A man who admitted to killing three of his neighbours in central Victoria has been sentenced to life, with a minimum of 30 years in prison.

The court heard 65-year-old Ian Francis Jamieson repeatedly stabbed Greg Holmes, 38, with a hunting knife in October 22, 2014, after a dispute over a dirt road.

He then shot Mr Holmes’ mother Mary, 75, and her husband Peter Lockhart, 78, at their adjoining property in Wedderburn, north of Melbourne, on the same day.

Victorian Supreme Court justice Elizabeth Hollingworth said it was “highly likely” Jamieson would die in custody.

“You sought out each of your unarmed victims at night, on their own properties where they should have felt safe,” she said. “You callously shot your elderly victims from close range multiple times … without warning and without provocation.

“You have not shown the slightest remorse for your appalling crimes. Even now you continue to blame your victims for what happened.”

Jamieson had initially pleaded not guilty to the murders but changed his plea to guilty hours before his trial was due to start in April.

He later requested to change his plea back to not guilty, but the claim denied by Justice Hollingworth.

– with other agencies