First-cross ewe prices were $25-$40 a head up on the previous month's sale at the Wycheproof sheep sale on Friday.
After the sale opened with a pen selling for $326, the very next pen created the top price of the sale when it was knock down for $330 - both going to the same buyer.
Rain was the main driver, with the prospect of feed not too far away after many had sown feed crops early.
Elders Wycheproof auctioneer Kevin Thompson said the sheep had "a bit more maturity" than the previous sale.
Mr Thompson said for the first time ever, prices averaged more than $200 across the entire yarding.
He said there was "some stress" about holding the sale after rain in the area on Tuesday and Wednesday.
He said it was to the credit of the vendors that they had faith to go ahead and send their sheep in.
While the good prices were significant, the feature of the first-cross offering was that one buyer bought all but two pens - Elders Hay account of the Paterson family, Hells Gate, Balranald, NSW.
As the books were settled at the end of the sale there were four B-double loads of sheep - about 2350 head - headed north of the border.
Such was the strength from the north, there were many agents who went home empty-handed after bidding on numerous lines of sheep.
James Paterson said the property had received around 45 millimetres in the past two days on top of recent falls and they had come to Wycheproof hoping to restock.
The top pen was sold by account Kaniera Holdings, Culgoa, and comprised 190 September/October 2017-drop ewes, February shorn and depastured to White Suffolk rams.
WL, JG and JE Bath, Culgoa, sold 114 first-cross ewes, June/July 2017-drop, December shorn, scanned in-lamb to Poll Dorset rams sold for $326.
Andrew Donnan, Nedna, Birchip, forwarded a great line up of first-cross ewes that sold to a top of $302 to Elders Hay, for 177 May/June 2018-drops; they were December shorn and SIL to White Suffolk and Ultra White rams.
Nedna sold 163 first-cross ewes, May/June 2018-drop, December shorn, same joining, that went for $265.
A third line of 100 Nedna ewes, May/June 2018-drop, October shorn, sold for $262.
One of the few lines of first-cross sheep that stayed in Victoria was a pen of 73 sold by account Nedna, that made $205 going to Landmark, Kyneton.
Trealla Farms sold a draft of first-cross ewe lambs to a top of $232 for 206, June/July 2018-drop, not station-mated, going to Elders Hay.
JA and KL Head, Quambatook, sold 105 first-cross ewes, three and four years, February shorn, depastured to White Suffolk and Texel rams, for $200, to Elders Hay.
Kaniera Holdings also topped the Merino ewe section with a pen of 154 Lewisdale blood ewes, June/July 2017-drop, SIL to White Suffolks, that sold for $240 to Elders Donald.
ID and PM Durie, Wycheproof, sold 280 multi-purpose Merino ewes, April/May 2016-drop, December shorn, SIL to White Suffolk and Poll Dorsets, for $236 to Elders Deniliquin.
G and L McGurk sold a total of 1200, with the tops being a line of 596 that went to Elders, Deniliquin, NSW, for $226.
The June/July 2017-drop ewes, SIL to Border rams, were April shorn.
April/May 2016-drop ewes, April shorn, sold by account McGurk, numbering 289 and depastered to Border Leicester rams sold for $208 to Elders Wycheproof, with the next pen, same description, going the same way for $200.
DB and HM Whitney, sold 200 August shorn ewes, May/June 2017-drop, for $192 to Elders Yarrawonga.
In the Merino whether yarding, the top price was for 170 April/May wethers sold by Bushy Lodge, which were March shorn, Willandra blood, that sold for $147. They went to Elders Wagga Wagga, NSW.
A big line of 545, May 2016-drop wethers, January shorn, sold by Jennison Pastoral, for $137 to Landmark Birchip.
A further line of 2016-drop wethers, same vendor, sold for $122 to Rodwells Stawell.
While the major competition came from the Riverina, bidders were also registered from Kyneton, Yarrawonga, Warracknabeal, Bendigo, Horsham, Stawell, Penola, SA, and strong local competition.