Last updated 15:19, May 6 2018
ANDY JACKSON/STUFF
Newland holds the shears he used to shear his first 100 sheep when he was 17.
Don Newland's Egmont Village farm implement shed was burned to the ground.
A farmer lost three decades of his career, including a priceless grandfather clock and a prized set of shearing shears, when his shed caught fire and burned to the ground.
Don Newland was woken by his property manager at 2.50am on Friday and told the building on his Egmont Village farm was ablaze.
"You always think the worst as I have a 92 year old father," Newland said.
Newland holds the shears he used to shear his first 100 sheep when he was 17.
"Thirty years I've been farming and it's the little things we had, like our family's grandfather clock, which was just on the verge of being restored, and all the tools and all your gear."
Among the numerous items Newland lost in the blaze were a motorbike, a freezer full of meat and a special set of shears he was given when he shore his first 100 sheep.
Don Newland in his implement shed on his Egmont Village farm which was burned to the ground. Its believed the fire was started by an electrical fault in the switch board.
"I shore my first 100 sheep when I was 17, so now my shearing career's over," he said.
Newland said passing traffic had alerted the fire brigade and the tenant, who lives at the property.
The farmer arrived to find five fire engines, a water tank, traffic controllers and around 20 fire staff tackling the blaze.
The remaining shell of a motorbike inside the shed which caught fire
"It was well alight, the roof had caved in and there was certainly no chance to save anything," he said.
"To come out and see fire engines all up the drive...You feel helpless and that you can't do anything."
Newland said a fire officer had carried out a complete investigation into the blaze and said it looked as though it started at a meter board which was inside the shed.
"The tenant thought she could smell something plasticy but after a period of time nothing eventuated," Newland said.
Despite the loss Newland said almost everything could be replaced and he was just glad nobody was hurt.
"I've always said it won't happen to me but it's certainly a reality when it does," he said.
"Much appreciation to the fire brigade who were all here, it's a tremendous effort especially as some are volunteers which is pretty special."