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.

• $30m+ anticipated for historic southern NSW holding
• Top dollar for southern QLD’s best cattle country
• CQ’s Mitchell Park heads to auction on November 25
• Diversify on Tasmania’s Storm Bay
• Grazing and land banking opportunity near Canberra
• New auction date for western NSW grazing asset
• NSW/QLD border properties listed for sale

$30m+ anticipated for historic southern NSW holding

Dalriada, a historic blue-ribbon property in southern New South Wales, has hit the market for the second time with expectations of a sale price of $30 million plus.

The 1430ha holding, pictured above, is located in a 700mm rainfall district, 12km north of Holbrook and 72km from Albury/Wodonga.

Dalriada has a proven stocking history running more than 1000 breeding cows. It is home to the famed Ravensdale Poll Hereford Stud which has a registered herd of more than 350 breeding females and around 150 calves annually, in addition to sheep and opportunistic cropping.

The property boasts two renovated homesteads built in the 1900s – the main Federation homestead comprising eight bedrooms and Wirruna comprising four bedrooms.

During his 15 years of ownership, principal Brian Burgess moved away from conventional farming methods and focussed on improving soil health – aiming to increase carbon levels ten-fold. As a result, production levels have been lifted significantly, he says.

Dalriada has an excellent balance of soil types ranging from red and brown loams to highly fertile alluvial Billabong Creek flats.

It fronts the Billabong Creek, has two bores, dams and a 200 megalitre irrigation licence included in the sale.

The property has undergone impressive and substantial improvements in recent times including new state of the art undercover cattle yards with a hydraulic crush and pneumatic gates.

Dalriada is being sold via a two-stage expression of interest campaign closing on November 26, with short-listed parties invited to participate in a private auction on December 1.

David Gittoes from Elders is handling the marketing and sale of Dalriada.

Top dollar for southern QLD’s best cattle country

More than $16 million is anticipated for some of the best cattle carrying capacity country in Queensland’s Western Downs/Maranoa region.

The 2904ha Hurreldean is located in the heart of brigalow and bullock country, 56km north of Yuleba, 75km to Taroom and 120km to Roma.

The country is predominantly undulating brigalow/belah, bauhinia and bottle tree scrub, with scatterings of wilga.

Carl Warren from TopX Australia said Hurreldean is an example of the very best beef country located in the Wandoan/Taroom district.

“It is a unique and decent sized holding. In the past 12 months, there has been nothing like it on the market.”

Mr Warren said Hurreldean is well developed and has been cleared over the years through pulling, raking and blade ploughing.

“The introduction of buffel has seen productivity explode, making it an exceptional cattle fattening enterprise.”

During normal seasonal conditions, the property can run around 1200AE. It has been consistently running in excess of 850 cows and calves.

Hurreldean is one of a few district properties with a flowing bore (providing an unlimited supply of water), as well as two dams and three turkeys nests feeding 12 troughs throughout the property.

Inquiry is coming from across the board – locals through to corporates – and despite receiving some very strong offers, Mr Warren said Hurreldean will be auctioned on December 10.

CQ’s Mitchell Park heads to auction on November 25

Neil and Margaret Dunbar will auction their prime Central Queensland buffel grass country property boasting 2040ML of water entitlements on November 25.

The 1240ha Mitchell Park is located 15km from Capella and 52km south of Emerald. It is EU-accredited and suitable for backgrounding or intensive silage/bunker feeding.

Since 1982, the couple has secured irrigation water over three licences which means the property is virtually drought-proof. This has provided a competitive advantage over other dryland enterprises in the region.

There is 1350ML capacity from the Retro and Sandy Creek dams in the Fitzroy River Basin and scope to build additional dam storage infrastructure.

Selling agent Trenton Hindman said strong interest is coming from locals and larger family farmers seeking expansion and a water asset, especially for dry times.

“Central Queensland buffel blocks are highly sought after and the highly productive soil types are suitable for improved pastures, as well as various grain and forage crops,” he said.

“The irrigation will appeal to cattle producers and there is adequate infrastructure to expand intensive paddock production feeding of cattle with silage.”

Mr Hindman said the creeks are running after a decent break in the season and the vendors are harvesting water, with the dams expected to be full by auction day.

There is also an opportunity to repurpose the irrigation resources for citrus, macadamias or leucaena.

Diversify on Tasmania’s Storm Bay

Around $5 million is anticipated for a large parcel of grazing land on Tasmania’s picturesque south-east coast.

The 689ha Storm Bay is situated at Carlton River in the Sorell region, about 45 minutes’ drive from Hobart.

A renovated two-storey convict sandstone home which provides 360-degree panoramic views overlooks Connellys Bay.

The undulating landscape has traditionally produced high quality fine to superfine Merino wool and is currently running 3500 wethers and ewes with lambs at foot.

For the past 15 years, it has been owned by Stuart Cuthbert who is selling to retire.

Stephen Caswell from Elders said interest was coming from city-based investors, vineyard operators and some mainland and overseas parties.

“It is difficult to put a figure on the property. A fattening place in northern Tasmania expected to achieve $3.5m recently sold for $5.3m. Another holding that is on the market for offers above $5.5m is likely to sell for around $7.5m.”

Storm Bay has a 700mgl water entitlement and Mr Caswell said the installation of centre pivots to finish lambs would increase the property’s stocking rate substantially.

Multiple development opportunities are possible and there is latitude to diversify and embark on multiple enterprises including wine or tourism.

Expressions of interest for Storm Bay close on November 19.

Grazing and land banking opportunity near Canberra

A quality mixed farming platform with future development opportunities close to the Yass-Canberra growth corridor is being offered by Land Agribusiness Water Development (LAWD).

The 620ha Merrimba is one of the last remaining large parcels of land with direct Barton Highway frontage, providing a land banking opportunity, 37km from the ACT.

Situated in the Yass Valley in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, it has a long history as a mixed farming property producing winter crops in combination with sheep and cattle production.

The country is gently undulating and highly arable, comprising productive creek flats gently rising to rolling slopes that can support around 6200DSE.

Water is secured by multiple surface and groundwater sources including a bore, four dams and frontage to the reliable Murrumbateman and Kitty’s Creeks.

Merrimba is being offered for sale as a whole or as separate titles by expression of interest, closing on November 25.

New auction date for western NSW grazing asset

The western New South Wales grazing asset Youngerina has been relisted for online auction on November 30.

The 25,506ha holding is situated at Yantabulla, 108km north west of Bourke, and is suited to cattle, sheep, goats and carbon.

For the past 23 years, it has been owned by Dubbo stock and station agent Colin Hood and his wife Robin.

The country on Youngerina features sandy and sandy loam soils with stony ridges and outcrops, box and mulga flats with large areas of mulga that have been pulled.

It is carrying a large body of grasses and winter herbages that are rated to run up to 600 cattle or 5500 dry sheep equivalents.

The property is watered by five bores, five wells and five ground tanks.

Greg Seiler from Nutrien Harcourts said inquiry has been extremely strong.

“Many are investors seeking carbon opportunities and others are cattle and goat operators keen to expand existing operations.”

Passed in: NSW/QLD border properties listed for sale

Macbell and Combo on the New South Wales/Queensland border have been listed for sale for $8.35 million after failing to sell at auction.

The 635ha Macbell and the 455ha Combo form part of the renowned golden triangle and are situated 22km south east of North Star, 72km south east of Goondiwindi and 90km North of Moree.

The properties are owned by the Cranney family who initially acquired Combo and later added Macbell with the intention to expand their Wagyu herd and cropping enterprise.

With the family’s core base north east of Goondiwindi, the North Star area provided the ideal opportunity to expand into a cooler, higher rainfall climate with the fertile basalt soils complementing their backgrounding and cropping operations.

In recent years, the family has been building a premium Wagyu herd and they have now decided to focus their investment on additional breeding and backgrounding properties.

During their tenure, the Cranneys undertook extensive development work on Combo with new contour banks and waterways, as well as installing a new bore and internal water system servicing a series of tanks, troughs and spray points.

In addition, the majority of the internal and boundary fencing was upgraded, along with a new set of cattle yards and a gravel ring road for all weather access.

Macbell is 94 percent arable with a mix of black basalt soils and deep red loams.

Over the years, the property has grown a mixture of winter cereals and pulses with the favourable climate also providing the opportunity for a strong summer cropping program of cotton and sorghum.

With the family’s business centred on beef production, they are leasing the farming country on Macbell to an established farming family.

Macbell and Combo are being offered for sale by James Thomas from Nutrien Harcourts Narrabri and Goondiwindi.

 

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