Only two families have held the respected mixed farming property “Oakrise” since it was carved off Wyalong No 3 Station around the turn of last century.
For the first 30 years of its existence as a separate entity, the property was held by Thomas Worland, whose descendants continue to farm in the district.
Following Worland’s retirement in the early 1930s the property was bought by Ted Templeman, a former long-serving councillor and six-term president of the Bland Shire Council.
And now, two generations later, the property is for sale to wind up the estate of the late Phil Templeman, Ted’s bachelor grandson who died last year.
Working improvements are consistent with the property’s production history.
(But still alive, at the venerable age of 97, is Phil’s mother, Lorna, who lived with him on the property for many years following her husband’s death, until moving into town three years ago.)
“Oakrise” has been listed for sale with Miller and James Real Estate of Temora and will go to auction on September 8.
The offering is expected to attract keen local interest, given the property’s reputation and manageable size as a productive mixed farm in a region where many former family farms have been aggregated into institutional ownership for broadacre cropping.
Situated 10 kilometres west of Barmedman and about 30km south of West Wyalong, “Oakrise” is a 1247 hectare (3082ac) property of deep red loam kurrajong-type country described as 85 to 90 per cent arable.
Under the late Phil Templeman’s management the property was operated as a classic mixed farm, with about 720ha (or 58pc of total area) cropped to wheat, canola, lupins and oats.
The balance of the country supported a self-replacing Merino flock of about 900 ewes and 600 wethers, thus providing a useful spread of income.
Average rainfall is 483mm and apart from dams, the property is soon to be connected to a new Goldenfields water pipeline for which a $50,000 deposit has already been paid.
Cropping country has traditionally had MAP applied at sowing time at a rate of 70-80kg/ha, plus urea as required, and a recent 230-tonne delivery of Parkes lime is included in the sale.
Settlement will occur on February 1, 2018, but already 300ha of stubble has been sprayed out to give the new owners a good proportion of long fallow.
In addition, the successful purchaser will have access to the property to prepare for the 2018 crop, following a clearing sale set down for September 15 (by which time the property will also be destocked).
Working improvements are consistent with the property’s production history and include two steel machinery sheds and a three-stand shearing shed with steel bugle yards and covered race.
Grain storage is provided by two flat-bottomed 110-tonne silos, one 60t SE Coles silo, two 50t Nelson silos and a 14t seed silo.
The property comes with a solid rendered brick homestead constructed in the 1920s.
Subject to rainfall this month (following a useful 45mm last week), it’s expected “Oakrise” will attract bidding in a range of $3000-$3500/ha.