After four generations at the helm of the landmark property Ivanhoe, an era in Mallee farming comes to an end next month when the Rothacker family sell their spectacular, blue-ribbon slice of rural history, putting it on the market for the first time in more than a century.
Held by the Lester-Smith/Rothacker family for the past 115 years, its 1304 highly-productive hectares – on two titles – have been leased for the past eight years and run as a cropping enterprise; but for many years, under the family, Ivanhoe was also recognised for its pure, fine-wool, self-replacing Merino flock.
But as good as the land, and its production history are, the crowning glory of the aggregation has to be its sprawling, century-old, five-bedroom Federation-style homestead, tucked away in the property’s nature belts, surrounded by the arable land.
In 1966, Helen and Alan became the family’s fourth generation to live in the “big house” – and the last.
“My great grandfather, William Henry Smith and his family acquired the land in 1907 – but it was nothing like the property you see today,” Helen says.
“In fact, it could not have been called a farm in your wildest dreams. It was largely uncleared Mallee land and he and his family set about carving a future out of the bush, as did my grandfather and father, and my husband and I have had it for the past 56 years.
“For a long time, their only horsepower to get the big jobs done was, well, was horses and wagons – that’s how their belongings and anything else they needed was brought up. The priority was getting the land ready for cropping and establishing a water supply. Then it was time for the other buildings, from shearing shed and yards to silos and workshops.
“No question about it, the early days at Ivanhoe were long and hard.”
Helen says William’s son, Henry Lester Smith, continued to develop Ivanhoe, finally armed with some serious horsepower with his Moline and Mogul tractors, pulling various early farm implements instead of the horses.
She says when a Foden steam engine was added later, it would be the power house for many purposes and many years to come – even carting all the bricks for the present homestead from the Barraport railway station.
“Ivanhoe was soon recognised for the blue-ribbon enterprise it was becoming, and Gaston Machinery completed many machinery trials there when the company was developing early agricultural machinery,” Helen adds.
After World War II, Lester’s son, Alan Lester-Smith and his wife Jean, farmed Ivanhoe and managed the development of the farm’s mechanisation.
They also introduced broadacre cropping, developed one of the first grain bulk-handling systems in the district and many innovative ways of making silage and storing fodder.
Helen and Alan also embraced the opportunity to further develop Ivanhoe into the productive property it is today, with innovative and consistent agronomic management, favouring modern farming practices and rotations, plus the sheep, fodder conservation and hay production.
There is even about 150 tonnes of unused clover and oaten silage put into an underground pit 15 years ago.
Helen says the second three-bedroom residence on the property – which has recently been totally renovated – would be perfect for a second family, as guest accommodation or for a manager’s home or worker/s depending on how the new owners structure their management.
“It would also make a marvellous farm experience B&B,” she says.
“On top of that, we have been continually installing and maintaining a diverse infrastructure including fully-enclosed grain and machinery sheds, a large workshop with vehicle in-ground hoist and a 360-degree overhead, travelling hoist, a four-stand shearing shed, Gribbon steel sheepyards, cattleyards and five large containment yards with abundant shade and water troughs as well as the fuel tanks, silo complex and the water tanks and troughs.”
But for her, the biggest wrench will almost certainly be leaving her stunning homestead, where generations of her family lived and loved and which has been her home for more than 70 years.
She says construction began in 1923 and it has gone through any number of upgrades, revamps and renovations since then, “but we like to think Lester would still have no trouble recognising the homestead today”.
From its Federation green doors and subtle use of that signature colour elsewhere, such as inset into window frames, the homestead opens to that marvellous sense of space which has been part and parcel of rural Australia’s grand homes for hundreds of years.
The bedrooms are enormous, period features such as fireplace surrounds, stained glass windows, the size of most rooms, also with ornate ceilings and cornices, so successfully embracing – and honouring – the history of this home.
It has a genuine country kitchen, sympathetic to its heritage and contemporary in its palette and its fixtures and appliances, period lounge, dining and reception rooms – and is also surrounded with improvements which, in the early days, must have been a veritable community of farm workers and families. Another surprise, beneath the kitchen, is a large, dry cellar – perfect to store your preserves, wine collection or the like.
“The homestead has been meticulously maintained to preserve the Federation features and it is surrounded by a large, established fruit orchard, garden and trees,” Helen says.
Elders Barham agent Peter Robertson says he has been inundated with enquiries – from as far afield as South Australia, the Western District and southern Riverina.
Peter says most properties in his patch tend to go to neighbours, but when you put up a holding as outstanding and as well-known as Ivanhoe, a property more than big enough to be run as a standalone enterprise, “that’s when you start to get buyers coming from everywhere because this really is something special”.
He says the freehold property is as good as you will get as far as you might want to go in any direction to try and match it.
“As well as the homestead there is a second, fully-renovated, three-bedroom residence, which would be ideal for an extended family coming onto Ivanhoe,” Peter added.
“Or it could also serve as a manager’s residence if a city investor was the successful purchaser and wanted to keep the farm going and enjoy the homestead for family occasions and as a base whenever they came up to the farm,” he says.
“Because believe me, the improvements are impressive, reflecting the family’s long and successful history with Ivanhoe.
“At the same time consistent agronomic management, favouring modern farming practises such as favoured rotations to grow lentils, wheat, barley and vetch has kept the country in good heart – plus it is close to grain receival complexes in Boort and Quambatook.”
Peter says the detailed crop and chemical history are available on request, and the sale brings with it secure stock and domestic water from the Normanville Pipeline System with a 6.7 megalitre entitlement.
“Ivanhoe will be offered as a whole or as two adjoining contiguous lots with Ivanhoe ‘home’ offering not just the homestead but 762.2ha, which bring with it all the main improvements,” Peter added.
“And Ivanhoe ‘north’ comprises 542.3ha all used this season as cropping paddocks,” he says.
“The property is one of the best in the district and is already attracting widespread interest as I expected, with more to come I would suggest.”
Expressions of interest in Ivanhoe close at 12pm on Friday October 5 at Elders Barham.
Further details are available from Peter Robertson, Elders Barham, on 0417 636 348 or peter.robertson@elders.com.au
