THIS week’s property review includes this wrap-up of interesting recent listings across the country, and a separate article of recently completed sales of note.

• NQ’s historic & scenic Valley of Lagoons
• CQ’s blue-ribbon Moorabinda hits the market
• RFM offloads New England Wagyu country
• New England aggregation offers scale and water
• Upper Hunter breeding & finishing country
• Jericho’s Speculation passes in at $5.25m
• High carrying capacity country lists for $17.8m

Homestead on Valley of Lagoons, overlooking the lake

NQ’s historic & scenic Valley of Lagoons

Stockplace Marketing is fielding widespread and diverse interest for what is believed to be North Queensland’s first settled cattle station, offering spectacular scenery.

Listed for the second time in 60 years by vendor Patrick Sheahan, the 86,415ha Valley of Lagoons Aggregation is located 45km north of Greenvale and 250km north of Charters Towers.

Regarded as premier breeding, backgrounding and finishing country, the property comprises three picturesque, adjoining cattle stations – Reedybrook, Hopewell and Valley of Lagoons.

The landscapes include basalt and granite country, rocky rangelands, fertile black soil floodplains, rich loamy creek/river flats, sheltered valleys, lava flows and softwood scrubs.

Located in a safe rainfall belt, the aggregation is almost entirely naturally watered by 49km of Burdekin River frontage, the Reedybrook Wetlands, the Lucy Creek waterways, 50 dams and a 144 ML irrigation licence.

Valley of Lagoons takes its name from the large freshwater lagoons and waterways that form the upper reaches of the great Burdekin River system.

Spectacular scenery only adds to the aggregation’s appeal, with numerous springs, waterfalls, picturesque escarpments and extensive lake systems.

Valley of Lagoons history

In 1845, during an expedition from Moreton Bay to Port Essington (now Darwin), explorer Ludwig Leichhardt wrote,

“… we discovered an extensive valley with large lagoons and lakes, and a most luxuriant vegetation, bounded by blue distant ranges, and forming the most picturesque landscape we had yet met with. A chain of lagoons connected by a reedy brook followed the outlines of the table land, along the foot of its steep slopes. … Water, grass, hills, mountains, plains, forest land; all the elements of a fine pasturing country, were here united.”

Based on Leichhardt’s favourable livestock rearing reports, a partnership between Walter Jervoise Scott, his brother Arthur, George Elphinstone Dalrymple and the then Queensland premier Robert Herbert (Scott Bros, Dalrymple & Co) established Valley of Lagoons in 1862.

Originally spanning around 260,000ha, the property was stocked with 25,000 sheep and cattle.

In the early 20th Century, Valley of Lagoons was used as a bullock depot for J.S. Love Estates and fattening steers from the Gulf breeding property Dunbar. It was later owned and operated for many years by Alan Atkinson, son of Droughtmaster breed founder Monty.

Today, the historic operation has a capacity to carry around 10,000 cattle and is being offered with 7000 head of quality Grey and Red Brahman cattle plus plant and equipment.

Stockplace Marketing agent Luke Westaway said the turnkey enterprise was capable of operating with minimal input.

“Valley of Lagoons is a low-cost, efficient, highly productive cattle enterprise offering the incoming purchaser an opportunity for extensive development to further enhance production,” he said.

“Tourism and conserving the property’s unique native wetland species and abundant birdlife could also be integrated into the cattle enterprise,” Mr Westway said.

Infrastructure includes a renovated eight-bedroom (circa 1900s) home, staff quarters, five cattle yards and numerous sheds.

Valley of Lagoons is for sale by offers to purchase closing on September 10.

CQ’s blue-ribbon Moorabinda hits the market

A flagship backgrounding, breeding and finishing property in Central Queensland’s blue-ribbon beef production region is being offered for sale for the first time in 109 years.

The 15,977ha Moorabinda is located 64km south-west of Taroom and 130km north-east of Roma, close to several major feedlots and saleyards.

LAWD agent Darren Collins has been appointed to sell the institutional grade asset but was unable to disclose the vendor or a price guide.

“Rarely does a property of this calibre and scale come to market. Moorabinda is one of the largest single private landholdings in the sought-after Taroom district, offering interested parties a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Mr Collins anticipates interest from locals, large scale producers looking to background and corporates.

Moorabinda has a proven carrying capacity of 6000 adult equivalents and is known for delivering exceptional weightgains.

The property benefits from ongoing land management and improved pastures, with more than 12,000ha of prime undulating brigalow, belah, bauhinia and vine scrub land types.

Situated in a 655mm average annual rainfall region, Moorabinda has more than 15km of dual frontage to Scotts Creek, numerous permanent and seasonal waterholes and springs, ten equipped bores (three are flowing) and 53 dams.

Infrastructure includes two renovated homes, two cattle yards, numerous sheds and equine facilities.

Moorabinda is being offered for sale by expressions of interest closing on August 29.

RFM offloads New England Wagyu country

Rural Funds Management is divesting its high-rainfall grazing enterprise in northern New South Wales’ New England region, with hopes of raising more than $20 million.

The 1728ha Dyamberin is located near Wongwibinda, 34km north-west of Ebor and roughly halfway between Armidale and Dorrigo.

In September 2018, RFM paid $13.4 million for the property (owned by the Rogers family) and subsequently leased it to the Stone Axe Pastoral Co which owns Ebor district properties Alfreda and Glen Alvie used for Wagyu.

Interestingly, Dyamberin neighbours the 1423ha cattle backgrounding operation Forest Lodge offered for sale in June by Richard Ogilvie and family and marketed by MacDougall Rural Property.

Combined, the properties would offer an incoming purchaser more than 3000ha.

LAWD agent George Barton said Dyamberin offered an estimated peak carrying capacity of 25,000 dry sheep equivalents in November, averaging a monthly DSE of 20,000.

“Currently, it is running 800 Wagyu breeders and retaining all weaners, growing them out to feedlot entry weights.”

“Interest is anticipated from institutional buyers and large family operators seeking prime grazing country in a high rainfall region,” Mr Barton said.

Dyamberin benefits from 559ha of improved pastures, 805ha of open native grasses and 364ha of ruminant vegetation, laneways and compounds.

The gently sloping, high altitude undulating grazing to steep timbered land has mostly basalt and brown soils growing improved pastures, fodder and hay.

It is watered by a solar equipped bore, 50 dams and seasonal creeks supported by 909mm of annual average rainfall.

Infrastructure includes a recently renovated three-bedroom home, two cattle yards, machinery sheds and 14km of recently completed internal and boundary fencing.

Dyamberin is being sold as a vacant possession. Expressions of interest close on August 29.

New England aggregation offers scale and water

A carbon credit venture is being offered on a quality cattle and cropping enterprise that has been listed for sale in northern New South Wales’ New England region.

Located 13km from Deepwater and 52km from Glen Innes, the 3537ha Echo Aggregation consists of seven contiguous properties – 366ha Echo, 452ha Cloudy Hills, 664ha Carrot Farm, 518ha Bushgrove, 518ha Rockabbey, 518ha Sugarloaf and 500ha Bingeye.

Anticipated to achieve between $20 million and $22 million, the holding has been extensively developed by owners Herde Land Pty Ltd and Raguz Land Pty Ltd.

LAWD agent Darren Collins said over recent years, the vendors have converted native pastures to cultivation and invested in water infrastructure and fencing.

“The highly productive enterprise is used to breed and finish around 2626 adult equivalents on improved and timbered grazing land.”

“In addition, around 16ha has been developed to centre pivot irrigation and 877ha to dryland cropping growing oats, barley and corn,” he said.

Mr Collins said there was potential for carbon offsets and biodiversity stewardship payments.

“Armidale-based carbon advisor, Precision Pastures, has identified the aggregation’s primarily loamy traprock soils as being ideal for carbon sequestration.”

“Preliminary due diligence has also been conducted to analyse options for carbon offsets for tree sequestration and biodiversity stewardship payments across further areas of the landholding,” Mr Collins said.

Water is sourced from 13km of dual frontage to the Deepwater River, the Bow Creek, watercourses, several gullies and 34 catchment dams. Added security is offered via a 104ML water licence from the Mole River.

Improvements include five homes, five cattle and sheep yards, three shearing sheds, numerous sheds and 108-tonnes of grain storage.

The Echo Aggregation is being offered for sale via expressions of interest closing on August 22.

Anticipated to achieve between $20 million and $22 million, the Echo Hills holding has been extensively developed by owners Herde Land Pty Ltd and Raguz Land Pty Ltd.

Upper Hunter breeding & finishing country

After three years ownership, the Caskey family from Barraba has listed its breeding and finishing livestock operation in New South Wales’ Upper Hunter.

The 2122ha Fernleigh, which neighbours the Packer family’s Ellerston Station, is located 45 minutes from Murrurundi and 85km north-east of Scone.

Listed with a price guide of $12.3 to $13.9 million, McGrath Upper Hunter agent Michael Burke said the expectations are in line with the most recent comparable sales within the district over the past six months.

The undulating to hilly pasture improved grazing country has chocolate basalt with some red loams that offer a high carrying capacity with significant scope for further development.

Boasting two creek frontages, Fernleigh is watered by two bores and 46 dams supported by 822mm of annual average rainfall.

Mr Burke believes Fernleigh is suited to either primary producers, metropolitan or commercial investors.

Infrastructure includes three residences, a four-stand shearing shed, steel sheep and cattle yards and two sheds.

Fernleigh is being offered for sale by expressions of interest closing on August 29.

Jericho’s Speculation passes in at $5.25m

Bruce and Annette Currie’s safe breeding property in Queensland’s central west has failed to sell at auction passing-in at $5.25 million, with Ray White Rural agent Andrew Turner now negotiating with interested parties.

The 24,923ha Speculation Station is located 75km north of Jericho and 128km north-west of Alpha.

The renowned calf factory country grows native grasses, such as desert Mitchell, black spear and buffel, that can support 800 cows and calves to weaning plus replacement heifers.

The country comprises mostly lightly timbered broadleaf ironbark, yellow jack, soap bush, quinine and kurrajong, with some scattered brigalow and dead finish.

Situated in a 575mm average annual rainfall region, Speculation is watered by eight dams and two equipped sub-artesian bores reticulated to 25 troughs and 16 tanks.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home, two sheds and steel cattle yards.

High carrying capacity country lists for $17.8m

Tony Dingle’s south-east Queensland grazing property described as a ‘jewel in the crown’ has been listed for $17.8 million after passing in at auction.

The 1121ha Brooyar Station is situated near Woolooga, 40km north-west of Gympie. Noosa and the Sunshine Coast are just an hour and a half drive.

During the marketing campaign, Bambling Property agent John Bambling said the property offered high carrying capacity country.

“The fully improved, undulating rolling pastures are running more than 800 breeders. This type of property is difficult to find locally and should attract cattle producers, as well as investors and lifestylers.”

Mr Bambling said it also offered a land banking opportunity.

“Brooyar is divided into 11 freehold titles giving someone the potential to profit from selling them off as individual farms.”

Situated in a high rainfall area, Brooyar has double frontage to the permanent Wide Bay Creek and 15 dams.

Infrastructure includes a grand, four-bedroom, 100-year-old homestead, a two-bedroom manager’s home, two sheds and two cattle yards.

Brooyar is currently participating in the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme and has an additional income stream with newly established Brooyar Eco Lodge and Caravan Park.

The 1121ha Brooyar Station northwest of Gympie boasts fully improved undulating rolling pastures, double frontage to the Wide Bay Creek and a grand 100-year-old homestead with four bedrooms.