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.

• More than $35m for NSW’s Bangadilly Station
• Tumut production powerhouse could make $9m-$12m
• Tom Roberts’ historic Paradise Creek listed
• Standout fattening depot near Moree
• NSW high rainfall, high production grazing to be auctioned
• Expressions of interest for northern NSW’s Boorandi
• Little Plain hits the market after 163 years ownership
• CQ’s Avoca offers diversity
• QLD’s Western Downs property passed in at auction

More than $35m for NSW’s Bangadilly Station

More than $35 million is anticipated for one of the largest landholdings in the Southern Highlands region of New South Wales.

Spanning 1815ha, Bangadilly Station neighbours the Bangadilly National Park at Canyonleigh, 34km from Sutton Forest and 42km from Moss Vale.

It is being offered by sale by Ben Cottle, the founder and managing director of the FDC Group of companies. The local identity, with grazing interests in the area, purchased the property in 2005 for $4.6m.

Currently operating as a mixed-grazing enterprise, the vendor has focused on pasture improvement, paddock subdivision and fencing to bolster the property’s carrying capacity to 400 cows and calves, and 1000 ewes.

Bangadilly benefits from more than 6km of Wollondilly River frontage, with additional water supplied by a large network of dams, including the 230ML lake, which provides abundant water for irrigation.

A potential purchaser is the New South Wales government. Almost three years ago it secured the nearby 2148ha Tugalong Station, also adjoining the Bangadilly National Park.

Located about 25km north west of Bowral, the former cattle property now forms part of the 3358ha Guula Ngurra National Park which protects and preserves some of the Southern Highlands’ best koala populations.

Environment Minister Matt Kean has indicated that much more is needed to protect koalas in the state.

“I want to see core koala habitat continue to be protected. This is just the beginning – we have a lot more to do.”

Richie Inglis from Inglis Rural Property said Bangadilly Station was also a rare landbank offering.

“There are 33 titles under the current zoning. The minimum lot size is 40 hectares offering a tremendous land banking opportunity with subdivision potential in the future.”

Bangadilly Station is being offered for sale by expression of interest closing on November 19.

Tumut production powerhouse could make $9-$12m

Between $9 million and $12 million is anticipated for the highly regarded Tumut district property Kimball, on New South Wales’ south west slopes.

The 363ha holiding is being offered for sale for the second time since settlement by brothers Tony and Bill Barton.

Located 15 minutes from Gundagai and an hour from Wagga Wagga, the productive powerhouse is suited to cattle, prime lambs and fodder cropping.

Featuring fertile and versatile alluvial river flats and elevated grazing country, Kimball boasts more than 4km of Tumut River frontage and is watered by dams, lagoons and a 105ML irrigation licence.

David Nolan from Webster Nolan said Kimball had predominantly been run as a prime lamb operation.

“The carrying capacity depends on management, on-going pasture and fertiliser programs and whether it is used as a breeding or fattening enterprise,” he said.

Mr Nolan said Kimball is equally suited to cattle.

“The property could carry between 350 and 400 breeders. In certain periods of the year, the river flats have the capability to run one steer to the acre.”

Kimball will be auctioned on November 30.

Tom Roberts’ historic Paradise Creek listed

Inverell’s historic Paradise Creek Station is being offered to the market for the first time in 115 years by the Nicholas family.

The 2575ha of highly productive basalt soils are located on New South Wales’ Northern Tablelands, a region well known for its quality soil types and its ability to breed and produce large numbers of cattle and sheep.

The large-scale freehold breeding and backgrounding enterprise carries between 18,000DSE and 22,000DSE. It is currently stocking 500 cows.

Paradise Creek has a long and recognised history of producing award winning fine Merino wool and a good reputation for breeding high performing Hereford cattle.

Improved pastures feature a large body of perennial rye and fescue grasses with a variety of seasonal herbages and clovers intermixed on predominately chocolate and black earths.

It benefits from 12km of Macintyre River frontage, 6.6km of Paradise Creek frontage, 4.2km of Back Creek frontage and nine dams.

A potential purchaser could be the Paraway Pastoral Co which owns the neighbouring 6434ha Paradise which it acquired in 2016.

Paradise forms part of a proven high volume grass production system which, alongside sister property Newstead, is capable of producing over three million kilograms of beef per annum.

History

Paradise Creek once formed a much bigger holding that was originally settled in 1839. In 1906, the Nicholas family began its custodianship which has continued on to this day.

In 1895, the influential impressionist Tom Roberts painted the famous ‘Bailed Up’ (which currently hangs in the NSW Art Gallery) sitting on a platform he built in a tree at Paradise Creek, as well as ‘In a Corner of the Macintyre’ (which hangs in the National Gallery of Australia).

Josh Ledingham from Land Agribusiness Water Development (LAWD) said properties of this scale rarely came to market.

Paradise Creek is being sold via expressions of interest closing on December 9.

Standout fattening depot near Moree

Strathdarr, a standout mixed-farming property on the north western slopes of New South Wales, is being offered to the market for the second time in 100 years.

The 1522ha block is situated at Crooble near the Queensland border, 61km north-east of Moree and 120km from Goondiwindi.

For the last 17 years it has been held by current owners Andrew and Angela Doering who operate the Spring Creek Santa Gertrudis Stud.

Clayton Smith from JLL Agribusiness said the standalone enterprise is suitable for breeding, backgrounding or fattening livestock along with grain growing capabilities.

“It is an opportunity for local and domestic entities to expand on an existing holding, or for new industry participants to create a footprint in a highly regarded region.”

As part of a broader supply chain, Strathdarr has historically been utilised as a fattening depot for the Doering’s northern breeder herd in Queensland, with the property being sold to concentrate on expanding this operation.

Mr Smith said the vendors have significantly improved the holding since 2004.

“The Doering’s have expanded the arable areas to in-excess of 1000ha across the property, as well as establishing irrigation infrastructure resulting in an efficient and productive agricultural enterprise of scale.”

There is added operational security from irrigation infrastructure which features a 90ha centre pivot, underpinned by a 250ML irrigation dam and secure groundwater licences.

Identifiable opportunities exist for further development including continued rollout of improved pastures along with a feedlot (STCA), with quality water available from both bore and overland flow catchments.

The property is offered for sale by online auction on December 2.

NSW high rainfall, high production grazing to be auctioned

After 73 years of ownership, the Webb family is offloading Brucelyn, a high rainfall, high production, grazing powerhouse in northern New South Wales.

The 956ha holding is located on top of the Great Dividing Range in the renowned district of Ben Lomond that carries a reputation for consistently producing excellent weights for prime beef and lambs.

Brucelyn once formed part of the original 27,000ha Moredun Station which was gazetted in 1848 by Andrew Wauchope.

In 1948, the 956ha were purchased and named by Alex and Kath Webb. Their son Angus and wife Frances took over the reins in 1977.

Brucelyn rises to over 1350m above sea level with a temperate climate that enables perennial pastures to thrive in the heavy basalt soils.

Water is supplied by 36 dams (many of which are spring fed), Moredun Creek frontage and natural spring fed streams.

The free-flowing bore, sunk in 2004 with a flow rate test of 17 litres per second, is considered a real asset. While the bore remains unequipped, it provides water security and the opportunity for the development of further troughing.

Brucelyn has benefited from a long-standing fertiliser history and Andrew Starr from Ray White Rural said there was an opportunity to further drive production and fully utilise the reliable annual rainfall with the development of new pastures.

Brucelyn will be auctioned on November 26.

Expressions of interest for northern NSW’s Boorandi

After 26 years, Wal and Roz Warden are selling their northern New South Wales property Boorandi so they can move closer to family.

The 2133ha holding is situated at Mullaley, 65km from Coonabarabran and 75km from Gunnedah.

The country comprises mostly open grazing with shade timber that can carry 500 cows and calves. There are small creek flats rising to large areas of gentle slopes and low hills and numerous sheltered valleys.

Soils are quality black, chocolate and red basalt. Around 400ha is used for fodder crop production with a further 40ha potentially available.

The vendors have been using the fodder crops, as well as natural pastures, to finish progeny for the supermarket trade or to be sold as feeders.

Boorandi is watered by a well and a bore, eight dams, three creeks which run through the property – one with permanent waterholes, one with semi-permanent waterholes and the third with a seasonal flow.

Dick Cameron from Cameron & Co Agents and Advisers said it was early days, but interest was coming from near and far.

Expressions of interest for Boorandi (which is being sold bare of stock and plant) close on December 8.

Little Plain hits the market after 163 years ownership

Locals seeking expansion or new entrants are likely to show good interest in 1318ha of northern New South Wales country that has been held by the Munro family for 163 years.

In the 1960s, Little Plain was subdivided from Yarrawonga – an original subdivision of Keera Station, the sprawling pastoral run on the Gwydir River acquired by the Munro family in 1858.

Presenting with a good body of feed, the property is currently running 120 Shorthorn cows with calves at foot, but it can carry 150 cows and 1000 wethers or 3000 dry sheep equivalents.

Located at Keera, 28km south east of Bingara and 79km south west of Inverell, Little Plain comprises mainly basalt soils and red and brown clays with sloping areas rising to hills.

It has two dams and one spring-fed siphon, and is also watered by the Surprise, Macintyre and Back Camp Creeks.

In addition, the vendors have an approved private native forestry plan which terminates in July 2036.

Little Plain is being offered for sale (bare of stock and plant) by Terry Adams from Moree Real Estate.

CQ’s Avoca offers diversity

Baralaba’s Avoca has returned to the market and will be auctioned bare by Ray White Rural on November 17.

The 4185ha holding was offered for sale in September 2016 but withdrawn from the market days before going under the hammer.

Located 33km north west of Moura, the freehold property has 1600ha of brigalow and black soil country with large swamps, and 1600ha of mixed forest country. Around 800ha has been cultivated.

Avoca is watered by three bores, the Mimosa Creek which provides seasonal waterholes and large swamps.

Richard Brosnan from Ray White Rural expects most of the interest will come from local families interested in a well-balanced property offering diversity.

Passed-in: Kenmure

Southern Queensland’s diverse Western Downs property Kenmure has passed in at auction for $2.5 million.

Situated 5km west of Tara and 90km to Dalby, Kenmure is being offered as a fattening or a farming opportunity to potential purchasers.

The 922ha block was purchased by Geoff and Sharmaine Hurford in 2006 to provide backgrounding and finishing opportunities to their St George breeder block Belgaum.

Currently, they have around 460ha under cultivation with the balance improved pastures, trefoil and bluegrass running 490 steers plus weaners and young cows.

Growing both summer and winter forage crops, as the seasons permitted, has allowed the Hurfords to capitalise on markets, consistently turning off heavy cattle to processors and feedlots.

There are five large dams and a permanent waterhole in Undulla Creek which is pumped to several troughs. The extended dry of 2019 allowed the owners to desilt the dams to reinforce water security.

Brock Simpkins from Nutrien Harcourts is handling the sale of Kenmure.

 

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