A New England grazing aggregation with top-notch performance credentials for prime beef production will provide one of the northern NSW highlights of the 2017 spring property selling season.
On offer is the “Kingsford” and “Sun Valley” aggregation at Armidale of successful cattle breeders Rob and Kelly Lamoreux, who are selling up to return to their native Canada.
They have listed the properties for sale by tender with Bruce Rutherford of Landmark Boulton’s, Walcha, and David Nolan of Webster Nolan Real Estate, Sydney.
The offering presents serious investors with an opportunity to acquire a substantial holding of prime, well-watered grazing country close to city amenities, with upside for both production and future subdivision.
Comprising 715 hectares (1763ac) in total, the aggregation is available either as a whole, or as separate parcels of “Kingsford” (342ha) and “Sun Valley” (371ha).
Situated in prime and mostly arable Eastern Fall basalt country at Dangarsleigh just nine kilometres south of Armidale, the two properties are contiguous, separated only by Dangar’s Falls Road.
The aggregation has been put together since 2001, when the Lamoreux bought a 160ha parcel of land from the historic “Chevy Chase” estate held for many years by the Perrott family.
Originally the country was part of the Dangars’ “Gostwyck” run, and over the years, had been cropped with winter cereals and had carried Merino sheep growing high-priced superfine wool.
Rob and Kelly Lamoreux arrived in the New England in 1988 as newlyweds from Canadian farming and ranching backgrounds, settling initially on a cattle property at Yarrowitch.
It was the need to be closer to educational facilities that prompted the purchase of the “Kingsford” block at Armidale, which they also found useful for finishing their Yarrowitch steers.
In 2003 they annexed an adjoining block of 178ha, and a few years later the “Sun Valley” property across the road, enabling them to sell Yarrowitch and move their main cattle operation to Armidale.
Currently estimated to carry 350 cows and replacements, the property runs a composite herd, steer progeny from which have taken top awards at the Beef Spectacular in NSW and the Paddock to Plate competition at the Queensland “Ekka” in the past three years.
The rotationally grazed pastures are a mix of native and introduced species, now managed for sustainable production, but offering scope for further development, potentially lifting carrying capacity to 500-plus breeders.
Water is a feature of the property, with an average rainfall of 750mm and stock water sourced from bores reticulating to tanks and troughs, plus dams and a semi-permanent creek.
The homestead is a two-storey, executive-style, solar-passive residence of six bedrooms set in an elevated site in landscaped surrounds.
It has a modern kitchen with Miele appliances and open-plan living area, slow-combustion and under-floor heating, polished timber and cork tile floors and an outdoor entertaining area.
Working structures include two sets of cattle yards, the main ones of steel construction with covered work area, rubber-lined stalls and round drafting yard, storage and hay sheds, silos and workshop.
Tenders close on November 23.
