Yards and surrounding country on Neumayer Valley, south of Normanton

TWO large-scale, well-regarded grazing properties being run as an aggregation in Northwest Queensland could make $100 million, after being put to market on the weekend by their Swiss owners.

Neumayer Valley located 120km southwest of Normanton on the Leichhardt River in the Gulf of Carpentaria region, is a large-scale breeding property covering some 143,000ha. More or less due south is the second property being offered, Elrose Station, between McKinlay and Cloncurry, covering some 30,000ha.

Both are owned by Swiss nationals, the family of the late Oskar Schwenk, who died in 2023 after earlier serving as chairman and chief executive of Swiss-based light aircraft manufacturer Pilatus Group. Pilatus manufactures single-engined turboprop corporate and military aircraft, examples of which are used in the Australian beef industry, and by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Mr Schwenk had held agricultural landholdings in Australia for about 20 years, firstly in South Australia where he ran Merino Sheep and Angus cattle, and later near Broken Hill and a 3000ha property in Victoria.

The Schwenk family made its first northern investment in beef In 2016, purchasing Neumayer Valley for around $41 million (see earlier Beef Central story). Elrose station followed in 2021, purchased bare for about $21 million.

Handling the two sales (Neumayer and Elrose are being sold separately) are Colliers Agribusiness’s Rawdon Briggs and Jesse Manuel, and Prophurst’s Bram Pollock.

Neumayer Valley fronts the Alexandra and Leichardt Rivers, and includes extensive flood-out and downs country. The offering on a walk-in, walk-out basis includes a high-quality Brahman herd of around 16,000 head, plus a 1600 ML water licence.

The current owners have used both properties in conjunction, with Neumayer principally used for breeding and Elrose for growing-out and backgrounding. Much of the annual production under the management of Swiss Farms has been turned off into the Darwin or Townville live export trade.

Between McKinlay and Oorindi, Elrose has changed hands only once in the past 100 years, and for decades was the home of one of North Queensland’s best known Brahman Studs and selling complexes, under the stewardship of former Australian Brahman Breeders Association president Roger Jefferis.

On this occasion Elrose will be sold bare. The property comprises a combination of freehold and leasehold country with additional land permits totalling more than 30,000ha. The mostly Mitchell and Flinders grass downs country is complemented by an extensive network of rivulets and channels along the seasonal Fullarton River system.

Brahman cattle on Elrose

Colliers head of Agribusiness Rawdon Briggs described both properties as highly reliable, premium breeding and backgrounding assets that would attract strong interest from a broad range of industry participants, both here and overseas. Inquiries are already being fielded.

The fact that the majority of the country on both holdings is held under leasehold will minimise any impact from Queensland’s harsh foreign land ownership tax structure.

“Both holdings come to the market during a period of increasing interest in Australian beef supply due to diminishing global herd numbers, and particularly the numbers in the Americas,” Mr Briggs said.

“The livestock and management on both properties is a testament to the company’s quest for excellence in all things, and we look forward to showcasing these very impressive holdings and herd in the upcoming sale campaign,” he said.

Prophurst principal, northern Australian livestock specialist Bram Pollock has marketed the turnoff from Neumayer  and Elrose for some years.

He said the Neumayer Valley herd was recognised for its superior Brahman genetics and consistently delivering well-framed cattle with exceptional carcase weight, good bone and excellent conformation.

“The property has high branding rates and some of the highest average weaner weights I have seen in this region in the last decade,” Mr Pollock said.

Colliers’ National Director, Jesse Manuel said Elrose offered multiple production system and livestock marketing options.

“Its location positions the property as a strategic fit for live export operations, and with its moderate climatic features and tick-free status, Elrose is also able to support herds with a more Bos Taurus influence to access higher value domestic markets,” Mr Manuel said.

At Neumayer Valley, the low cost of production in relative terms, as well as the increasing productivity and efficiency were two significant benefits.

“Minimal supplement inputs afforded by the mineral status of the country, rainfall, and station management’s constant quest for improvement, provides for a lower cost of production model compared to other regions of northern Australia, delivering exceptional fertility and weaning weights year-in year-out,” Mr Manuel said.

“The already high weaning percentage of 75pc plus, is still on on an upward trajectory,” he said.

Station homestead near ther Leichhardt River on Neumayer Valley

When last sold in 2016, Neumayer Valley was offered by Australian Pastoral Group, which had purchased the property three years earlier for about $30m, at the time when the northern industry was still recovering from the 2011 live export closure. Prior to APC’s brief ownership, Neumayer had been owned and operated for many years by live export identity Syd Faithful.

The $41m price tag in the 2016 sale was regarded as ‘very competitive’, with pastoral giants Paraway Pastoral Co (operating nearby Armraynald and Gregory Downs) and the Menegazzo family’s Stanbroke Pastoral Co (operating Donors Hill and Augustus Downs, which adjoin Neumayer to the south) both showing interest.

The 2021 purchase by Swiss Farms of Elrose was discussed in this earlier article.

Located 64km south east of Cloncurry and 46km northwest of McKinlay, Elrose covers 29,035ha with the main homestead block spanning 25,690ha and two lease blocks 3345ha. There is also access to 2834ha to 3238ha of useable stock route country.

Roger Jefferis’ grandfather drew the original block and successive generations developed Elrose into a quality breeding and growing enterprise and its cattle herd into one of the nation’s pre-eminent northern seedstock and commercial operations.

Elrose boasts a mixture of downs, creek and river frontage country and gently elevated red tableland country. Natural water is a feature with 25km of double frontage to the Fullarton River plus an extensive system of creeks and channels. The holding also supports a network of dams, bores and a number of seasonal waterholes.

The Jefferis family dispersed its Elrose Brahman Stud herd in 2021.

• Neumayer Valley and Elrose Stations will be offered for sale, separately, by expressions of interest. Lodgement deadlines are yet to be advised.