Eastern States' phone bidders had a strong presence at an early-season clearing sale at Minnenooka, near Walkaway, last Friday.
An afternoon sale, organised by Nutrien Ag Solutions for DR & HA Moffat & Son - patriarch Don Moffat was a former Elders representative - also attracted a strong crowd given very hot conditions - the temperature in the yard hit an indicated 49 degrees Celsius - with more than 100 registering to bid.
The property has been sold and the Moffat family is leaving Minnenooka after more than 50 years.
Of the major machinery items offered, only a John Deere self-propelled 36-metre boomsprayer and a 2002 John Deere 9650 combine harvester failed to achieve reserve prices.
But Nutrien representatives were negotiating with unsuccessful bidders and confident both would be sold, said Nutrien's Craig Walker who auctioned the 200 lots.
"It was a hot day but we got through it," Mr Walker said.
"The sundries sold very well and the machinery items reached value, but didn't exceed value expectations.
"People appear to be looking for new equipment with low hours.
"There was strong enquiry for little tractors with front-end loaders and other attachments and full airconditioned cabs.
"Farmers from down south who come north for clearing sales could also find a bargain with field bins.
"With many northern farmers moving to mother bins and other storage management, farmers down south looking to replace field bins could find reasonable sized bins - 35-40 tonnes - are good value up north."
Mr Walker said online enquiry and phone bids from the Eastern States - some successful and some just missing out to local top bidders - were an "interesting feature" of the sale.
Top-priced item was a four-cylinder John Deere 6105M tractor with front end loader, including bucket and forks, and only 3555 hours usage.
It was purchased with a bid of $60,000 by producer and exported Borrello Beef which operates an abattoir at Gingin and has cold stores, processing plant and retail outlet in Perth.
A phone-bidding South Australian machinery dealer, Jabuk Machinery from near Murray Bridge, was the biggest buyer, paying second and third top prices for bigger John Deere tractors.
Jabuk bought a Green Star-ready 8130 tractor on three-metre wheel spacings with full weight kit and 8631 hours for $49,000 and a rubber-tracked 9400T tractor, also with full weight kit and Green Star-ready, for $42,000.
An older Case 921B wheel loader with 6500 hours sold for $28,000 to contractors C Harvey & Co, Mingenew.
A JCB 3185 Fastrac on three-metre spacings and with 11392 hours showing sold for $9800 and a John Deere 4250 front-wheel-assist tractor with 11,000 hours changed hands for $8200.
With 428,000 kilometres showing, a tandem-axle 1987 Volvo tip truck attracted a winning bid of $26,500, two Can Am quad bikes sold for $3000 and a 450cc Can Am quad sold for $3100.
A Marshall 980T spreader sold for $11,000 and a 16t chaser bin for $5000.
Field bins sold for between $200 and $900, depending on size and condition and a mother bin sold for $8200.
Four 3800 litre Advantage lick feeders were snapped up by one bidder for between $2050 and $2250, a number of bidders paid between $700 and $1350 for 3000lt and 3800lt Ezy lick feeders, smaller lick feeders sold for between $200 and $300 and a lick feeder trailer sold for $1600.
A Jetstream Mix-All sold for $17,500 and a 9000lt fibreglass chemical tank sold for $8000.
