Historic Victorian Naringal Station sold after 170 years of family ownership
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Historic Naringal Station in the Western District of Victoria has been sold after 170 years in the same family. The 1,328-hectare cropping and grazing property at Wallinduc, southeast of Ballarat, has been sold to a Melbourne businessman.
The price was undisclosed, but in June it was tipped to fetch $7.5 million plus, including crops.
Naringal Station was taken up by William Rowe in 1841 as part of Naringal Run. The seven-bedroom, 837-square-metre double-brick 1904 homestead was totally renovated in 1945 after a fire. It is set in 1950s Edna Walling-designed gardens and surrounded by its own woods.
It is located 45 kilometres from Ballarat – Victoria’s largest sheep saleyards – and 160 kilometres from Melbourne.
The Rowe family arrived in Australia in 1841 and took up the then 12,000-acre (4,856-hectare) run later that year. The pre-emptive right of 640 acres (260 hectares), upon which the homestead is built, was granted in 1857.
The original slab hut has been rebuilt and remains a landmark today. The family cemetery was first used in 1860s and will remain with the family.
The sale of Naringal represents the sale of one of Victoria’s longest-held rural holdings, its conjunctional agent Chris Meares of Meares and Associates notes.
Charles Stewart conjunctional selling agent Anthony McDonald describes the sale as a "very satisfactory result".
Naringal is estimated to carry about 13,100 dry sheep equivalents and has carried up to 14,000 fine wool sheep, including 4,000 breeding ewes on a self-replacing flock basis.
About 800 hectares is sown to winter crops this year on a share-farming basis, with the balance used for grazing.
About 80% of the property has also been cropped in the past.
The Melbourne businessman will employ a manager and continue to operate the property as a mixed farm operation.