www.loddonherald.com.au
RURAL VICTORIA’S No 1 NEWSPAPER - FREE EVERY THURSDAY
Loddon HERALD Vol 4 No 9, THURSDAY MARCH 14, 2024 ISSN 2653-1550
AGRICULTURE VICTORIA PROBE PROPERTY FOR SALE
BARREN ROCK By CHRIS EARL
THE Halal-linked Avicenna Farm has been put up for sale with a price tag of more than $2 million. The 613-acre property on the Wimmera Highway, near Newbridge, has been investigated since early this year by Agriculture Victoria after alleged animal management complaints. Agriculture Victoria last month said its “investigation at Newbridge is ongoing and will continue to evolve over the next few weeks”. Real estate agent Sherif Ahmed has listed the farm for sale and planned an open for inspection at the farm on Sunday. Instead, he said a prospective buyer was taken over the property on Saturday night and the inspection cancelled. On Sunday, sheep and cattle were grazing on the ground with several piles of hay but little pick. Empty cardboard boxes and plastic bags have been blown into fences. District residents and motorists travelling the Wimmera Highway raised concern about animal welfare over Christmas with claims of several hundred head of sheep dying in barren and rocky paddocks. Some local farmers have told the Loddon Herald that advice to owners to include grain and other nutrients in feeding plans had been ignored. One experienced farmer said: “This is not land you can heavily graze. Yes, it comes back quickly but then turns barren just as fast.
Stock continues to be grazed on the Wimmera Highway farm “People come up from Melbourne and think there’s quick money in farming. It’s not like that at all and definitely not on this land. “You have to careful about how much stock you run on this country.” Residents have told the Loddon Herald that Agriculture Victoria officers had been seen entering and leaving the property several times a week since midJanuary. According to earlier property searches, the farm has been owned by Western Fruit and
Vegetables, Tarneit, since October 2021, with Trustworthy Nominees Pty Ltd listed as the mortgagee. Online searches have shown Avicenna Farms is part of a sheep farming and breeding program by Singapore-based HalalXpert Pte Ltd, Wonderz Pty Ltd and Malaysia-based ARK Group of Companies Pte Ltd. Wonderz is registered at a Mickelham address with its only listed director living in Malaysia. Avicenna’s telephone number is the same as the Queenslandbased Halal Centre Australia.
Loddon Shire Council has also been investigating alleged clearing of native vegetation on the farm. Council said officers continued to investigate “the circumstances that led to the clearing of native vegetation on the land. The landowners are assisting us with those enquiries and relevant information has also been provided by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. As this remains an ongoing investigation, it would be inappropriate to provide any further details at this time.”
Fire brigades were called to three separate fires at Avicenna Farm late last year. A person was later charged by police. Mr Ahmed said the farm would be auctioned on-site next month. An indicative price of between $2 million and $2.2 million has been put on the property. An adjoining 150-acre property will be auctioned the same day with an indicative price between $730,000 and $800,00. The Loddon Herald is not suggesting sale of the farm is linked to the probes.
Zoned Rural Living 15d Old Boort Road Wedderburn A gently undulating parcel of land, 6.35 Hectares, featuring 1 dam, fully fenced with sealed road access at the front and power nearby. This block exudes serenity, which makes it an ideal future new home site and or an area for a new business attached to the family home(STCA). Local scenic views feature prominently and its position close to town makes this parcel of land tick all the boxes Reduced Price: $230,000 FP NEVINS DOES NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ABOVE