Despite significant pre-auction interest from prospective northern buyers seeking country with grass, the auction of large-scale Queensland Gulf breeding aggregation Lotus Vale/Stirling was unable to secure a result in Brisbane this morning.

The 125,000 hectare holding, offered through Elders, was passed-in for an auctioneers bid of $15 million.

Two external bidders registered for the sale, but no bids were placed. One of the registered bidders was Peter Hacon, Granada, Cloncurry, and the other was an unnamed pastoral company operating through Ray White Rural.

The Lotus Vale/Stirling aggregation is currently carrying a big body of feed unlike most other areas of the Gulf, a key selling point in the current market.

Located north-east of Normanton, the holding has served as a calf factory for Arabury Pastoral Company's large growing properties in Queensland’s channel country.  Vendor Ashley Daley told Beef Central at this morning’s auction that the property is being offered to rationalise the family’s interests, but there was no urgency to sell.

Lotus Vale/Stirling was offered with 15,400 cattle plus calves.

Selling agent Dick Allpass said there was significant pre-auction interest from grass-buyers interested in buying the property without stock.

The Daley family received two offers prior to auction on the basis of no stock, but declined both offers.

Lotus Vale/Stirling is a well improved aggregation and with a new 30 year grazing lease that came into effect from 2011.