Binnie family of Coledale Poll Dorsets to sell Bungeet West farm

There is one catch though.

They ideally want to sell their Coledale Poll Dorset stud and 375-hectare Bungeet West property to the same buyer.

"After discussing it with my family, they believe Sue and I should have more time to do other things in life and so and they don't have a mess to clean up when I cark it," Mr Binnie said.

"I would love to think the property will be continued on as a sheep farm, and preferably a stud farm."

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The Binnies started their stud at Violet Town in 1969, and relocated to Bungeet West in 1974.

This year they held their 22^nd on-property ram sale where 114 rams sold to $3600 a head to average $1992.

Only three lots were passed in.

"Poll Dorsets were, and still are, the dominant prime lamb sire," Mr Binnie said.

"When they were able to breed the horns off the Dorset sheep, their popularity increased and they still represent the first rows of several lambs at any major sheep sale, such as Wagga, NSW, and Bendigo."

Mr Binnie grew up in the Bungeet district and attended Wangaratta Tech School where he completed a farmers' course and led him to pursue a wool classing and sheep husbandry certificate at Albury, NSW.

"I did a good number of years for six months of the year working as a wool classer and the rest of my time was spent working on the farm," he said.

For about a decade, his family moved to Violet Town when his father, Alexander, dissolved a partnership with his brothers to allow his two sons, Wallace and John, to have a crack at farming.

"When we registered the stud at Violet Town, the name was made from two properties we had; Colebrook and Strathdale," Mr Binnie said.

The operation now consists 450 stud ewes, 450 ewe and ram lambs and more than 300 crossbred sheep.

The property includes a three-bedroom, three-bathroom homestead, external bungalow, undercover sheep yards and multiple sheds in the centre of the property, as well as a reticulated water supply to every paddock.

"There's also a balance of good, fertile cropping country and undulating granite country for healthy sheep production," Mr Binnie said.

The decision to sell the stud and farm has been "very difficult" for Mr Binnie.

"I'm getting to the point in my life where I realise I don't have the strength or stamina I used to have," he said.

He said his dream would be to sell the property to one buyer, who was keen to continue the stud.

While the proposition is "ideal", the Binnies acknowledge their hope to sell the stud and farm together is unlikely.

"When you breed stud sheep, you have to have a number of smaller paddocks so you can have a select number of ewes joined to a specific sire," he said."

"Ideally we want to sell the property and the stud together because we'd be very happy to see it continue on."

The Binnies said the support from their children, including daughter Kirsty, and in more recent times one of their grandchildren, Matilda, 13, had been unwavering.

"The highlights have been numerous, but the friends we've made have been the most rewarding," Mr Binnie said.

"The other highlight for me was being invited to judge the Poll Dorset section of the Australian Sheep & Wool Show at Bendigo just before COVID took place.

"I'll always remember that fondly."

Elders studstock manager for Victoria and the Riverina, Ross Milne, said the Poll Dorset stud would be sold by expressions of interest which will remain open until January 16.

"The Binnies have had more than 20 sales and in recent times, their sales have been one of the highest averaging Poll Dorset flock ram sales in Victoria," he said.

"Wallace and Sue have been stalwarts in the industry and one of the longest-existing Poll Dorset studs still operating and it will be very sad to see them."

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