When John and Kerry Parker sold the bulk of their Wee Jasper Station as a scaling-down move in 1999, they elected to retain – and reside on – a favoured corner of the property.
Now they are taking retirement to the next stage and moving to Albury to be closer to family, leaving their “favoured corner” of the historic Southern Tablelands station to find a new owner.
On offer, therefore, is a choice 224-hectare (553ac) chunk of land with all improvements, fronting the Goodradigbee River just above where the latter enters Lake Burrinjuck.
It is being marketed by CBRE Agribusiness and expressions of interest are invited for the package as a whole, or in two sections: “The Dip” of 178ha (440ac) and “Swinging Bridge Cottage” of 46ha (113ac).
The Parkers, who had earlier held Central Para Station at Wentworth before moving to South Australia in 1974, purchased Wee Jasper Station in the mid-1980s, at which time it comprised some 5600ha.
Situated five kilometres from Wee Jasper village and about 60km from Yass, the property now for sale as “The Dip”/“Swinging Bridge Cottage” is a nicely balanced grazing and lifestyle package.
It would ideally suit a family seeking to semi-retire from active grazing to a property that combined creature comforts and scenic surrounds.
Rising from alluvial flats of the Goodradigbee River to the foothills of the Brindabella Range, the property comprises a mix of improved and native pastures, irrigation and remnant green timber.
About 22ha of river flat on “The Dip” is developed for K-line pod irrigation, now growing lucerne and oats, while another 40ha is sown to introduced pastures and topdressed bi-annually. A further 79ha of “The Dip”, and all of “Swinging Bridge Cottage”, is native perennial pasture supplemented by sub-clover and medic, annual rye and soft brome.
Overall carrying capacity is estimated at 1850 DSE, which under a lease arrangement for the past five years has typically seen a stocking mix of 110 cows, raising vealers to 350-380kg, and 80 crossbred ewes.
Average rainfall is 700-750mm and the property is watered by dams and a reticulated supply from the Goodradigbee River.
Working improvements are all located on “The Dip” and include a two-stand, raised-board shearing shed-cum-hayshed with steel sheepyards, steel cattle yards and four-bay machinery shed.
RELATED READING:
The main homestead on “The Dip” is of rendered brick construction, built in 1999, and set on a north-facing elevated site with views over the Goodradigbee valley. Flanked by wide verandahs, it has three bedrooms and open-plan kitchen and living area, with Jarrah flooring, sub-floor and slow-combustion heating, reverse-cycle air conditioning and a walk-in coolroom.
Nearby is a self-contained two-bedroom guest cottage with slow-combustion heating and north-facing verandah.
The “Swinging Bridge Cottage” portion boasts a modern Bell River Homes three-bedroom cottage set in established gardens, built for an employee and now rented.
Tenders close on October 20, with offers for “The Dip” expected to come in above $1.5 million, and for “Swinging Bridge Cottage” in a range around $400,000.