Moving on at Maryvale

It was Don Philipson who first established the family on the block he named "Grange View" in the 1880s.

He was drawn to the Wellington area by good reports from his uncles, who already had country nearby.

After initially taking up a block called "Bando", he soon afterwards swapped this for the "Grange View" block across the road, which he took to be superior country. He wasn't to be disappointed.

The rich basalt soils of the gently undulating kurrajong country that typifies "Grange View" proved their worth, and within a few years Don Philipson was able to build a grand homestead for his family.

That homestead today is the residence of his grandson, George Philipson and his wife Fran, who are reluctantly selling up after a satisfying life on the land to retire to Dubbo.

They will offer "Grange View" for sale at auction on September 2 through Peter Milling and Company of Dubbo, along with "Highfield", a similar-sized property that faces "Grange View" across the highway.

The dual offering represents a rare opportunity for buyers seeking either a productive lifestyle property or an entry-level farm in a highly regarded mixed farming area handy to major centres.

Both properties, which will be offered separately, have frontage to the Mitchell Highway and are about 15 kilometres north-west of Wellington and just 35km from the regional city of Dubbo.

Comprising 250 hectares (619ac), "Grange View" is the slightly larger of the two properties, and also the most improved, with the main homestead, working improvements and 16 well-fenced paddocks.

Described as 95 per cent arable, with scattered shade trees of kurrajong and grey box, the property has established lucerne-based pastures and a fodder crop of oats which will be given in.

Stock water is piped to 18 paddock troughs from a storage tank fed by a windmill-equipped bore.

The homestead, which is set on a rise commanding wide district views, comprises an original section built of limestone for Don Philipson in 1892 by two of his cousins, and a 1914 extension.

Flanked by verandahs on three sides, the gracious six-bedroom home features a large central hallway with two living areas, fireplaces in each room, solar hot water and a solar power system.

Working improvements include two machinery sheds, one with two-stand woolshed attached, two sets of sheep yards, steel cattle yards, aircraft hangar (with operational airstrip) and silos.

The "Highfield" block, across the highway, was already owned by an uncle of Don Philipson's when he came to the district and has remained in the family.

It was bought by George and Fran in 2000.

Comprising 241ha (596ac) of which about 75pc is arable, the property is gently undulating with heavy red basalt soils sown mostly to lucerne-based pastures and some limestone ridge country used for grazing.

Water is sourced from the Macquarie River via a shared scheme, piped to a storage tank and reticulated to troughs in all nine paddocks.

Improvements consist of a four-bedroom brick veneer home (previously leased, but now vacant), machinery and hay sheds, crutching shed with sheep yards and silos.

The present owners operate the two properties in conjunction as a prime lamb enterprise, running 450 crossbred ewes on each block and selling the lambs through the Dubbo saleyards.

Although the stocking rate appears conservative, the Philipsons make up for this with high lambing rates of about 150 per cent and premium prices (up to $170 last year) for their lambs and suckers.

Listing agent Peter Dwyer said the offering had attracted strong local inquiry, as expected, given the properties' appeal as lifestyle residential farms for families based in Dubbo.

Similar country in the Wellington district has sold in recent times to around $4000/ha ($1600/ac), but not necessarily with the prized location and reputation appeal of the Philipson offerings.

Contact Peter Milling and Co, (02) 6882 3544