ABOUT 300 people turned out at West River recently for the Nutrien Ag Solutions and South Coastal Agencies on farm clearing sale on behalf of Dennis and Glenda, and Paul and Danelle Turner.
It was a well conducted and presented sale with organised parking for attendees and sale lots spaced out with room enough for the crowd to move through as the day progressed.
Weather conditions turned out favourable after the wind dropped off just as the sale was about to start and it held off until after the sale when the sun began to go down.
It was as much a community event as it was a sale - with friends and long time neighbours in attendance to express their regards to the Turners as they leased out the property and began a new chapter of life at Mandurah.
Nutrien Ag Solutions auctioneer Neil Brindley said it was a very "well presented" sale with "first class equipment" on offer.
"Buyers bid very briskly on all items," Mr Brindley said.
"It was a very positive sale - a good turn out from all across the State almost.
"It was reflective of where the industry is at at the moment - and that's all very positive."
While the big ticket machinery items were harder to sell - with bidders not reaching the reserve price - the overall sale concluded at more than $1.3 million.
The highest selling item was a Case IH 7230 Harvester 2953E/2470R, which sold with a MacDon D140 40ft front with 2470 hours on the clock for $235,000 to RJ & CE Trevaskis, Needilup.
The next highest selling item was a 2012 Western Star 4864 FX Detroit DD15 130T truck with 651,000km on the clock.
It looked cool as it rolled out the gate with its lights on and a 41ft tri axle freighter flat top trailer attached to it, with a 15,000 litre and a 12,000L fibreglass tank and a fire fighting pump on it.
TG & RC Browne, Nyabing, won the bidding on those items at $110,000 for the truck and $37,500 for the trailer.
Aidinville Farms, Gnowellen, purchased a 2017 Extreme Concepts A trailer with a 5m tipping bowl for $85,000, and a 2009 Howard Porter 10m tri-axle tipping grain trailer for $70,000.
A Komatsu WA PZ250 loader, with bucket and forks, and 5823 hours on the clock sold for $80,000 to Cadalelup Farm, Gnowangerup.
A 2013 Case IH 275 Magnum, 3PL, with 5832 hours under its belt sold for $62,500 to EA Burton & Co, Ravensthorpe.
A 2011 25T Trufab single axle chaser bin with extended auger sold to BJ & NM Clarke, Wattening, for $50,000.
A 2014 28T Norrish chasemor chaser bin with a tandem R/H auger sold for $45,000 to Acre Farms.
A 7.3m Norrish Ezy-Bin, 2 bin 50:50 split with a tandem axle Skel trailer sold for $40,000.
One of the biggest buyers on the day was Kinjarling Farms, operated by Nicholas Turner and Tessa Leake (soon to be married), who have begun leasing the West River farm.
They purchased 24 lots - mainly sundries - with the highest priced lot a 1994 loadmaster tri axle 10m tipping grain trailer for $30,000, a Commander Agquip 56' 10" hydraulic auger for $17,000 and a tri- axle side tipper for $11,000.
DD & EM Wiech, West River, were also volume buyers taking home 17 lots - all sundry items with the highest priced lot at $1250.
NE & MM Wiech & Co, Beaumont, was active in the bidding process.
He said he was meant to be retired, but he won the bidding on several lots - including 3 lots of 165cm steel posts and wire for $150, $250, and $325.
He bought steel PA gates for $50, a K-rail for $225, a 1000L tank and frame for $200 and a 2000L dual axle fire fighting trailer for $750.
Other items of interest - such as Richiger EA 250 grain bag unloader, sold for $35,000.
A 2002 Isuzu 500L truck sold for $27,500 while a 2003 Mack quantum 470hp prime mover 90TGCM, with 713,000kms on the clock sold for $25,000.
A Case IH MX 135 challenger loader, 3PL, with 5100 hours recorded sold for $45,000.
A 65T Norrish field bin 15" auger sold for $22,000.
A 45T Brereton field bin 12" auger sold for $13,000, while another with a 15" auger sold for $11,000.
A Pederick 19 tyne deep ripper sold for 11,000.
A 2002 Toyota Landcruiser ute with 386,000km on the clock sold for $15,000.
A pellet of mixed chemicals was well sought after and sold for $8500.
Some outside vendors also had a few items on sale but as the sale drew to a close it was clear that buyers were done and the larger items were passed in.
Paul Turner said despite not being able to sell the larger machinery items it was a good sale and they were pleased with the result.
He said he wasn't exactly sure what he would be doing off the farm in the future but he knew he would be behind a header during harvest this year - much to his delight.