AFTER more than a century of one-family ownership, Howard and Maria Fenton are retirement-bound, resulting in an impending vacancy at their prime Central West mixed farm, “Parkwood”.
Situated 10 kilometres east of Grenfell where it is a landmark on the Mid Western Highway, “Parkwood” is a highly developed property of 1103 hectares (2725ac).
Taken up by Howard Fenton’s grandfather, who ran it mainly as a Merino grazing enterprise with opportunity cropping, the property was originally much smaller.
More land was added during the wool boom years of the 1950s, and by 1968, when a newly-married Howard took over the property from his father, it was a holding of 593ha.
The next opportunity for serious expansion occurred in 1982, when Howard and his wife were able to acquire an adjoining block of 510ha, almost doubling the size of the property and bringing it to its present scale.
They now run “Parkwood” as a prime lamb and cropping operation in conjunction with the 746ha “Greenwood” at Forbes, purchased in 2003, where their son (and business partner) Mark lives with his family.
But the time has come to scale the operation down, and “Parkwood” has been listed for private sale through Landmark Forbes at an asking price of $4.5 million.
The property’s “dress circle” location, productive versatility and quality improvements make it an ideal add-on for an established farming family (from either the Tablelands, or the west) seeking strategic expansion.
Although nearly all arable and previously cropped, “Parkwood” is now oriented more towards prime lamb breeding and fattening, with a base flock of 3500 first-cross ewes.
Carrying capacity is estimated at 10,000 DSE and although now geared to prime lamb production, the property is well suited also to Merino sheep or cattle breeding or trading.
Under the existing enterprise, finished lambs are marketed at the Central West Livestock Exchange in Forbes, where the most recent consignment from “Parkwood” topped at $203/head.
Soils are predominantly soft loams with some alluvial flats, and productivity has been greatly enhanced since the 1980s by targeted applications of lime, and more recently, Bio Soil.
Improved pastures including lucerne, phalaris and clovers have been established over most of the property following a cropping phase of cereals or canola, and regular topdressing maintains productivity.
Since 2011 about 18,700 tonnes of Bio Soil alone have been applied to 311ha of “Parkwood”, substantially boosting carrying capacity and lamb finishing capability.
Average rainfall is 600mm and stock water is underpinned by an equipped bore reticulating to paddock troughs, supplemented by 30 dams and frontage to Ironpot Creek.
Working improvements include a four-stand shearing shed recently renovated, with steel and mesh sheepyards, three machinery sheds and 2000 tonnes of grain storage.
The homestead, built in 1911 by the present owner’s grandfather, has undergone several phases of extension and renovation, the last being in 1995.
Built of weatherboard, with subsequent cladding, the three-bedroom air-conditioned home features open-plan design, formal dining and family rumpus areas, jarrah kitchen and two-car garage.
Although “Parkwood” is offered for sale on a bare basis, the owners would consider a walk-in, walk-out sale if desired.