Australian Country Homes – September 2019

104 Australian Country HOMES

This page: The fruit-packing shed has become a function centre. Many letters and records have survived, which will serve as an aid to the homestead’s restoration.

stock agents of Bendigo. They paid
almost double what the Falkiners
had — £6 10/- an acre — for 25,000
acres (10,117ha) and started a family
connection with the property that
would last for more than 80 years.
When the Moama-Balranald railway

was completed, the property was

further subdivided, but Rupert Watson

and his sons retained 10,000 acres

(4046 ha) around the homestead.

The Watsons planted the fi rst citrus

trees on Perricoota in 1913 and during

the next two decades 13,000 trees

were added to what would become the

largest citrus orchard in the southern

hemisphere. The citrus-packing shed

and remnant orange, lemon and

grapefruit trees are reminders of this

development. By the 1990s, there were

14,500 trees delivering up to 1200

tonnes (60,000 cartons) of fruit to

markets all over Australia. As well, they

ran Shorthorn cattle, Merino sheep

and grew grain for feed supplements

for their stock. By 2010, when Mark

Evans bought the station, the citrus

operation had ceased. When Trevor

and Anastasia O’Grady took over, the

packing shed was given a new lease

on life, this time as a rustic function

centre and restaurant.

Most recently, the property has

been sold to new owners, Barry and

Jo Clark from Lucindale, in South

Australia. The Clarks have big plans to

take the property to the next level, a

sign, perhaps, of rising fortunes for the

border town district. ACH