Australian Country Homes – September 2019

(Chris Devlin) #1

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
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