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

• Hewitts to sell NQ’s Springfield Station
• Currs offer renowned Coonamble district property
• Premier Kangaroo Island grazing country
• Large-scale Queensland portfolio offers diversity
• $33m for NQ calf factory with 6300+ cattle
• $9.5m+ for NQ’s Barragunda
• $8m for exclusion-fenced Dirranbandi property
• EOIs extended for northern NSW’s Pindaroi Station
• Dehnert family offers Balone River country after 136 years

Cattle on Springfield Station, Mt Surprise

Hewitts sell NQ’s Springfield Station

Belyando’s Hewitt family is offloading its most northerly holding, Springfield Station near Mount Surprise.

The 68,500ha North Queensland breeder enterprise, pictured above, is located 30km south-east of Mount Surprise and 250km south-west of Cairns.

It is being offered to the market without a price guide on a walk-in, walk-out basis, including full station plant and 7000 branded cattle.

Queensland Rural agent Peter McPherson believes Springfield will appeal to northern corporates or family operators looking for a spring breeder block with some grow-out capabilities.

“The property has enjoyed a good wet season and is now starting to hay off with the cattle in particularly good condition.”

Mr McPherson said the turnkey operation offered scope for further development.

“There is an application in place to amend the PMAV to allow original grassland areas of mainly black soil to be reinstated which will, if granted, afford a completely new dimension to the asset value of Springfield,” he said.

A large area of Springfield is basalt-based soils and blacksoil flats and softer frontage sections capable of running 7500 joined females and 2500 followers.

It boasts 20km of double frontage to the seasonal Lynd River. The above ground and below water, including the permanent spring fed Fossilbrook and Saltwater Springs, provide unlimited water supply for the entire property.

During their tenure, the Hewitts have significantly improved the water infrastructure installing five new bores and equipping the 12 existing ones with solar.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home, two three-bedroom cottages, a six-bedroom quarters, new steel cattle yards and more than 100km of new fencing.

Springfield is being sold by expressions of interest closing on September 20.

Currs offer renowned Coonamble district property

Julia Creek (North Qld) beef producers Philip and Tania Curr, Arizona, are selling their versatile, blue-ribbon north-western New South Wales grazing and farming country.

Purchased in February 2021, the renowned Coonamble district property Trewilga has been used by the Curr family for backgrounding in conjunction with their Queensland country.

Spanning 5671ha, the operation is underpinned by heavy black self-mulching soils which have an excellent moisture profile.

Recently, the 2024 crop was sown to 1380ha of wheat, 180ha of barley and 240ha of oats.

The balance is heavy carrying capacity grazing country equally suited to cattle or sheep.

Previously, Trewilga produced first cross ewes, however the current operation focus is on backgrounding and finishing around 4000 weaners on abundant natural pastures due to the current favourable conditions.

Trewilga is watered by the Nedgera Creek plus an artesian bore.

The infrastructure is described as first class and includes a five-bedroom home, two cottages, numerous sheds, steel cattle and sheep yards, a four-stand shearing shed and five silos with 416-tonnes of grain storage.

Elders agents Brian McAneney and Chris Malone are handling the expressions of interest process for Trewilga closing on August 27.

Premier Kangaroo Island grazing country

Around 65 years of Hams family ownership will end with the sale of a premier grazing holding on Kangaroo Island listed with a $9.5 million price guide.

The 1212ha Yattarna comprises two adjoining holdings near Newland, 22km south-west of Parndana and 54km south-west of Kingscote.

Historically, the property has produced sheep and wool and is currently running 4366 sheep, 36 cows and calves and one bull.

Elders agent Colin Hopkins said the productive and well managed property is a credit to the retiring vendor Robert Hams and his family.

“A key feature is the upgraded fencing matched by a well thought-out farm plan. Obvious care and consideration have been given to effective stock handling, animal and feed management practices.”

Situated in a 500mm to 550 mm annual rainfall region, Yattarna is watered by 43 dams.

Improvements include two homes, a four-stand shearing shed, steel sheep yards, cattle yards and numerous sheds.

Yattarna is being offered for sale by expressions of interest closing on August 28.

Large-scale Queensland portfolio offers diversity

Elders has officially launched the sales process for a productive vertically integrated Queensland beef enterprise offered by the Mt Gambier-based Scott family.

Acquired over several generations and strategically expanded over the last 20 years, the Ray Scott Pastoral Co portfolio features geographic and climate diversity, with access to live export, feedlots and beef processing.

The 107,503ha aggregation comprises six properties and spans some of the most productive areas of Queensland – from St George in the south to Charters Towers in the north.

Mark Barber and Tom Russo from Elders Rural Services have been appointed to market the assets via an expressions of interest campaign closing on August 9.

The agents are anticipating competition from all segments of the market for individual parcels, a combination of assets and for the portfolio as a whole.

The high quality, productive assets have been extensively pasture improved and offer beef breeding and finishing and extensive dryland farming.

The 28,555ha Fairfield Aggregation is considered the jewel in the crown and consists of 7536ha Fairfield North, 7859ha Fairfield Central and 13,160ha Fairfield South. Located in the renowned Bauhinia district, it offers some of the most fertile grazing country in Queensland.

The 10,526ha Ingaby, situated on the Balone River near St George, is a backgrounding property with centre pivot irrigation for fodder or finishing.

Mr Barber said the extensive arability of Ingaby and the Fairfield Aggregation provide enterprise diversity by way of large-scale dryland farming.

“Located in Central Queensland, the Fairfield Aggregation is ideally suited to producing large amounts of fodder and grain and/or growing out and finishing cattle from western and northern Queensland.”

The 59,517ha Carse O Gowrie Station on the banks of the Burdekin River near Ravenswood and the 8907ha Echo Hills Station near Surat are breeding properties offering development opportunities.

The 107,503ha Ray Scott Pastoral aggregation comprises six properties and spans some of the most productive areas of Queensland – from St George in the south to Charters Towers in the north.

$33m for NQ calf factory with 6300+ cattle

Footy Prior and Leanne Condon’s large-scale North Queensland calf factory has returned to the market with a $33 million price tag.

The 96,609ha Vanlee, 75km north-east of Georgetown and 100km west of Mt Surprise, is being sold on a walk-in walk-out basis including more than 6320 Brahman cattle (including 4000 breeders), as well as plant and equipment.

Slaney & Co agent Henry Slaney said the sale price equated to $3000 an adult equivalent on a bare basis plus plant and equipment.

Centrally located, Vanlee has good access to the Mareeba and Charters Towers saleyards, Townsville, Charters Towers and Cloncurry live export yards, Townsville and Tolga meatworks, as well as grass finishing on the Atherton Tablelands.

The reliable breeder operation has wide ranging country, soil and vegetation types, including fertile river and creek frontage country, red and basalt soils, sand ridges and decomposed granite surrounded by ranges.

Vanlee is currently running 7500 adult cattle and agisting a further 2000 head plus progeny.

The vendors estimate the property can comfortably run 8500 breeders plus replacements or 9000AE and suggest carrying capacity upside with further development.

The Einasleigh River tracks 35km through the property and double frontages to Elizabeth, Parallel, Martins, Dickson, Two Mile, Bullock and Cattle Creeks provide seasonal waters and quality grazing.

Vanlee is also watered by semi-permanent waterholes along the Red River, supported by 29 dams and 12 equipped bores.

Infrastructure includes a modern three-bedroom home, a four-bedroom home, a two-bedroom workers cottage, numerous sheds and three cattle yards.

Vanlee sits on the Einasleigh River

$9.5m+ for NQ’s Barragunda

Offers above $9.5 million will be considered for open downs breeding, backgrounding or finishing country in North Queensland.

The 9269ha Barragunda is located 67km south of Hughenden in a tick free area, with good access to live export cattle markets at Townsville and Cloncurry, and southern meatworks, feedlots and store cattle markets.

The property was auctioned in April by Peter and Marie Atkinson after 29 years of ownership but passed-in at $9.25m.

Brodie Agencies agent Tom Brodie visited Barragunda last week and said the property is carrying a good body of feed that has hayed off and is available for immediate access for some livestock.

A good body of Mitchell, Flinders and buffel grass, and other native grasses and sweet fattening summer herbages, are growing on the pebbly chocolate and red fertile soils.

In an average season, the vendor estimates Barragunda can comfortably carry 1100 cows and calves. It has been used for Wagyu production for the past decade or more.

Free of prickly acacia, Barragunda has a minor presence of Parkinsonia along the creek systems that is being controlled by the vendor. A previous, small outbreak of Coral cactus is being constantly monitored.

Situated in a 475mm rainfall region, Barragunda is watered by a sub-artesian bore and six equipped dams. After a good wet season, numerous short-term waterholes can be found along the Yantee and Gum Creeks.

Infrastructure includes a five-bedroom home, a one-bedroom cottage, steel cattle yards, steel sheep and goat yards, numerous sheds and 20km of exclusion fencing.

Barragunda is being sold bare of livestock, plant, equipment and materials.

Wagyu cattle on Barragunda, near Hughenden

$8m for fully exclusion fenced Dirranbandi property

Dirranbandi’s Cookson family has listed its fully exclusion fenced property in south-west Queensland for $8 million.

The 20,158ha Mulga Downs is situated halfway between Dirranbandi and Bollon and is being sold after the family purchased another property closer to their home block, Koomalah.

Equally suited to cattle, sheep or goat breeding, Mulga Downs is offered with a 12,000DSE or 1400AE carrying capacity.

Nutrien Harcourts GDL agent Nick Dunsdon and Dirranbandi Pastoral Agency agent Stephen Burnett have been appointed to handle the sale.

They said the forward-thinking vendors have set up an opportunity for the incoming purchaser to take advantage of multiple, diverse income streams.

“Mulga Downs a turnkey livestock enterprise offering scale, diversity, value, excellent water facilities and well thought out paddocks.”

The agents are anticipating good interest from locals and interstate families looking to expand or relocate.

The country comprises a mix of red loam soils with mulga, box, wilga and gidgee timbers, and grey alluvial flood plains from the Mungallala and Nebine Creeks.

Currently presenting with a good body of feed, Mulga Downs grows natural herbages and clovers in all seasons, as well as buffel and natural grasses in the summer.

It is watered by two new (natural flowing) artesian bores piped to 31 new tanks and 46 new troughs, supported by 400mm of average annual rainfall.

Infrastructure includes two homes, numerous sheds, two cattle yards, two sheep yards, a five-stand shearing shed and shearers’ quarters.

The former Cobb & Co changing station is home to a 100-year-old Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) registered weather station.

Mulga Downs comes with a registered carbon project and gypsum mine royalties plus an opportunity to purchase the mining lease.

Currently presenting with a good body of feed, Mulga Downs grows natural herbages and clovers in all seasons, as well as buffel and natural grasses in the summer.

EOIs extended for northern NSW’s Pindaroi Station

Expressions of interest have been extended for one of the Inverell district’s best mixed grazing and farming properties.

The historic 1938ha Pindaroi Station is located close to the township bearing the same name, halfway between Inverell and Ashford on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales.

It is only the second time in 55 years that Pindaroi Station has changed hands, with the current owners, Chris and Bec Tonkin, selling after 15 years of ownership.

When the property was listed earlier this year, RDR Real Estate agent Wally Duff was unable to offer a price guide, however good grazing country in the district is making around $7500/ha, while good farming country is selling for $12,500/ha.

According to the Inverell Pioneer Village, Pindaroi once formed part of a much larger holding spanning 16,000ha settled by George Polhill in 1846. It was then acquired by James Campbell, a son of Alexander Campbell of Inverell Station.

The gently undulating country is situated 570m to 800m above sea level in an 800mm summer dominant rainfall area.

The Tonkins estimate the property could carry 700 breeders together with the cash crop or 700 breeders and 3000 ewes or 1000 adult equivalents.

Around 752ha is arable and comprise 70 percent chocolate and red basalt and 30 percent soft trap soils growing a mix of winter and summer crops.

Pindaroi is watered by two bores, the permanent Pindaroi Creek and 24 dams.

Improvements include two homes, numerous sheds, two shearing sheds, sheep and cattle yards and eight silos with 936-tonnes of grain storage.

Dehnert family offers Balone River country after 136 years

Balone River breeding, finishing and fodder cropping country held by the Dehnert family since 1888 is receiving strong inquiry according to Nutrien Harcourts agent Darryl Langton.

The well-located 2917ha Broadmarsh is 26km north-east of Surat and 80km south-east of Roma in south-west Queensland.

Mr Langton said there are two avenues of inquiry.

“Producers looking for options to run backgrounders to push cattle into feedlots further east, and the other one is from producers further inside, towards the border regions, wanting to run some cows.”

Destocked for six months, Broadmarsh features mostly buffel country with dark, alluvial river flats and frontages growing natural grasses and herbages with a capacity to run 750 steers.

Boasting frontages to the Condamine and Balonne Rivers, the property is supported by Wallumbilla Creek waterholes and a flowing bore.

Broadmarsh has significant potential for further development potential and will be auctioned on August 22.

Bottle trees – always a sign of fertile country – on Broadmarsh, north of Roma