An iconic Tasmanian rural property known as “Hermitage” is being taken to the market for the first time in more than 30 years.
Rob Dixon and Mark Ranicar of Knight Frank Tasmania have been appointed as exclusive agents to market the property at 530 Waddamana Road in Hermitage via an Expressions of Interest campaign.
The 4,353ha Hermitage estate in Tasmania’s Central Highlands region offers a vast farming operation, and has been farmed under management since its last transacted in 1991.
The property has been tightly held over the past 50 years, being owned by only three families including its current owner, Mr. John Rose.
The Hermitage, which has a total river frontage of 38Km to the Shannon River and River Ouse, includes an imposing double-storey colonial sandstone homestead built circa 1822 with five bedrooms, in addition to a three-bedroom manager’s dwelling and a one-bedroom cottage.
Other improvements include a shearing shed and associated sheep facilities, as well as multiple barns, implement sheds, machinery sheds, an abattoir, garages, stables and cattle yards.
It has a mixture of arable grazing areas running cattle and sheep, with timber and bush patches, an
all-weather surface airstrip to provide ease of access, and the property is equipped with irrigation, both centre pivots and flood irrigation tapping into the 17km of the Shannon River.
Nature and conservation has played an important role in management decisions, the result of which is an abundance of flora and fauna, in harmony with the farm’s more commercial enterprises.
Mr. Dixon said the property would appeal to buyers in a range of sectors including high-net-worth families, renewable energies, carbon and corporate agribusiness.
“Rarely does a property of calibre such as Hermitage come to the market,” he said.
“The Hermitage is a property that boasts so much history, with historic buildings, yet it so well positioned to benefit from future commercial opportunities.
“It offers an extraordinary opportunity to acquire an impressive land holding in Tasmania’s Central Highlands region, where many farms are tapping into the growing renewable energy sector.
“This particular property is located in close proximity to the Cattle Hill Wind Farm, providing the potential to explore renewable energy options such as solar and wind.”
Knight Frank’s recently released The Rural Report 23/24 found there was growing demand for agricultural land in Australia as the buyer pool widens in line with the variety of growing and innovative uses for rural properties, including for the new asset class of natural capital.
It found there was growing interest in carbon-related income for agricultural investments as sustainable practices gain prominence, with corporate institutions moving to offset their emissions and enhance their environmental credentials.
Existing landowners are also looking for more secure income from their properties, including by capitalising on emerging opportunities such as renewable energy and sustainability.
Mr. Ranicar said the Hermitage offered a very significant land offering in an area synonymous with farming, shooting and fishing.
“The Hermitage is of such a size that it was gazetted as a locality of its own in 1966,” he said.
“While it is currently run as a mixed grazing operation, the existing infrastructure on the property means it could transition to other sectors including some limited cropping due to seasonal patterns.”
Hermitage is located close to the township of Waddamana, which was a former Hydro town, where Tasmania’s first ever hydro-electric power plant opened in 1916. The decommissioned hydroelectric power stations which are now important museums of Tasmania’s history.
The historical township of Bothwell only 17km away, which is the main township servicing this agricultural region.
The Expressions of Interest campaign for the property will close at 4pm (AEDT) on Friday, November 3.
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