AFTER 30 years of family ownership Kevin and Prue Riddell are looking to retire and have set in motion the sale of their notable property "Beckworth Court".
The property notable not just for its size - about 2400 hectares (6000 acres) - nor just for its impressive range of improvements, but also for the overall quality of the holding which has been home to productive cattle and Merino sheep enterprises.
"Beckworth Court" is about 42 kilometres north of Ballarat and has been listed for sale with Jamie Inglis and Sam Triggs, of Inglis Rural Property, Sydney, and Oaklands Junction, Victoria.
The property is listed for private sale at $15 million, including plant and equipment, but not livestock.
Rural property sales manager for Inglis Rural Property, Sam Triggs, said "Beckworth Court" was creating attention among prospective buyers.
"There's been some good interest from some overseas groups, as well as from some locals," Mr Triggs said.
"We've had a mixed bag of enquiry.
"It's a pretty big ticket property."
He said given the property was only located a couple of hours from Melbourne it served as a good option to those buyers as well.
Mr Triggs said "Beckworth Court" offered economies of scale, and the current owners had invested a lot of profits back into the farm.
This is evidenced by substantial fencing renewal, as well as the renovation of the main and second homestead, which are in very good condition.
Mr Triggs said the property was considered 60 to 70 per cent arable.
The estimated carrying capacity of the property is from 1500 to 1700 breeding cows, of 30,000 DSE.
"There's a good eight-stand woolshed with steel sheep yards attached, as well as a four-stand woolshed with timber sheep yards attached."
Further infrastructure includes steel cattle yards, a machinery shed, hay sheds and shearers' quarters.
He said the property generally was in very good shape.
"Beckworth Court" has frontages to One Mile and McCallum Creeks.
Country includes arable alluvial creek flats through to undulating valleys and low hill country, while soil types include orange granite, volcanic red and brown basalts.
Average annual rainfall on the property is about 580mm.
Mr Triggs said with two major homesteads and several other cottages the property offered a very strong range of accommodation options.
The main homestead dates from about 1858 offers four bedrooms, three bathrooms, wide verandah and an open plan kitchen.
It was renovated in 2012.
The second major house, Redesdale Homestead, dates from about 1854 and has three to four bedrooms and one bathroom.
n Contact Sam Triggs, 0410 683 891; Jamie Inglis, 0412 064 442.
