A CROWD of about 50 buyers, onlookers and Elders representatives congregated at the Boyup Brook Football Club on last Wednesday for the auction of Dwalganup.
The vendors of the property entrusted Elders Real Estate and rural sales consultant Adrian Corker with the marketing of the farm, which he said had "attracted plenty of attention from interested buyers in the lead up to auction day".
Elders rural sales consultant and auctioneer Don Fry commenced proceedings, calling for opening bids and receiving one almost immediately for $5,000,000.
The heated competition saw a further 27 bids, some as high as $500,000 and as low as $5000, until Dwalganup was eventually knocked down for $8,055,000 to a farming family.
Considered to be a record for the area, the 789 hectare farm had approximately 657 arable hectares, equating to a sale price of approximately $12,260 per arable hectare.
Senior rural real estate executive Simon Cheetham said auction remained a highly effective method of sale in the current market.
"I was pleased such a strong result was able to be achieved for the sellers," Mr Cheetham said.
Located in the locality of Mayanup, about 20 kilometres south of Boyup Brook, Dwalganup was established in about 1871 and is believed to have been once owned by WA's first, premier John Forrest.
Featuring heavy loam soils and undulating terrain Dwalganup is well fenced and watered with approximately 19 dams.
Dwalganup had the reputation of being one of the best farms in the Boyup Brook shire and is where Dwalganup clover originated.
The farm had been planted to bluegums which have now been harvested with the land returned to grazing in recent years.
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