This 143 hectare (353 acre) dairy farm (4 titles) is not to be missed. On the four titles are 2 homes (1 tenanted). The homestead is a very attractive, comfortable and spacious 26 square brick and tile homestead plus a self-contained flat combination. It has large walk in pantry, floor heating and wood heater, spa bath, new undercover paved courtyard and barbecue area and many other attributes.

Underground irrigation mains service over 100+ hectares (250 acres) and a further 40 acres is serviced by diesel irrigation and pipes. Irrigation is from the Leven River plus 7 extensive dams, with further dam sites available for development. Irrigation was able to be maintained on this farm throughout the driest 2006/2007 drought season, water resources are plentiful on this property and have been upgraded since. Underground mains have been extended and upgraded in season (2013) and a new 5 span Centre Pivot newly commissioned for the 2014 season covering approximately 70 acres and supplemented by existing lateral sprinklers. The farm is also being irrigated with travelling irrigators including 2 Hard Hose Big Gun units.

The cows are milked in a 22 a side swing over herringbone dairy with electronic pulsation, 2 milk vats, pendulum exit gates, modern 40 tonne silo and electronic feed system, backing gate and non-slip dairy yards. Automatic Cup Removal Systems (ACR) have been installed in the dairy along with flow meters to make milking more efficient.

This season currently the farm is milking approximately 240 milking cows including approximately 40 heifers (August- Spetember calved), with a further 70 cows due to Autumn calve. For the past four seasons the cows have been milked year round and peaked at approximately 300 cows (production projections are for 110,000 kilograms of milk solids. Income returns are available based on current figures and milk prices with Fonterra for current and previous seasons), and with production achieved at 122,000 kgs of milk solids for 2014/15 season with Spring and Autumn calving patterns. Further seasonal figures and production estimates are available upon request.

The dairy herd is predominantly Holstein with a small percentage of cross bred cows. This is a much improved property with potential for further development, it has been developed to now be a 300 cow milking operation (in previous seasons up to 40 acres had leased for crops as it was being under- utilised), all acreage is now utilised for farm operations, and dairy is operational year round.

Laneways have been extended and gravelled, calf management and housing has been installed, pastures have been extensively renovated or re-sown and fertiliser regimes maintained according to regular soil testing. There are two main barns that hold 400 and 300 round bales of hay respectively, as well as several smaller outbuildings. The property has a small serviceable piggery in current use for domestic produce, two sets of stock yards, internal electric fencing, and the farm boasts its own private gravel pit which is used to maintain and upgrade the farms lane infrastructure.

The second house is currently utilised by the family, and is an extensively renovated and freshly painted 3 bedroom weatherboard with new kitchen, heat pump and 20,000 litre water tank installed. School bus stops at front entrance to property and by car it is only a 5 minute drive to the centre of Ulverstone. Main driveway entrance and service areas to the property are a sealed bitumen surface.

WITH AN EXTRA ADJOINING 150 ACRES UNDER LEASE on 5 year terms with a 75 meg water license the possibility of milking 400 cows is not unrealistic. The property is undulating slopes predominantly of easterly, northeast and northerly aspects which provides a very sheltered micro-climate, benefitting from early morning sun and protection from cold south westerly winds in winter.

The farm has recently added an additional extensive shed complex completed which houses calves with 4 unit automated feeder, fodder, & machinery, the dairy has also been fitted with automated cup removers, flow meters for individual cow monitoring, and a new effluent irrigations system. Also regularly growing potato and poppy crops to supplement income, and this season both Lucerne and Millet as supplementary fodder crops.

This is a proven operation that continues to go from strength to strength, and with potential still untapped to continue to escalate income returns. It is also a very versatile farm, capable of maximising farmgate return by mixed farming options with cropping and fluctuating cow numbers according to seasonal milk, vegetable and crop price structures.

Property Code: 565