Police were visiting the Heffernan family property outside Singleton on another matter when they noticed the roller doors to a garage were up.

They weren't planning to talk to Steven Wayne Heffernan, but after finding him there with the cannabis in various states of production, they suddenly had plenty of questions.

Officers found cannabis drying on lines and packaged in bags and containers in the nearby homestead, Newcastle Local Court was told.

Mr Heffernan's solicitor, Michael Burke, told the court his client freely admitted the cannabis was his and had nothing to do with his parents.

Detectives from Tamworth had arrived in Singleton last Thursday as part of an unrelated investigation when they attended the property Losannie on Mirannie Road, Mirannie, about an hour north of town.

When they arrived and saw the cannabis they notified local police and obtained a warrant for the homestead to be properly searched.

The property is owned by Mr Heffernan's parents, but Mr Burke said his client was responsible for the crop.

Mr Heffernan, of Wolfe Street, Maitland, was charged with cultivating cannabis, supplying a commercial quantity of cannabis, possessing drugs and dealing with $1400 believed to have been obtained unlawfully.

He did not enter any pleas.

Mr Burke said Mr Heffernan had worked in the one job as a miner for 33 years and that the family was in the process of selling the property.

Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson granted bail despite Mr Heffernan's admissions about the cannabis.

She noted that he suffered from diabetes that required five injections a day and he was unlikely to flee.

The case was adjourned to June.

STEPHEN RYAN, Newcastle Herald