Stunning result of $16.3m for cropping country in northern NSW

At that price realised at auction through Nutrien Harcourts late last week in Narrabri, this choice land made $11,187 ha ($4528 ac).

Vendors Ross and Rosemary Lampe said they were "very pleased with the result".

They were also particularly happy their much loved farm had been bought by a district farming family.

Ross and Rosemary Lampe had admitted to having mixed feelings about farewelling their family farm in northern NSW.

Ross, aged 72, had lived on family's well cared for Bobbiwaa South spread all his life.

He and Rosemary now plan to retire and move the 14km to Narrabri.

Ross is also looking forward to his final harvest after a second consecutive bountiful season for his crops.

Bobbiwaa translates from the local Aboriginal language as running waters referring to a creek which flows occasionally after heavy rain on the nearby Nandewar Ranges, part of the Great Divide.

With a farmed area of 1266 hectares and its reputation of being choice country, Bobbiwaa South was expected to sell for more than the $8150-$8650ha ($3300-$3500 per acre) achieved at recent sales in the district.

But the auction result was much higher than expectations.

The Lampe family came to Bobbiwaa back in the 1940's for the quality of the land.

It was Ross' grandfather Fred who made the decision to scatter the family about from their base first from around Tumut to Coonamble.

His son Bruce (Ross' father) returned from the fighting in Borneo in 1945 to take up the Narrabri farm, and marry his sweetheart Marcia, all in short order.

It was Bobbiwaa's quality soils and the reliable 650mm (26 inch) annual rainfall spread across summer and winter which sealed the deal.

Originally they ran beef cattle and then in 1957 they bought Merino sheep from Lampe relatives at Coonamble from Nebia and Quanda.

The big change came in the early 1960s when the Lampe family started growing wheat.

Minimum tillage cultivation has been employed in five fields ranging from 226ha to 350ha which feature the ideal long open straight runs.

The current rotation has been wheat, faba beans and sorghum.

Ross and Rosemary are swapping their modern five-bedroom timber homestead with a view of the ranges for a place in town.

There is also a three bedroom renovated cottage on the place.

There are two machinery sheds, a workshop, 1600 tonnes of silo storage, steel cattle yards, shearing shed and yards, a spray station and diesel storage.

The farm is well fenced and watered by three equipped bores reticulating water to tanks and troughs should the new owner want to move back into grazing.

Ross said he wished the new owners well.

"I hope they look after it as well as we have."

Selling agent was Paul Thomas at Nutrien Harcourts.

Start the day with all the big news in agriculture! Sign up below to receive our daily Farmonline newsletter.