Sheron Farm & Homestead 1915

Located at the base of the Darling Range in Benger, Sheron Farm is recognised as one of the leading Angus cattle studs in the region.

Established in 1915-16, the property has been used for dairying, potato growing, hay cropping and cattle farming. Encompassing over 650 hectares of rolling hills covered with stands of jarrah and marri trees, spring-fed dams, 60 Ha of irrigated pastures, and views across the coastal sand plain to the Indian Ocean, the property is as picturesque as it is productive.

Farm Open Days

Sheron hosts an annual Farm Open Day and an on-property bull sale. Usually held in February, this event provides a unique opportunity for visitors to explore the farm, witness the exceptional breeding practices firsthand, and learn more about their renowned Angus cattle stud. It promises to be an unforgettable experience for cattle enthusiasts, farmers, and anyone interested in the world of quality livestock breeding.

History

In 1915, George Marsden Dempster selected hilly, virgin land facing the Bunbury to Perth Railway in Benger.

He married Rona Ivy, daughter of Charles and Emma Tuckey, in 1915. On the first-hand recommendation of a relative, Charles Wearne, they honeymooned at the Sheron Hotel in Singapore.

Returning to the farm in 1916, George built his bride a spacious Federation-style brick home with an iron roof and named it Sheron Farm. Perth architect Herbert Parry designed the homestead. In later years, it was also known as the Old Dempster Homestead.

Rona settled into farming and public life in the district, joining the C.W.A. in 1931 and was State President of that body in 1947, then National President in 1948-49. Rona died in 1963, and George in 1964.

Their sons, Kenneth G.R. and Donald Charles, inherited Sheron Farm where they worked in partnership with Hayvale at Wokalup where Donald lived.

In the 1980s, the property was sold to a different Dempster family. Dallas Dempster, an entrepreneur behind the Burswood Casino, established the property as stables for thoroughbred horses.