Former NSW politician Ian McDonald withdraws his Orange farm from sales marketing
Ian McDonald, the man at the centre of one of NSW's biggest political corruption investigations, has seemingly ceased the marketing of his 21-hectare Orange farm, Andoyaskye.
It had been listed for sale at $960,000 by McDonald and his wife, who'd also offloaded their house in Northbridge, Sydney, for $1,187,500 in April last year, shortly before he moved to Hong Kong.
The Northbridge house, sold through Justin Ferguson Property Specialists, had been initially listed with $1.3 million hopes. The four bedroom house cost $730,000 in 2001.
The farm had been listed through First National agent Jim Oates.
There had been a recent offer on the property, according to a Daily Telegraph report, in which reporter Andrew Clennell speculated the besieged former state Labor minister was "cutting his ties with Australia."
It is not known if the farm has been withdrawn following a sale, or just withdrawn from marketing.
When Andrew Clennell contacted to see if the property was still on the market, real estate agent Jim Oates said there was an offer on the property but the owners would not be available to consider it, or other offers, for a week.
The McDonalds bought the 21 hectare lot in 2007 for $675,000, then another 14 hectares, which appears not included, for $475,000 in 2011. On the atlas it's eight kilometres from Orange– with views of Mount Canobolas and the Towac Valley.
It was at the farm where he bred Murray grey stud cattle and grew crops. There are six paddocks with rich volcanic basalt soils. It comes with improved pastures of clover and rye.
It was marketed as suitable for grazing, cropping, horticulture or viticulture. There is an established orchard with apples and cherries.
There is a new set of steel cattle yards, a large lock-up steel machinery shed and a large irrigation dam with licence.
The totally renovated weatherboard house has four bedrooms, two living areas, a new kitchen and new bathroom, plus study.
''I want to grow some pinot noir, some more fruit, renovate the big shed,'' the occasional Central West farmer once told reporters.
It was initially listed in late 2001, then again in late 2012.
