THIS week’s property review includes this wrap-up of recently completed sales and properties that have passed-in, and separate articles on interesting recent property listings.

• Borg secures NSW property for $11m
• SE Qld grazing country makes $17.5m
• NSW Western Division holding fails to sell at auction
• Negotiations underway for Qld’s Turn Turn & Wittenburra

The 2538ha grazing and dryland cropping property Ashford Heath is 13km from Trundle and 49km from Parkes.

Borg secures NSW property for $11m

Australian resource recovery and organic waste recycling company Bettergrow (part of the Borg Group) is believed to have paid $11 million ($4334/ha) for Ashford Heath in New South Wales’ Central West.

The 2538ha grazing and dryland cropping opportunity is 12km from Bogan Gate, 13km from Trundle and 49km from Parkes.

The sale ends 70 years of ownership by members of the Jones family.

Around 1980ha (80pc) of the fertile limestone to red and brown soils are arable, with the owners typically sowing around 800ha to dual purpose and fodder crops, including canola, wheat, barley and oats.

Alongside the cropping operation, the Jones family had been operating a 9000DSE prime lamb breeding and finishing program on open Kurrajong country growing native pastures.

Securely watered by 44 dams and three bores (two are equipped) supported by 533mm of average annual rainfall.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home, a cottage, a four-stand shearing shed, an original two-stand shearing shed, steel sheep yards, numerous sheds and eight silos with 380-tonnes of grain capacity. In addition, the property has a 6ha quarry with the Parkes Shire Council extracting 30,000-50,000 tonnes per year. Income is generated at $1 per tonne extracted.

Elders agents Brian McAneney and Chris Malone handled the sale of Ashford Heath but were unable to disclose the buyer or the price paid.

Warragundi Aggregation

Five years ago, Bettergrow (founded by brothers John and Michael Borg) paid $30 million on a walk-in walk-out basis for the 5800ha Warragundi Aggregation near Mudgee on the Central Tablelands.

Situated on the banks of the Cudgegong River, it consisted of three main hubs across nine holdings.

Since then, additional blocks have been added to make the Warragundi Aggregation one of the largest agribusiness enterprises in the region. Today, it spans 8547ha across 12 neighbouring farms producing pasture, fodder and beef.

SE Qld grazing country makes $17.5m

A well-grassed breeding and backgrounding operation in south-east Queensland has been purchased for expansion by Allan Bruggemann for $17.5 million.

Located 22km north-west of Durong, the sale of the 5554ha Gedley et. al. ends 20 years of ownership by the Gordon family.

The holding includes 4667ha of forest grazing country with box and scrub, blue gum hollows, ironbark and spotted gum, along with 877ha of brigalow scrub country.

Under the Gordons’ management, the vertically integrated business was running around 800 breeding cows and 600 progeny, with cattle typically backgrounded to around 450kg liveweight prior to sale.

In recent years, Gedley et. al. has benefited from significant development works, including extensive fencing that has improved grazing access and boosted operational efficiency.

The property also offers a harvestable timber opportunity, supported by an on-site sawmilling shed.

Water is supplied via a bore, 38 dams, and a network of creeks and tributaries.

Infrastructure includes two four-bedroom homes, workers’ accommodation, two sets of cattle yards and numerous sheds.

First National agents Rob Fraser and Juliann Frame handled the sale.

Passed-in: NSW Western Division holding fails to sell at auction

Elders agents are negotiating with interested parties after the extensively developed Western Division grazing property Aitken was passed in at auction for $4.5 million.

Offered by the Robson family after eight years of ownership, the 5206ha property is held under a Western Lands perpetual lease near Cumborah, 43km from Lightning Ridge and 90km from Walgett.

A mix of herbages, red and yellow copper burr, Mitchell grass and succulents provide a productive grazing base for sheep and cattle. Aitken is currently running about 3750 Dohne ewes.

The vendors have invested significantly in fencing, water and livestock-handling infrastructure during their ownership, including more than 100km of new fencing.

Further development potential includes cropping more than 400ha to lift production.

A comprehensive water system spans the property, incorporating storage tanks and 40 new livestock troughs.

Water security is further supported by a dam and a connection to the Bangate Bore No. 2 cap-and-pipe scheme.

Other improvements include a three-bedroom cottage, shearers’ quarters, steel cattle yards, a five-stand shearing shed, portable sheep yards, eight containment-feeding pens with troughs, sheds and 250 tonnes of grain storage.

Elders agent Baden Chaffey is managing the sale.

Negotiations underway for Qld’s Turn Turn & Wittenburra

Meantime, negotiations are underway for Queensland’s Turn Turn and Wittenburra Aggregation after the properties passed in at auction last week.

The well regarded Paroo watershed country, known as the ‘pride of the Paroo’, was offered for sale by Murray and Anne Todd, Cambooya, and their son Sam.

The 56,587ha aggregation is located 45km south of Eulo and 110km south-west of Cunnamulla in southern Queensland, placing it between northern and southern livestock markets.

It comprises two adjoining holdings – the 16,289ha Turn Turn and the 40,297ha Wittenburra – with an additional 3726ha of stock route crown land.

During their nine years of ownership, the Todds undertook a major fencing and water infrastructure program lifting the property’s production capacity and making it easier to manage.

Nutrien Harcourts GDL agent Nick Dunsdon said the exclusion-fenced area will soon expand from 30,513ha to 45,122ha, with 30km of new fencing being added to the existing 130km network.

Turn Turn and Wittenburra previously operated as a Merino and Santa stud, but are also well suited to beef, lamb, wool or goat production.

Mr Dunsdon said the sheep and cattle breeding and finishing country is renowned for heavy-cutting sheep and impressive fat cattle. This year, the Todds have cut more than 500 bales of wool.

The vendors estimate the aggregation can carry 22,000DSE. It is currently running 18,500 sheep and 600 cattle.

The mostly flat to gently undulating country features sweet, pebbly gidgee and mulga.

Open flooded plains carry mostly yapunyah with some gidgee, complemented by bluebush, sugar grass, green panic, Mitchell and Flinders grasses and prolific seasonal herbages.

The property sits in a 330mm average annual rainfall region and is watered by Turn Turn, Wittenburra, Wiseman and Flannelbelly Creeks, as well as 12 artesian bores, 19 dams and numerous Paroo River waterholes.

Improvements include two five-bedroom homes, two cottages, shearers’ quarters, a seven-stand shearing shed, steel cattle yards, three sheep yards, goat yards and numerous sheds.

A small HIR Project provides an additional income stream.