THIS week’s property review includes this wrap-up of interesting recent listings in Queensland, a separate article on recent listings in NSW, the NT and South Australia and another on recently completed sales.

• Atkinsons auction NQ’s Inkerman Station
• Grimwade & Gordon offer SW Qld grazing country
• NQ’s Valley of Lagoons heads to auction
• Grass drives inquiry for western Qld’s Lorne Station
• Versatile, high rainfall block in FNQ
• Clermont’s Etonvale Bagpipe Aggregation lists for $16.5m

Brangus x Wagyu cattle on Inkerman Station, south of Home Hill

Atkinsons auction NQ’s Inkerman Station

North Queensland cattle producers Tim and Megan Atkinson of Lucky Downs, Greenvale are consolidating their assets and selling North Queensland’s Inkerman Station after five years of ownership.

The 16,622ha property is 15km south of Home Hill and 110km southeast of Townsville, in the heart of the Burdekin Basin food bowl, a region known for its reliable annual rainfall and long growing season.

The couple bought Inkerman in August 2021 for $32.8 million and are now offering the large-scale coastal freehold property for sale.

Nutrien Harcourts agent David Woodhouse said it would suit a range of operations, including farming, breeding, backgrounding and finishing.

“Under the current ownership, Inkerman has operated as a breeding and backgrounding enterprise, running between 3500 and 4000 head, including 2000 to 2500 breeders plus followers, while backgrounding cattle through to heavy feeder weights for the Wagyu market,” he said.

Long term, the Atkinsons estimate Inkerman can carry 3500 adult equivalents, with scope to lift that capacity through further land development for pasture or crops.

Mr Woodhouse said the vendors had significantly developed the farming side of the operation during their tenure.

“The property has a large area of locked-in PMAV, around 5900ha, most of which has been previously treated. Continued targeted development of these areas has been a key focus, including pulling, raking, cutter-barring and planting sorghum for grazing.”

“Around 600ha of the darker alluvial soils are planted to sorghum, and the vendors are currently pulling another 500ha for end-of-year plantings,” he said.

Mr Woodhouse said Inkerman is now EU-accredited, and the Atkinsons have installed new bores, added a significant amount of fencing and introduced a Brangus-based herd alongside Wagyu genetics.

Set in a 900mm rainfall region, Inkerman has enjoyed a good wet season. It is watered by 15 bores, four of which are not currently in use, along with 11 dams and a network of permanent and seasonal lagoons, springs and waterholes.

Infrastructure includes two homes, a self-contained cottage, numerous sheds and two sets of cattle yards.

Inkerman will be auctioned on July 9 on a walk-in, walk-out going-concern basis, including an extensive plant inventory and 2000 EU-accredited breeders, mainly Brangus bloodlines, with No. 6 followers and 55 Wagyu bulls.

Grimwade & Gordon offer SW Qld grazing country

New South Wales and South Australian sheep producers seeking expansion opportunities are showing the strongest interest in a large-scale grazing enterprise in south-west Queensland.

The 40,917ha Warrambah is 110km south-east of Cunnamulla, in the highly regarded ‘Salad Bowl’ region.

Offered with an estimated carrying capacity of 30,000 DSE, the Mitchell, Flinders, buffel and bluegrass country is suited to breeding, backgrounding or finishing across cattle, sheep or mixed enterprises.

Currently, Warrambah runs meat sheep with agistment cattle.

Warrambah is part of the Grimwade & Gordon portfolio and is being offered after 20 years of ownership, following the death of George Grimwade late last year.

Vendor Mike Gordon, who is based at Terrica Station, said he and George were long-term business partners and the decision has been taken to reduce the operating footprint of the enterprise and simplify things going forward.

“As a high-carrying capacity property located in the area’s wettest section, Warrambah stands out as a strong performer and a logical asset to include in the broader market transition,” he said.

Elders Farmland and Agribusiness Investment specialist Phillip Kelly said opportunities like Warrambah were tightly held and offered genuine scale and flexibility.

“It is a holding that can comfortably support either cattle or sheep production, underpinned by excellent water infrastructure and country well regarded for its balance and reliability.”

Warrambah has mostly open and wooded Mitchell grass plains, with alluvial floodplains and gently elevated sandy rises offering both productivity and shelter.

The property is exclusion fenced (less than seven years old) and has a set of sheep yards.

Two flowing artesian bores supply a reticulated network of tanks and troughs, complemented by the Warrambah Creek, natural lakes and dams.

Warrambah is being offered for sale on a bare basis by expressions of interest closing on June 19.

The 40,917ha Warrambah is 110km south-east of Cunnamulla, in the highly regarded ‘Salad Bowl’ region.

NQ’s Valley of Lagoons heads to auction

North Queensland’s historic Valley of Lagoons Station, offered with more than 4000 breeders, is attracting good inquiry particularly from southern Queensland and northern producers seeking a lifestyle change.

Located north of Greenvale, the 39,229ha property (plus a 12,600ha occupational lease) formed part of a larger 86,000ha aggregation subdivided and partially sold by Patrick and Delinda Sheahan, with the signature Valley of Lagoons portion now heading to auction on May 28.

Adjacent properties, Reedybrook and Hopewell Stations, were sold in July last year for around $20 million.

Believed to be North Queensland’s first settled cattle station, established in 1862, Valley of Lagoons is running a Brahman breeding, backgrounding and finishing operation.

Taking its name from the expansive freshwater lagoons and waterways forming the upper reaches of the Burdekin River, the station benefits from significant Burdekin River and Lucy Creek frontage.

Situated in a 750mm rainfall belt, Valley of Lagoons is also watered by lakes, creeks, lagoons, swamps, springs, waterholes, as well as dams and an equipped bore.

The property has the capacity to run 4000 breeders or 6000 adult equivalents and is being offered with 4000 breeders and followers, and 50 bulls.

Ray White Rural agent Liam Kirkwood said the highly efficient, low-input, high-capacity grazing operation provides both immediate operational capability and significant potential for future development.

It offers spectacular scenery encompassing waterfalls, picturesque escarpments and an extensive network of lagoons, swamps, lakes, springs and waterholes.

The landscape ranges from protected valleys, extensive fertile black soil floodplains, rich, loamy creek frontages, heavily grassed river flats and grassy swamps.

Beyond these lie deep red soil tablelands that rise into gravelly ridges lightly timbered with ironbark and box.

Infrastructure is described as exceptional and includes an eight-bedroom home with views over a permanent lake fed by the Burdekin River, a three-bedroom home, staff quarters and accommodation, numerous sheds and two cattle yards.

Grass drives inquiry for western Qld’s Lorne Station

Anita Dennis and Joe Taylor will auction their exclusion fenced, well grassed grazing country in western Queensland after five years of ownership.

Located 40km south of Aramac and 103km north of Barcaldine, the 8310ha Lorne Station is suited to breeding and backgrounding cattle and sheep, as well as rangeland goats.

Kennedy Livestock & Property agent Jake Kennedy reports strong interest from across Queensland, with grass driving some of the inquiry and expansion driving the remainder.

The country is mostly pulled gidgee and open buffel and Mitchell downs, with some native grasses and herbages.

Lorne Station is watered by two dams and a shared bore, in a 490mm average annual rainfall region.

Described as exceptional, the infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, staff quarters, numerous sheds, a three-stand shearing shed, steel cattle yards, a four-pen sheep or goat feedlot and four silos with a combined 70-tonne storage capacity.

Lorne Station is being offered for sale on a bare basis on June 24.

Versatile, high rainfall block in FNQ

Five neighbouring landholders have joined forces to offer a substantial high-rainfall holding in far north Queensland.

The 826ha Lower Daintree Farm Aggregation adjoins the Daintree Ferry Terminal, 20km north of Mossman and 80km north of Cairns.

Until recently, most of the properties operated as cane farms, while one larger parcel functioned as a standalone cattle grazing enterprise.

Across the aggregation, there are 377ha of grazing country and 448ha of fallow cane land, with scope to convert the holding entirely to grazing or cropping.

Slaney & Co agent Henry Slaney said in a district known for smaller farms, the Lower Daintree Aggregation represents a rare chance to secure a commercially viable landholding.

“The property offers a wide range of options, including cattle, cropping, agroforestry, tourism ventures and conservation.”

“However, the most obvious and straightforward use would be conversion to grazing, describing it as high carrying capacity, low-cost finishing country capable of producing 20cm to 40cm of grass growth within weeks,” he said.

Mr Slaney said the recent closure of the Mossman Sugar Mill could pave the way for the Daintree district to return to low-cost grass finishing cattle production for live export and traditional slaughter markets.

The property is rated to carry 1-2 adult equivalents per hectare, depending on animal size, turnoff weights and seasonal conditions.

Mr Slaney said strong inquiry was coming from investors and producers based as far away as New Zealand, New South Wales and the Northern Territory.

Water security is supported by an annual average rainfall of 2400mm, as well as three bores.

Infrastructure includes two homes, sheds, cattle yards and excellent fencing.

Expressions of interest for the Lower Daintree Farm Aggregation close on June 25, with the property available for sale either as a whole or in individual parcels.

Clermont’s Etonvale Bagpipe Aggregation lists for $16.5m

Jeff and Sarah Cook are asking $16.5 million for versatile breeding, backgrounding and finishing country in Central Queensland’s Highlands.

The 4456ha Etonvale Bagpipe Aggregation is located 25km south of Clermont and 120km from Emerald.

The property failed to sell via online auction, with the 502ha Bagpipe, a nearby block, selling post-auction to a local family for an undisclosed sum.

The aggregation consists of five adjoining holdings:

• 749ha Beulah – 200AE or 150 breeders, a bore and a well
• 763ha Etonvale Homestead – 220AE or 170 breeders, a well, a bore and two dams, a four-bedroom home, cattle yards and numerous sheds
• 987ha Orange Tree – 240AE or 180 breeders, a well, a bore and two dams
• 799ha Tralee – 220AE or 170 breeders, a bore and two dams; and
• 1057ha Sandies – 340AE or 260 breeders, two bores, two dams and a seasonal waterhole.

Situated in a 601mm average rainfall region, RBV agent Matt Beard said following a remarkable summer, the property is carrying significant feed, allowing the new owners to capitalise on immediate production potential.

“Meticulous planning ensures each block operates independently without the need for shared infrastructure, water or access.”

The country is mostly ironbark, bloodwood and box with black tea tree gullies on some of the blocks, and areas of brigalow, blackbutt and belah.

The aggregation is growing abundant stands of buffel, forest Mitchell, seca, wincassia, kangaroo paw, spear and other native pastures capable of running 1220 Adult Equivalents or 930 breeders.