MEANDARRA property Darlington Downs has sold under the hammer for $3.35 million – an extremely impressive $1683/hectare ($681/acre).
Darlington Downs was bought at the Elders auction by adjoining neighbours Keith and Rae Logan, Currajong Park, Meandarra. The losing bidder was Lex Mesner, Teelba Station, Teelba.
The 1990ha (4916 acre) property was offered by the Cover family, which took up the country in 1938. The quality softer brigalow/belah scrub country has been passed onto the six descendants of Ken and Joyce Cover.
Marketing agent Clayton Smith, Elders, said six of the seven parties that registered to bid were active. Bidding opened from the floor at $2m.
Located 22km south of Meandarra, the property is described as ready for further development and totals 1990 hectares (4916 acre) in two freehold titles.
The property is described as well grassed with a mixture of buffell, blue grass, and other natives as well as marine couch grass in the melon holes. It is also capable of growing a variety of seasonal herbage.
Each paddock has good shade lines, indicating the quality country and some smaller areas of broadleaf Ironbark ridge for both livestock shelter and as a reliable water catchment.
Some regrowth control and timber management is required, varying from light raking to sucker control with blade or pellet. However, the majority of the country is marked white on vegetation maps.
Water is supplied from eight dams, including three equipped dams. The annual rainfall is considered to be about 575mm.
The fences are described as a combination of hinge-joint netting barb and plain with steel and timber posts, in fair, stock proof condition. The boundary is considered stock proof.
The property has recently been running a mix of sheep and cattle and is estimated to run 400-500 adult equivalents in season. Some areas were cultivated about 30 years ago.
The marketing agent was handled by Clayton Smith, Elders.