Well known Humphry family puts three remarkable blocks for sale in north-east

Now in their 70's and after three generations on this land, it is time for the brothers to slow down even though they are keeping their beloved Avondale dairy farm at Springhurst.

The Humphry's are parting with some of the land their descendants took on in 1914.

"We are all now in our seventies, so this sale offer is part of our personal plans to implement our staged withdrawal from farming after our long involvement," farmer partners Ian, Lindsay and Margaret Humphry said.

This is a family famous for their Landcare-winning sustainable agricultural ways, award-winning fine wool fleeces and their proud history in the north-east.

On offer are three properties for sale as a whole or separately by Elders Real Estate of Wangaratta.

Selling agent Dave Colvin said based on recent sales he expected the land would sell for $8000 per acre for the prime Nesbitt's land, with a lesser valuation of about $6000 an acre for the two Springhurst township perimeter holdings.

A total of more than $5 million.

The three have been operated as separate farms but used in conjunction with the noted home farm of Avondale, a dairy holding of almost 800 hectares at Springhurst.

Avondale is not for sale and will continue to be operated as an irrigated dairy farm by the Humphry family members and their staff "for the immediate future".

The Humphry Springhurst aggregation takes in 316 hectares (779 acres).

Mr Colvin said the properties were close to the Hume Highway, about 17km north of Wangaratta and had been "very conservatively" farmed.

Mr Colvin said it was a rare opportunity to buy productive farm land in the immediate Springhurst area.

The three strategic holdings have generally been used in support of their dairy farm to run dry cattle, grow out dairy replacement heifers, to produce dairy cross beef vealers, Merino sheep and lambs, and with some limited cropping.

All three holdings are well fenced, have easy and good road access, there are multiple stock water resources of dams and each are considered to have further development potential.

Nesbitt's at Boralma fronts the Springhurst to Rutherglen Road with an area of 124ha (307 acres) in a single title where it is fenced into nine paddocks, all with dams.

Improvements include several steel farm sheds, steel cattle yards and a double height elevated loading race.

There is also decommissioned bore on the holding while the existing and occupied older style weatherboard home is judged to be of limited value.

The property has numerous attractive tree lines and plantings and has principally been used to spell or overwinter dairy cows, or breed replacement cattle livestock with some oat cropping.

The second property is Nicholl's - a unique holding created when the Hume Highway was realigned years ago.

It is a long finger like farm holding of 73ha (180 acres) bounded on its western side by the fenced north eastern Railway Reserve and on its eastern edge by the Hume Highway.

It is fenced into five paddocks and has four stock water dams which benefit from the reliable inflows off the highway reserve.

This holding has been set up to successfully run Merino sheep and lambs.

The third holding (118ha, 292 acres) is known as Smiths and has its principal frontage to the bitumen Gayfers Road and a corner access to Nish Lane.

It sits to the immediate east and on higher ground above the Springhurst Interchange on the Hume Highway.

With a band of red granite loams this holding has potentially attractive building sites at its higher points and is currently running 40 cows and calves plus 300 Merino sheep.

It is fenced into four paddocks with two reliable dams with no buildings.

It does have access to power which may make it attractive as a lifestyle block.

Mr Colvin said the Humphry family was well known locally for the successful biological and sustainable farming approach they had implemented over more than 30 years.

"In the mid-2000s they were successful in winning a north-east region Landcare award for their approach to sustainable farming, including the use of natural pastures, tree preservation and without the use of conventional fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides."

They were also national finalists in the 2007 Landcare awards and their superfine fleeces have also won many awards.

For more information contact Mr Colvin on 0408 500239.

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