The open plains of the Central West wheat belt were a far cry from the hilly hinterland of the Northern Rivers, when Robert and Narrelle Beck made their westward move in 1990.
That’s when the couple left their cattle farm at Woodenbong to buy “Road View”, the Narromine property they are now selling after 27 years to enable them to retire and travel.
They have listed the 1252 hectare (3095ac) “Road View” for sale with Jason Hartin of Hartin Schute Bell at Narromine, and it goes to auction on November 10.
The offering has sparked intense local interest, as the property is well known and highly regarded, and situated in a well-held area where few buying opportunities occur.
“Road View” started life as a selection in the late 1890s when it was taken up by the Cluff family, who held it for more than 50 years, managing it principally as a sheep station.
At one stage in the 1930s, presumably when it was somewhat larger in area, the property saw annual shearings of up to 5000 sheep.
Later owners included the Grace family, and Bruce Glasson, who held it before the present owners.
A feature of “Road View” is its colonial-style homestead, incorporating an original section dating back to 1898 with later additions.
For their first five years on “Road View”, the Becks managed it as a mixed farm, running a cattle stud in conjunction with cropping, but since then it’s been a 100 per cent cropping enterprise.
Situated 22 kilometres south of Narromine, “Road View” is described as a 90pc arable property of self-mulching grey to medium red soils well suited to broadacre farming.
Average rainfall is 550mm and the property is watered by 10 dams and a five megalitre stock and domestic entitlement from Narromine Irrigation.
Most of the boundary fencing is hinge-joint, nearly all of it newly erected, and on the strength of its past performance the property could easily be rejigged for mixed grazing of sheep or cattle.
The Becks from the outset have used intelligent crop rotations with appropriate fertiliser programs to farm the property sustainably – a policy that has paid off handsomely in consistent crop yields and awards.
Their first 13 wheat harvests produced an average yield of 4.3 tonnes/ha (21 bags/ac), and in 2006 a sample from “Road View” was judged the champion hard wheat exhibit at the Sydney Royal Show.
This season the Becks have about 1080ha under winter crop comprising cereals and fababeans, and despite less than 50mm of rain being received since sowing, a good harvest is in prospect. Wheat is showing promise of yields of up to 3.7t/ha (18 bags/ac) and barley upwards of 5t/ha. A feature of “Road View” is its colonial-style homestead, incorporating an original section dating back to 1898 with later additions.
The latest wing was added by the present owners, who also carried out extensive renovations including re-cladding and re-roofing the house, while preserving period features. Set in established gardens, the four-bedroom, air-conditioned homestead has formal and informal living areas, a modern kitchen, office and outdoor entertaining area.
There is also a staff cottage, while working structures include machinery sheds, vehicle storage, lockable workshop, steel sheep yards and 3000 tonnes of grain storage.
