Located at Scottsdale in NE Tasmania, it is 63 km northeast of Launceston and 20 km from the beach at Bridport. Scottsdale is a service town of 2,600 residents that provides for the farming community in and around Scottsdale and the smaller villages nearby. This is an agricultural area that specialises in vegetable cropping and dairy, along with sheep, beef cattle, pork production and timber plantations.
Scottsdale was featured on a Back Roads episode in July 2018. The dairy calves and sheep in the opening sequence are on Highclere Farm.
Back Roads Episode 4 - Scottsdale
Scottsdale is the sort of town where big green tractors with hay rakes park in front of the takeaway for fish and chips and small red ones buzz around on secret farmer business. You can see the round bales, dairy heifers and angus herds from the main street.
A mix of long time locals and tree changers, it’s a town that combines strong community bonds with the open welcome of people who can help re-invigorate the district after the loss of several large employers in the last decade.
Highclere Farm consists of 100 acres of basalt soil. The temperatures seldom get below 0C, and seldom above 30C. It's potato and dairy soil. We have frontage to the Brid River, mains water (untreated) connection, full power etc. and are just 2km from the edge of Scottsdale. Some areas could be cultivated, others are only suitable for grazing.
It used to be a dairy, milking 70 cows and supporting two families. Then times changed and they grew pigs and sold pork from the farm, very large operation for its time. Then the farmer died and it was mainly used for agistment by the dairy next door.
It's divided into two sections by the Sledge Track (a sealed road). 25 acres including the cottages and sheds etc, on one side and 75 acres on the other.
Highclere Farm carries sheep, mostly awassi (dairy sheep) x dorper (meat).
Both beef and dairy cattle in a variety of small and large breeds.
Chickens and geese.
There is plenty of infrastructure on the place, two cottages, a greenhouse, two chook house complexes, an implement shed, double garage, carport, large machinery shed, boiler shed, killing room, chiller, butchery, dairy, shearing shed, loafing shed, hay shed, feed bunks, piggery, cattle shelter and sheep shelter and a storage shed and silo.
Some of this was in disrepair, we have stabilised alot of it and are bringing it up to repair as we can. All the buildings are now usable.
There is a good sized vege garden, a small mixed fruit orchard and a cider apple orchard. Most fruits and vegetables will grow well here, as the temperate climate and low number of frosts provide a good growing season.
The 75 acres was put to bluegum plantation about 16 years ago and the trees were harvested in February of 2016 by the plantation company.
Before the trees were harvested
The same view after the trees were removed
There are several springs providing water as well as the river and mains water from two different mains. The farm produces a good supply of hay from 8 acres of mixed grasses and clover.
With several couriers to and from Launceston daily and flights from Launceston to Sydney and Melbourne daily there is potential to ship fresh produce to capital cities.
The soil, climate, infrastructure and proximity to markets/tourist routes mean the possible enterprises are only limited by your imagination. Just about any gourmet produce, value adding, smallgoods, grass fed livestock, medicinal or culinary herbs, tourism, education. Pretty much anything not requiring tropical conditions.
In partnership with the current farmer an Aspiring Farmer could be largely self-sufficient in home grown fresh food while bringing in an income from their farming enterprise.
