Jessmondeen at Crookwell farm offered at $2.5 million by pastoralist investor Robert Rich
There was a $2.4 million vendor bid when historic Crookwell farm, Jessmondeen went to recent auction, and it now comes with a $2.5 million asking price.
The 896-hectare southern tablelands NSW farm dates back to the 1840s when John Kelly took up Jessmondeen, or, as it was then known, Hillis Mount, to establish the original Kelly settlement in the Crookwell district.
The mixed farming property remained in the Kelly/Kensitt families until it was purchased by Sydney investor Robert Rich and his wife Helen in 2005.
The Crookwell district property, which comes with a seven kilometre frontage to the Lachlan River, is just under an hour’s drive from Goulburn and three hours from Sydney via the Hume Highway.
It has 640 acres of improved pastures, plus 75 acres of lucerne, with the balance top dressed native pastures with some 30 surface dams.
There is an attractive three-bedroom renovated 1920s Federation granite stone homestead plus a manager’s cottage.
Its operating improvements include a woolshed, sheep yards, cattle yards, stables and hay sheds.
“One of the features of Jessmondeen is undoubtedly its livestock production ability – every time I visit the farm I see both sheep and cattle in excellent order," Chris Meares from marketing agents Meares & Associates said.
It was initially listed with a $2.5 million to $3 million price hope guide.
Robert Rich, the deputy chairman of Sydney investment company, Argo Investments, has other properties including Kippilaw in the district.
Last September he listed the historic homestead, Kippilaw at Goulburn, which remains listed for sale through Meares & Associates.
The six-bedroom stone homestead is set in beautiful Italian-style gardens overlooking the Wollondilly River was the headquarters of the Rich family's 4050-hectare rural operation in the Goulburn district.
Kippilaw came with $6 million to $8 million price expectations.
It was 1998 when the Trinidad-born Bellevue Hill businessman offloaded his Kangaloon Southern Highlands holdings, Valley View, Braeside and Trig Farm which totalled 160 hectares, for the southern tablelands.
