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.
- Fortescue offloads three WA cattle stations
- $12m for NSW western lands lease
- CQ sale to end 141 years of Mills ownership
- Penfold family lists CW Qld grazing country
- CQ’s Nine Mile West heads to auction
- Krieg family auctions Blackall’s Benalla
- Listing for Tara Moira aggregation
Fortescue offloads three WA cattle stations
Fortescue, owned by Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, is selling three cattle stations in Western Australia’s Gascoyne and Pilbara regions after just three years of ownership.
Emu Creek in the Pilbara region and the adjoining Ella Valla and Yalbalgo Stations in the Gascoyne are breeding and backgrounding assets purchased in 2022 for renewable energy projects, as part of Fortescue plans to decarbonise it operations.
In November last year, Fortescue walked away from Australia’s largest sheep station which Mr Forrest had been assessing for green energy and carbon reduction projects.
The 10,117sq km Rawlinna Station is located 400km east of Kalgoorlie in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia.
It is understood the Western Australian government’s failure to grant ministerial approval was the reason behind Fortescue’s withdrawal.
LAWD agent Simon Wilkinson has been appointed to handle the expressions of interest process for Emu Creek, Ella Valla and Yalbalgo Stations, closing on July 31.
While Mr Wilkinson was unable to confirm the vendor or the price guide, he did say inquiry had been overwhelming and coming from across Australia, particularly entry level producers seeking a foothold in the pastoral industry.
Emu Creek Station
Emu Creek Station was established in 1891 by Alexander Cameron and James Clark and named Wogoola Station – derived from the indigenous term for a nearby permanent waterhole.
During its peak in the 1950s, the property’s historic 12-stand shearing shed shore more than 20,000 sheep annually.
A change of ownership in 1962 saw the station rebranded as Nyang.
In the early 2000s, the property transitioned from sheep to cattle to counter land degradation and in 2006, adopted its current name, Emu Creek.
The 125,359ha holding (including 371ha of freehold land) has frontage to the North West Coastal Highway and is located 125km east of Coral Bay and 150km south-east of Exmouth.
With an assessed carrying capacity of 1590AE, the property has been destocked since 2022.
Featuring red deep sandy duplex and red deep sands with spinifex grasslands, there are small areas of mulga shrublands and buffel grass along the alluvial plains associated with the Yannarie River.
Water is supplied by 21 bores and 23km of double frontage to the Yannarie River, with permanent and semi-permanent waterholes, supported by 300mm of average annual rainfall.
Infrastructure includes a six-bedroom home, numerous sheds and new cattle yards.
Water on Emu Creek is supplied by 21 bores and 23km of double frontage to the Yannarie River, with permanent and semi-permanent waterholes
Ella Valla and Yalbalgo Stations
The 162,616ha Ella Valla and Yalbalgo Stations are located near Inggarda in the Gascoyne region and are offered with a combined carrying capacity of 2006 Adult Equivalents.
Situated in a 209mm average annual rainfall region, the assets have red deep sandy and red sandy duplex soils supporting spinifex grasslands and scattered shrubs.
Spanning 76,167ha, Ella Valla Station is situated 75km south-east of Carnarvon and 85km west of the Gascoyne Junction and can run 875AE.
Water is supplied by 17 bores (four are equipped).
Infrastructure includes a five-bedroom home, a three-bedroom cottage, a two-bedroom sleeping quarters, a shearing shed, numerous sheds, new cattle yards and 19km of new southern boundary fencing.
The 86,449ha Yalbalgo Station holding is located 55km west of Gascoyne Junction and 110km south-east of Carnarvon.
With an assessed carrying capacity of 1131AE, the property is currently destocked under a management plan focusing on water and infrastructure improvements.
Watered by 22 bores (seven equipped), the infrastructure includes a five-bedroom home, numerous sheds, cattle yards, a meat house and a cool room shelter.
Recently, 67km of new fencing has been erected and 34km have been upgraded.
$12m for NSW western lands lease
Two families are hoping to raise $12 million ($494/ha) from the sale of their western lands lease opportunity in the Central Darling Shire of New South Wales.
The 24,423ha Waiko is situated east of Ivanhoe and comprises adjoining properties, the 16,188ha Waiko and 8235ha Woolahra.
It is being sold by Mark and Lee Newnham from Hay, and Rob, Nancy, Andrew and Lisa Hiscock from Kilmore in Victoria.
Three years ago, the families started downsizing by offloading a large-scale grazing operation in New South Wales’ Riverina. Aggregated over 20 years, the 43,334ha Glen Emu Station was sold for $16.1m or $372/ha (a record at the time) to neighbours Bill and Pip Ryan.
Vendor Mark Newnham reports good early inquiry from locals looking to expand and a number of Victorian producers.
The country on Waiko features open plains lightly timbered with wilga, belah and leopard wood. The red to grey soils are growing saltbush, bluebush, cottonbush, trefoil and crowsfoot after a great start to the season.
It is currently running 5210 ewes, 2956 followers and 142 cattle.
Waiko is being sold with a 193ha cultivation agreement and is watered by four equipped bores and supported by 307mm of average annual rainfall.
Infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home (in need of renovation), shearers quarters, a seven-stand shearing shed, steel sheep and cattle yards, two outstation yards and a shed.
Elders agents Jason Telford and Matt Horne have been appointed to auction Waiko on August 22.
CQ sale to end 141 years of Mills ownership
The sale of a Central Queensland breeding and finishing enterprise with backgrounding potential will end 141 years of ownership by the Mills family.
The 2959ha Melrose near Morinish, 61km north-west of Rockhampton, is the last remaining parcel of land carved off a much larger holding spanning 4250ha. The sale has been prompted by the retirement of fifth generation vendors Jeff and Karen Mills.
Melrose was settled by the Mackenzie/Mills family in 1884 and has been operating as a beef enterprise. Previously, home to a cattle stud, more recently it has focused on breeding high-grade commercial cross-bred weaners.
Elders agent Leah Freney said the property boasts an exceptional body of feed capable of running up to 800 adult equivalents.
“Located in a tightly held area where virtually nothing has sold in the last 100 years, Melrose is attracting interest from locals and existing landholders seeking expansion.”
Ms Freney said the property had been meticulously maintained over the last 30 years.
“There has been significant investment in pasture development, with around 257ha improved to pondage and a further 300ha planted to leucaena for finishing,” she said.
Land types consist of box flats, silver leaved ironbark, brigalow, coolibah floodplains and softwood scrub.
Melrose has around 2km of Fitzroy River frontage, a bore, 21 dams and some seasonal lagoons.
Infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, two cottages, a workers’ quarters, numerous sheds and cattle yards.
Melrose will be auctioned on August 28.
Penfold family lists CW Qld grazing country
The Penfold family is selling its central western Queensland breeding and backgrounding cattle property, equally suited to sheep or goats, to consolidate its assets.
The 28,836ha Bellevue is situated near Yaraka, 97km from Isisford and 159km south-west of Blackall.
The property is around nine hours from the Penfold’s other properties – Old Bombine and Mamaree near Meandarra and Woodlawn near Talwood – where they breed, raise and trade cattle.
Nutrien Harcourts GDL agent Andrew MacCallum said Bellevue was regarded as one of the best properties in the district.
“Renowned for its good balance of country, Bellevue is a low-cost, low-stress operation featuring sweet pebbly country with chocolate soils. Benefitting from a good season, it is growing a smorgasbord of browse capable of running up to 1200 cows and calves or up to 1500 backgrounders.
Grasses include Mitchell, buffel, button, gidgee burr, pigweed and lambs tongue, as well as seasonal herbages and salines.
The property is watered by 21 dams, a bore, creeks and channels in seasons.
Infrastructure includes an eight-bedroom quarters, a shearing shed, numerous sheds and three cattle yards. More than 6000ha are behind an exclusion fence, with a percentage of fencing renewed over the last seven years.
Bellevue will be auctioned on August 22.
The 28,836ha Bellevue is situated near Yaraka, 97km from Isisford and 159km south-west of Blackall.
CQ’s Nine Mile West heads to auction
Meantime, Dean Armstrong is selling a well grassed backgrounding or finishing opportunity in Queensland’s Central Highlands.
Owned for 20 years, the 993ha Nine Mile West is situated 23km south-west of Comet and 61km east of Emerald.
Nutrien Harcourts GDL agent Tim Maguire reports good inquiry from locals, near neighbours and neighbours seeking to expand their existing holdings.
The country ranges from brigalow, yellowwood softwood scrubs to brigalow, blackbutt and box growing abundant feed including buffel, Rhodes, urochloa and seca stylo.
Water is provided by five dams and a bore.
Nine Mile West will be auctioned on August 22.
The 993ha Nine Mile West is situated 23km south-west of Comet and 61km east of Emerald.
Krieg family auctions Blackall’s Benalla
After 30 years of ownership, the Krieg family is selling its central western Queensland grazing property suited to cattle, sheep and goats.
The 7158ha Benalla Station is located 85km west of Blackall. Offered with a 640 adult equivalent carrying capacity, all but two paddocks are exclusion fenced.
In the past, the property has run around 4200 sheep (in a normal season) comprising 1800 ewes and their progeny and 1200 wethers.
The country is described as an exceptional mix of semi open downs Mitchell grass country with areas of pulled gidgee and creek channels growing established buffel grass and an abundance of seasonal herbages.
Benalla is watered by a sub-bore and nine dams (four are equipped).
Infrastructure includes a partially renovated four-bedroom home, numerous sheds, new cattle yards, a six-stand shearing shed and two sheep yards.
Benalla will be auctioned by Ray White Rural agent Andrew Turner on August 8.
Listing for Tara Moira aggregation
The largest contingent mixed farming operation in the Trundle district has been listed for sale after failing to sell via expressions of interest.
Assembled over 70 years by the Watt family, the 4327ha Tara Moira Aggregation is being sold with 3331ha of crops.
Traditionally, the operation runs 5000 Merino and first-cross ewes, with a modern 4000 head lamb feedlot turning off up to 19,500 lambs a year.
The open, level Kurrajong country features red loams soils which, over the years, have benefited from the application lime and of manure from the feedlot, in addition to a comprehensive fertiliser program.
More than 95 percent is arable and produces winter cereals, oilseeds and pulses which are used in the feedlot.
The Tara Moira Aggregation is watered by three dams and a bore.
Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home, three other residences, a four-stand shearing shed, four sheep yards, 1900-tonnes of grain storage and numerous sheds.