In Australia, a 39-hectare horticultural property in Duranbah, New South Wales, has been listed for sale after more than a century of association with the Anderson family. The site at 69 Andersons Rd has been held by the family twice and is now returning to the market.
The Anderson family first acquired the property in 1905. It was later sold and then re-purchased in the 1950s by the son of the original owner. After reacquiring the land, the family developed avocado production, contributing to the early growth of the crop in Australia.
Third-generation owner Graham Anderson and his father established avocado operations on the property in 1958, forming Anderson Horticulture. The business later became Australia's largest avocado nursery. Mr Anderson began working on the farm at the age of 15 alongside his father.
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"The farm was first owned by my grandfather in the very early 1900s, and I'm told he ran a bit of cattle on it," Mr Anderson said.
"He then sold it, so my dad had to buy it back a couple of decades later."
The property is now being offered for sale for the second time since the early twentieth century.
"So it's been in the family twice, and now it's up for sale again — perhaps one of the grandkids of the bloke who bought it off my grandfather wants to buy it," Mr Anderson said.
The land has long been associated with avocado production and nursery operations. In 1988, Mr Anderson was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the horticultural industry. Avocado growing has since become a key part of the Tweed region's agricultural activity.
"When I was about 40, I planted some rainforest trees on the steeper terrain, and as it grew, the birds and insects protected the avocados so I didn't have to use many chemicals," he said.
"In 1978, I was granted a Churchill fellowship to study avocado growing around the world, and now we sell avocado seeds wholesale to orchards and nurseries throughout Australia.
"I still have a laboratory to develop new varieties of avocados."
Ray White agent Jessica Murphy said farmland values in the region have continued to increase since the pandemic period. She said large-scale agricultural and horticultural properties around the Tweed have recorded annual value growth of around four to five per cent.
The property is scheduled to go to auction on January 31.
Source: RealEstate
