NNNorthern Valley News It’s wildflower season!
• New Norcia • Wannamal • Watheroo
Regional Cabinet meets in Moora
Chittering Wildflower festival page 7
Please take a copy
Announcements pages 12-13
65
2016
Bindoon • Bullsbrook • Calingiri • Chittering • Dandaragan • Gingin • Muchea • Moora
Sue and David Brown with students Emily Morgan and Jessica Turner from Kiara College in Perth
Investing in a farming future Tamieka Preston
This time of year, a drive north through the Northern Valleys region reveals one of the most stunning sights on the farming calender – a swelling sea of vibrant yellow canola as far as the eye can focus. Whilst tourists could be forgiven for thinking the sight is for their benefit, canola is one of the state’s most important agricultural crops, and the 1.8 milllion tonnes projected harvest this year is worth over 1.53 billion to the WA economy. For third-generation farmer David Brown his
BINDOON
$349,000
900 ha canola crop is just one component of the impressive stable of produce grown on the 7000 ha Dandaragan property he and wife Sue run alongside his brother Richard, who just happens to be married to Sue’s sister, Di.
Family connections certainly run deep at Bidgerabbie – the mixed broadacre cropping and sheep property was founded by David’s grandfather in 1919 then farmed by his father and uncles before being passed down the line. With three children each (including a set of twins each, born in the same year!) David and Richard hope to see a a fourth generation of
farmers to til their patch of Dandaragan soil.
Mixing fat lamb trade with rotational cropping of wheat, lupins and canola has kept the family farm going from strength to to strength and with sucession planning in mind the Browns have just invested in a nearby property – but David is concerned there’ll be less and less livestock on the farm in the future. “The ESCAS (Australia’s compulsory Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System) effectively stopped the live sheep export trade by stealth,” he laments, “We’ve just lost the Saudi market, which is where the money is.”
BULLSBROOK $285,000
BINDOON
Great investment – 5 bedrooms plus study, modern kitchen with pantry, huge alfresco, shed, lawn for the kids, across from park, walking distance to schools and shops. Rental return approx. $380 per week.
20 Caporn Street, Bullsbrook ADD YOUR FINISHING TOUCH Excellent starter home or investment property. 3 good sized bedrooms, new RC split system, wood fireplace, big back and front yard, fenced, enclosed patio at back with bar. Keen vendors must sell quick!
113 Pioneer Drive, Bindoon Beautiful Bush Hide-away BINDOONS BEST BLOCK! Beautiful pastured block with lovely outlook ready for your dream home. Already has a 6x9m shed with lean to, water tank, crossover, fencing, driveway complete. Scheme water to block. 4x2 kit home also available to purchase.
Amy McAuliffe 0400 298 884
Amy McAuliffe 0400 298 884
Amy McAuliffe 0400 298 884
24 Bottlebrush Place, Bindoon BIG HOME – GREAT INVESTMENT
$ Contact Agent
Generation Y are also looking at farming in a different way. “The young blokes like sitting on a big comfortable tractor, which practically drives itself, then disappearing out to the coast for a few months rather than stuffing around with livestock – and you can’t really blame them – especially in this market,” says David, “It’s a challenge!”. Keen to share both the highs and lows of their colourful life on the farm, last month the Brown family welcomed two high school students to stay as part of the FX program initiated by Rabobank.
GINGIN
$160,000
22 Shanks Pony Lane, Gingin 4043sqm block within walking distance of all amenities with ornamental trees established. Tom Cabassi 0429 095 864