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.

• New England high rainfall cattle business
• Cattle and carbon on Timber Downs
• True downs country close to Roma
• Sought-after flood plains in Goondiwindi
• Strong interest in three mixed farms in southern QLD

 

New England high rainfall cattle business

Corporates, institutions and large-scale family businesses are dominating inquiry for a turn-key high rainfall cattle breeding and finishing business that is expected to make around $20 million walk-in, walk-out.

The 3205ha Stony Batter Aggregation, in the New England region of northern New South Wales, comprises the 1696ha Stony Batter and the 1509ha Arabanoo incorporating the industry recognised Red Island Beef (RIB) brand.

The holding features fertile soil types, arable topography, productive native and improved pastures, and natural riparian timber. It is watered by the Gwydir River and numerous creek frontages and 41 megalitres of water entitlements.

The aggregation was put together more than 15 years ago by Sydney-based businessman Chris Nivan and is being divested due to family succession.

The sales process is being handled by Col Medway from LAWD (Land, Agribusiness, Water & Development) and Daniel McCulloch from McCulloch Agencies.

Mr Medway said interest is mainly coming from southern Queensland and New South Wales.

“The asset is well priced in terms of dry sheep equivalents and that is driving interest. Given the circa $20m guide and location, the Stony Batter Aggregation represents good value for money,” he said.

Stony Batter and Arabanoo are strategically located close to the major regional service centres of Armidale, Inverell and Tamworth.

Mr Medway said the aggregation featured climatic diversification.

“The two operation hubs, located at Bundarra and Bingara, provide climatic risk management while being operated as one enterprise with an operational scale of 25,000DSE.”

Mr Medway said the asset was an opportunity for the successful purchaser to gain an immediate foothold in the booming Australian beef industry, with a 12 month projected cash flow of $1.9 million.

The sale of the Stony Batter Aggregation will be conducted by a two stage expressions of interest process closing on March 10.

The aggregation is being offered as a whole or as separate assets including 1000 PTIC Angus females, plant and equipment.

 

Cattle and carbon on Timber Downs

Timber Downs in New South Wales’ New England region has returned to the market via an expressions of interest campaign with Bob Jamieson Agencies.

The 575ha property is located halfway between Inverell and Glen Innes on the tightly held Kings Plains plateau.

For the past 17 years Timber Downs has been owned by Angus and Eunice Vivers from Jindalee Herefords who are selling to enable succession planning.

The country is well grassed and ideally suited to a cattle breeding or backgrounding operation, rated to carry 220 cows (with calves to weaning).

The country features a 50/50 mix of granite and basalt soils, well cleared pastures and a 2km double frontage to the permanent Kings Plains Creek, as well as 14 dams.

The Vivers have set aside around 365ha for annual winter forages, such as oats which thrive in the district.

A 120ha timber paddock has been fenced and kept free of livestock as part of a non-compulsory biodiversity project (a CMA carbon offset / Infrastructure project). This land is not included in the property’s estimated carrying capacity.

Additionally, the vendors have offered to lease back Timber Downs for a minimum of five years at four percent of the agreed purchase price (not including stamp duty).

The purchaser would retain any carbon credit advantage for the 120ha already identified and locked up.

 

True downs country close to Roma

A sizeable grazing block close to Roma, in south west Queensland, is likely to make more than $4 million bare when it is auctioned by TopX in March.

The 817ha Meadowbank, 15km west of Roma in the heart of the Maranoa, boasts ‘true’ downs country with large open areas of highly productive Mitchell and Flinders grasses that can run a beast to four hectares.

Up until two years ago, the Tite family, who have held the property for several generations, ran a well-known farm stay, as well as a museum featuring local and national relics dating back more than 100 years.

Selling agent Carl Warren said there was nothing like Meadowbank on the market.

“Many smaller blocks close to Roma have sold, but Meadowbank boasts scale across 12 titles. The dollar value for country in the Maranoa is around $4950/ha and interest is particularly strong from western Queensland producers looking to come east to downsize,” he said.

Meadowbank is watered by a sub artesian bore and six dams. The Clarks and Bungeworgorai Creeks, which have seasonal waterholes, run through Meadowbank.

The property also features a lagoon ideal for stock watering and recreational picnics.

Five cultivation areas are fenced off with around 75ha of loam to rich chocolate soils used for winter and summer cropping.

Meadowbank will be auctioned on March 16.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1403243206780359

 

Sought-after flood plains in Goondiwindi

Nutrien Harcourts is offering a Goondiwindi mixed grazing and farming property on the sought-after flood plains of the Weir and McIntyre Rivers.

The 3657ha Rowanlea, situated 35km west of Goondiwindi and 256km west of Toowoomba, is being sold to wind up a family estate.

The well-fenced cattle and sheep property is relatively flat with a good mix of heavy black farming and grazing soils, elevated areas of lighter soils and sand ridge.

Grasses include Mitchell and blue, with native summer pastures and winter herbages in the heavier soils and areas of buffel and panic in the loam and sandy soils.

Rowanlea is watered by nine dams and lagoons. It is also part of the Callandoon Bore Scheme which is piped to storage tanks and troughs, providing secure water for livestock and spraying requirements.

The lower-lying areas benefit from Weir River flooding in major rain events with one main watercourse traversing the property from east to west.

Around 1760ha is currently developed for dryland farming, used for both grain and fodder cropping.

Recent cropping history has been a winter cereal and pulse rotation with the opportunity to grow grain crops in any season.

The cultivation country presents with a good cover of winter stubble and a good start to the moisture profile with above average rains and some flooding post 2021 winter harvest.

Andrew Jakins is handling the marketing and sale of Rowanlea with expressions of interest closing on March 9.

 

Strong interest in three mixed farms in southern QLD

Producers from North Queensland to Victoria have expressed interest in Bill and Ngare Davison’s three mixed grazing and cropping properties in southern Queensland.

The non-contiguous Boxyards, Binalong and Jimbruce are located 85km north west of Goondiwindi and 35km north west of Toobeah, in the Kioma/Toobeah district.

Each property has its own PMAV locked in, its own access to the Kayawanna Bore scheme and all-weather gravel road access.

Andrew Jakins from Nutrien Harcourts said the level of enquiry has been strong.

“There is no money to spend on the well-presented properties featuring excellent infrastructure and management. All levels of interest are being shown – from the whole aggregation to individual properties,” he said.

Boxyards, Binalong and Jimbruce are being offered via expressions of interest closing on March 3.

While the agent could not give a price guide, farming country in the area has sold to $5300/ha in the past six months.

A breakdown on the three blocks appears below.

Boxyards

The 2759ha Boxyards is currently run as a mixed farming and cattle operation running 300 cows and calves.

With a cluster exclusion fence on two sides, the property features gently undulating brigalow / belah type soils with some areas of box.

Around 1340ha of the friable soils are used for dryland farming.

Boxyards is well watered by a piped bore scheme and stock dams.

Binalong

The 1034ha Binalong, together with Jimbruce, is currently run as a combined farming operation.

Around 920ha of the gently undulating self-mulching dark and red brigalow / belah and myall type soils are used for dryland farming.

Binalong is watered by a bore and four dams.

Jimbruce

The 1040ha Jimbruce is currently as a dryland farming operation together with Binalong.

The country features gently undulating self-mulching dark and red brigalow / belah type soils that are watered by a bore and a stock dam.

 

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