Australia's largest bull genetics supplier has fallen victim to Melbourne's urban sprawl.
Genetics Australia has followed through on its plan to relocate its Bacchus Marsh headquarters, and more than a million units of semen, to Camperdown in south-western Victoria.
It is about an hour west of Melbourne.
It has put the "Bullfarm" Parwan Park up for sale, which for 60 years has been the centre of Australia's biggest animal breeding and genetics organisation servicing the dairy and beef industry.
The co-operative is already in the final stages of selling the nearby 125ha Parwan Park South after entering into a five-year agreement with developers for $14.625 million in 2018.
The sale of Parwan Park South is due for settlement in May 2023.
That property was bought in 1986 and was used as a quarantine facility for bulls prior to their admission to the co-operative's main collection and EU facility, Parwan Park.
Parwan Park was established by the Victorian Artificial Breeders Cooperative mainly for the dairy industry in 1959.
Parwan Park is on 20ha, currently zoned farming, and is already attracting strong interest since going on the market.
The sale follows Genetics Australia's $5.8 million purchase of Total livestock Genetics and its decision to relocate its bull management, semen management and semen collection and production services from Bacchus Marsh to the TLG site near Camperdown.
By the end of March all 100 bulls will be relocated to Camperdown and Glenormiston.
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Genetics Australia CEO Anthony Shelly said urban sprawl and changing rural landscapes meant the organisation needed to relocate to be closer to the heart of the dairy, beef and sheep industries.
"We are leaving a legacy of 60 years at Bacchus Marsh but with strong demand for land in the region we expect to see the start of an exciting new legacy and chapter for this property," Mr Shelly said.
"The area effectively outgrew us and we were landlocked by the urban sprawl and surrounding small property holders, but it's a unique property with great land and extensive infrastructure."
Mr Shelly does not expect the site to remain as a livestock facility.
"Demand for land in the region probably means it's too valuable for running livestock but there has already been strong interest from a variety of industries including vegetable and horticultural producers and other potential users."
Parwan Park features huge shedding and storage facilities with a range of undercover and outdoor animal housing options, and a large air-conditioned office and administration complex including a meeting room which can cater for up to 100 people.
The co-operative plans to retain a presence in the Bacchus Marsh region with a new two-year office lease at Parwan Park South.
Expressions of interest close March 19.
For more information contact Mark Shelly at Stockdale and Leggo on 0418 518 862.
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Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
