In May 1911 advertisements were released for land allotments in the newly surveyed Hundred of Marmon-Jabuk near Karoonda in the East Murray district. Joseph Sando and his son Arnold Ernest Sando lodged a joint application for one of the 61 allotments. Applications exceeded the number of lots available by six times. The Lands department formed a land board to evaluate the applications and interview the applicants to asses their competency and their suitability to life on the land. Applications closed on June the 20th and in late July the Sando's were advised their application was successful. 

The land was available as a perpetual lease or an agreement with covenant to purchase. The Sando's choose the latter option which required them to pay the £804 purchase price (with interest) in six month instalments over 30 years after which they would obtain freehold title. The land was section 33 consisting of 2,143 acres described as "Chiefly light sandy soil, parts over limestone and clay, fair arable land, part red sandy loam over clay, part loose sand, mallee and bushes". The land was valued at £804 or 7/6 per acre. Rent for perpetual lease was calculated at £20-2-0.

Most residents occupied their lots in the spring of 1911 although the Karoonda railway was not finished until June 1912. It is presumed the Sando's were among this first group and certainly the South Australian Register showed Karoonda as their address for 1915 and 1920. The 1910 and 1925 South Australian Register gave their address as in the city. Life on the land was extremely hard and nine sections (1,7,8,10,11,12,20,21 & 23) were abandoned by the end of the drought year 1914. Although 1915 was a good season for wheat farmers four more lots (5,19,22 and 7 for a second time) were abandoned by July 1918.

The Sando family must have sold the farm at Karoonda sometime between 1920 and 1925. Two sons Sydney and Leslie had died in WW1. Arnold had little interest in working the farm and chose to settle a fruit block in the Riverland. In 1920 Joseph was 62 and he chose to build a house in Brighton to live in his retirement. He built 2 houses and died in 1928 aged 70 years.

Joseph and Arnold purchased the Karoonda property in July 1911. Arnold probably only worked on the Karoonda property from spring of 1911 to 1913. 

In 1914 and 1915 Joseph must have shifted full time to Karoonda even though he retained the West Adelaide house. In 1914 Arnold had a city address at Henley Beach. Joseph was 56 when Arnold left the Karoonda property.

In 1916 Victor was living at Swift Avenue, Dulwich and was handling mail for his parents who lived at Karoonda.

In 1918 Joseph acquired the Brighton house but still describing himself as a farmer. He continues to list his Karoonda address until 1920. In 1927 he was 69 years old but still gives his occupation as a carpenter. He died the next year.