But giving up his Leneva farm to the Albury-Wodonga Corporation also brought unexpected opportunities that have changed the 81-year-old’s life.

Mr Draper’s property was among those acquired by the fledging corporation, created to build the Border into a major inland population centre.

“They put a circle around Albury-Wodonga, a 100-kilometre circle and that extended as far as Wangaratta and all that land was designated to be bought by the corporation,” he said.

“And then as time went on, they kept on reducing the area.”

The Drapers’ farm remained in the zone, however, and a sale could not be avoided.

“I really had to break a chain because my family had lived in Leneva from 1856,” Mr Draper said.

“My great-grandfather was on the first shire council in Wodonga and our family owned land all the way through.

“This was the end of the Drapers owning land in Leneva.

“We were sad but it was something I had to accept.”

Rather than a complete break, Mr Draper and his late wife Joan moved to Wodonga but chose to lease back their land.

Mr Draper still does so as the corporation’s longest-serving tenant, an arrangement that will end with the body’s closure.

The two parties have worked well together, with Mr Draper singling out corporation asset manager Graeme Hiskins and maintenance officer Peter Smith.

“If something broke down on the farm, they’d fix it straight away,” he said.

Although Albury- Wodonga never reached the population heights intended, Mr Draper felt the corporation did help stimulate growth.

Money from the sale enabled the Drapers to invest in property and, released from the demands of farm ownership, Mr Draper found time to pursue other interests.

Albury-Wodonga Corporation closed its doors to the public yesterday and will be wound up by December 31.