As a fourth generation farmer, it’s a life my wife and I now have the pleasure of giving our two young children on our Merino property on the banks of the Lachlan River, Forbes.
My farming roots date back to 1886 when my great-grandfather, John Simpson, traded his day job as a Cobb and Co. coach driver for a life on the land. He bought our family farm, ‘Yarran Grove’ at Tottenham, packed up his house in town and transported all his worldly possessions via horseback to his new home.
That house still stands today, more than 130 years on. It’s home to my fondest childhood memories of helping my grandfather Frank and dad Keith run our 4000 acre cereal, sheep and cattle farm.
After school I studied agronomy at the University of New England. A role in sales for the local newspaper, the Forbes Advocate followed. It evolved into a career in rural property sales where I’ve found my niche. I’ve held a range of positions, from director of Ray White Rural Forbes, principal of LJ Hooker Forbes, |Canowindra| Condobolin|Parkes, head of LJ Hooker Rural franchises across Australia and branch manager of Elders Real Estate Forbes, to principal director of my own company, Ian Simpson and Co.
In the constantly evolving real estate market, I’m passionate about sourcing new ways to market rural properties to ensure every detail shines. I’m proud to have been recognised nationally, twice awarded the Ray White Rural Group Property Marketer of the Year for Australia, and the Premier Sales Achievement.
Armed with my camera and four-wheeler, no boundary fence, dam or improvement goes unnoticed and I take a meticulous approach to marketing rural properties, using a combination of online marketing and traditional print media. While properties are delivered straight to your inbox, they’ll also be at your fingertips in the tangible lifeline of the country – the newspaper. Whether it’s the Yass Tribune or the Forbes Advocate, or the wider audience of The Land and Queensland Country Life, I ensure a strong presence for the region and the properties we market.
Our region has so much to offer, from farming opportunities to lifestyle blessings, and I was proud to leverage that essence in my marketing of “Yarra”, Mount Hope ($5.2 million). The 130,000 acre property sold prior to auction, just five days before Christmas. I am also extremely honoured to have the sales of “Boxdale”, Condobolin ($4.8 million) and “Fedora”, Peak Hill ($4.8 million) which sold before auction and set a record sale amount for that region, to my name. And while I've been fortunate to have had many career highlights, I’m just as proud to have been involved in fundraising for local primary schools in Forbes. It gives me a real kick to know kids are enjoying getting out in the dirt thanks to the new vegetable gardens installed in a paddock to plate initiative.
Farming is deeply ingrained in my life and it’s an incredible privilege to greet every day with the knowledge I’ll be welcomed onto a new farm, meeting new farmers. I’m deeply attuned to the triumphs, challenges and ingrained legacies that accompany multi-generation family farms and it’s an honour to be able to help farmers transition into new lives and dreams.
While I’m dedicated to achieving top results for my clients, I’m also known for my down-to-earth, reliable approach. At my core, I’m a country boy. You won’t find any shiny city shoes here, just honest direction and a drive to help clients make the most out of their livelihood.
We’re a busy young family but when my wife Tammie, a local pharmacist, and I aren’t working there’s nothing we enjoy more than taking our two children for a ride around the scenic Lake Forbes. Of course, there’s always time for ice-cream for Ava, 11, and Harry, 5, and coffee for us from our favourite spot, SYLO Cafe.
