-based pastures, while Leech's is slightly larger at 289ha and comprises 22 paddocks.
Both have grey clay loams with heavier black clay soils in the low-lying areas and lighter sandy soils and are joined by a council-owned unused roadway now fenced into a laneway for public use.
The roadway is mostly used exclusively by the company when moving stock between the two properties.
Mr White said while there was little difference between the two titles, he would run his younger stock at Four Mile because it had more native vegetation.
"There are more trees at Four Mile, which means there is more shelter and it's generally a bit warmer, so the younger stock might do a bit better there," he said.
According to Mr White, native trees have been planted at both properties to protect stock - a move that has helped during lambing in particular.
Leech's and Four Mile aren't irrigated but both properties are fed by dams and bores, with windmills used to pump water throughout, and are supplemented by a 600-millimetre annual rainfall.
Four Mile has four catchment dams and two bores with windmills, while Leech's has six catchment dams and two bores with windmills and pumps.
Leech's has a four-stand woolshed incorporating the legacy of two further stands for emergency crutching before shearing, and there are some sundry machinery sheds and a silo.
The property comes with a three-bedroom house which has been refurbished in the past few months.
Mr White said the property would appeal to a grazier wanting to take the property forward, while Mr Dumsday said the number of capital improvements on the property made it attractive.
"The other properties in our portfolio are a lot larger and we felt we would get better returns by putting more work into the larger farms," Mr Dumsday said.
"We looked at our assets and what we could improve.
"All the holdings surrounding Leech's and Four Mile are a bit smaller so we couldn't really increase size; instead we chose to decrease."
Landmark Harcourts real estate agent Philip Le Plastrier said the fencing at the two properties was in excellent condition and the pastures were advanced in comparison to the district average.
He said the properties would be offered as a whole at auction but could be sold as two lots.