FORMER 325 hectare (803 acre) New England CSIRO research station Arding has sold above expectations at auction for $8.2 million.
Offered by well known businessman John Cassidy, Arding was bought by John Jackson, Jackson Agriculture, for the equivalent of about $25,231/ha ($10,211/acre).
Four of the nine registered parties were active at what was described as a fast paced, aggressive auction.
The beautifully balanced mixed farming and grazing property located 11km from Uralla and 12km from Armidale.
Comprising of gently undulating to open grazing country, the property's largely arable area and has been conservatively managed and is said to offer substantial increased in productivity with further pasture development and fertiliser applications.
Arding was originally part of Saumarez Station, which was one of the earliest grazing blocks established on the New England tablelands.
The property has excellent working improvements including a unique array of infrastructure previously used by the CSIRO.
Infrastructure includes a 24x8m sampling shed, silo, staff amenities block, three stand shearing shed with cover for 650 sheep, a weather shed for 500 woolly sheep, bugle style sheep yards, and a machinery shed/workshop. There also is a building site for a homestead.
The property is divided into 24 main paddocks and a number of previously used trial blocks. The boundary is constructed of mainly netting with internal hingejoint fences. Laneways connect the majority of the paddocks.
The property is primarily watered by a bore that supplies tanks and troughs. There are also two good sized dams and a well.
The marketing of Arding was handled by Daniel McCullough and George Barton, McCullough Agencies.
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