This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
RED meat processor Roger Fletcher and family have emerged as the buyers of the trophy Darriwell Aggregation in central west NSW, with the sale price speculated to be tipping $43 million.
Adjoining the Trundle township and located about 50 kilometres from Parkes, the 8,82-hectare mixed-farming property had been methodically pieced together for over 66 years by the Jones family, from a standing start. Brothers Russell, Lloyd and Geoffrey Jones have added to and managed the 19 holdings over recent decades.
On the buy side, the Fletchers’ family-owned company Fletcher International Exports is a major processor and exporter of lamb and sheep meat products. Acquisition of the Darriwell Aggregation gives it more than 110,000 hectares of country.
Darriwell features rich red loams with areas of heavier self-mulching soils, large kurrajong trees. Other timbers include rosewood, grey box and cypress pine.
The 2024 cropping year has some 1,083 hectares of canola and 2,355 hectares of wheat established now, and is set to take advantage of the favourable climate conditions the aggregation has experienced this year.
There are more than 6,000 acres of established lucerne is thriving with a further 2,500 acres under sown in 2024.
Livestock operations include the renowned Darriwell Merino Stud, as well as a 7,000 Merino ewe flock and 2,000 crossbred lambs.
Working infrastructure includes 4,000-tonne grain storage, three workshops, three shearing sheds, four sets of sheep yards and machinery shedding.
The sale did not include livestock, plant or equipment.
The aggregation is listed with four family homesteads and a further five cottages.
Elders agents Chris Malone and Brian McAneney managed the sale.
Elsewhere in the central west, ASX-listed Duxton Farms is selling its largest NSW cropping property, the 6,020-hectare Kentucky Farms in the Wirrinya district.
