National awards for the most cattle sold on AuctionsPlus over two successive years and successfully negotiating seven property sales are some of the highlights that Daven and Lynelle Vohland will take with them when they move from Blackall to Roma this week.
After just under three years in the central west, Lynelle has purchased the Elders residential franchise in Roma and Daven will be the Elders rural property specialist for the Roma region, as well as doing livestock work.
When he arrived, Daven saw AuctionsPlus as a way to expand market prospects for clients, which coincided with that system’s boom, resulting in around 10,000 head being moved out of the district to places as far afield as South Australia and Adelaide River in the Northern Territory, in 2015 and again in 2016.
“It gave vendors an opportunity for better prices and less costs,” he said. “That was a highlight, as well as a good run selling properties.”
They included Tilbury, Lancevale, Bulloo Lakes, Busthinia, Thornhill, Meroondah, and Culburnie to settle in late January.
He said the local market had made significant gains and thought it would continue to get stronger, “as long as nothing nasty was hiding around the corner”.
“The Blackall market has gone up substantially on proven sales,” he said.
“Central Queensland people are getting priced out in very tightly held country, and Blackall is known for putting weight on cattle, and is developing as a major selling centre.
“It’s got a lot to offer and the rainfall seems a tad more reliable than some other areas.”
Daven also attributed interest rates “as cheap as they’ll ever get” to the strong local property interest, saying that each sale he’d made had been to people expanding their holdings, which he said showed good confidence in future prospects.
It’s not the first time he’s lived in Blackall, having been on the staff of Elders there 20 years ago, and he said it was a vastly different area to operate in these days.
“Back then we had less agents – four, compared to seven operating here these days – and a lot more sheep.
“I think that will turn around, with all the feral fencing. We’ll see more sheep and therefore more businesses again.”
The noted branch building team of Daven and Lynelle – they took Ray White Rural in Roma from ground zero to a very successful business – said they had a very good team behind them in Blackall.
“We just try and give good agency service,” he said.
Des Cuffe is relocating from Moura to be the new branch manager at Blackall.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
