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.

• Productive cattle and conservation in southern QLD
• CQ breeding country offered after five generations
• Unprecedented inquiry for NQ’s Peronne Station
• Low-cost breeding in scenic southeast QLD
• Well-grassed Biloela grazing block
• Rain delayed properties return to the market
• Historic SA sheep station offered for sale

Productive cattle and conservation in southern QLD

A productive cattle and cropping property in southern Queensland, operated with a strong environmental commitment, is being offered to the market for the first time in 88 years.

Warrowa, which neighbours the Southwood National Park, is 26km from Moonie and 70km from Tara – centrally located between southern Queensland’s Western Downs and Goondiwindi regions.

The 3600ha holding, pictured above, was taken up in the 1930s by George Telford who retained natural shelters and shade corridors to provide protection for stock and cropping, and create effective laneways for mustering.

When Warren and Lynelle Urquhart took over Warrowa, they upheld Mr Telford’s vision by adopting ecologically and economically sustainable management practices to enhance the value and productivity of the land for future generations.

In 2006, the couple was among 11 Queensland landowners to receive a grant (through the Beattie Government’s NatureAssist program) allowing them to retain control of their land, while protecting it forever (grant funding is generally available on a yearly basis for projects that maintain or enhance the nature refuge).

The Urquharts subsequently honoured Mr Telford’s conservation efforts by naming the 1150ha, the C.R. (George) Telford Nature Refuge.

As the nature refuge is integrated across the entire property, Warren and Lynelle Urquhart explained all of the land is productive.

“We value the environment and are working with it. We have made a commitment (via a legal agreement) not to overstock and to maintain a certain percentage of ground cover within the nature refuge.”

“While we are ready for new challenges, we want to ensure the new owners are similarly minded, who will value it. That is why we are offering Warrowa via an expressions of interest campaign closing on September 14,” the couple said.

The country on Warrowa features a mix of brigalow/belah and quick responding red soils, and a huge body of natural grasses and improved pastures that can support 1000 adult equivalents.

It is well watered by a free-flowing artesian bore, six dams and a seasonal flow from Bendee Creek.

Andrew McCallum from Nutrien Harcourts GDL believes the well improved property will generate good interest.

“Warrowa operates as a successful business and lends itself to a number of buyers including locals, family farm operators, corporates and city-based investors.”

 

CQ breeding country offered after five generations

After five generations of single-family ownership, the descendants of James Edgar are selling Mount Hut in Central Queensland’s Glenroy district.

The 3500ha holding, 60km from Marlborough and 80km from Rockhampton, was granted to Mr Edgar in 1904.

Mountain Hut can is being sold bare of stock but can run around 600 breeders and progeny (through to weaners).

Vendors Jeffrey and Linda Edgar have decided to offload Mountain Hut, which they have used as their main breeding block, after paying $4.625 million in March for the 2563ha Barmac which neighbours Craigilee.

Netty Wendt from Ray White Rural is handling the sale of Mountain Hut which will be auctioned on August 18.

She said there has been good interest to date.

“It is difficult to gauge what price Mountain Hut will achieve because there hasn’t been anything like this sold in the area for a long time. Inquiry is coming from locals and producers in central and northern Queensland seeking additional breeding country close to Rockhampton.”

Most of the country is undulating open forest, rising to a mountain range on the western boundary which serves as natural boundary.

The property is carrying a good body of feed and ready to be stocked immediately upon settlement of the sale.

There are five dams, a bore and well. A small section of the boundary fronts the Fitzroy River.

 

Unprecedented inquiry for NQ’s Peronne Station

There has been unprecedented inquiry for sweet, quick responding, dual purpose breeding, backgrounding and fattening country in north-west Queensland.

Peronne Station is a freehold property in tick free country, 35km south of Hughenden. Situated in a 475mm rainfall area, the 9788ha block is enjoying an excellent season following 458mm.

The property has been owned by John and Ann-Marie Cowan for the past 32 years, who are now offloading to downsize.

Tom Brodie from Brodie Agencies said the high kilogram producing country is low cost to manage, with little to no declared noxious weeds, plants or trees.

“The property improvements are first-class in terms of fencing, laneways, cattle yards, waters, sheds and a renovated homestead. All the hard work has been done.”

Mr Brodie said the pastures, which are showing the full benefits of rotational grazing and paddock spelling, can run 700 breeders plus progeny.

“Peronne Station has attracted interest from southern producers seeking more affordable country. It is also an ideal block for northern producers wanting to background 1700 weaners (in an average season),” Mr Brodie said.

The country features undulating chocolate and red pebbly self-mulching fertile soils growing a thick body of buffel, Mitchell, Flinders and native grass, as well as summer and winter herbages.

Most of the property is exclusion fenced and is well watered by two equipped bores and four dams.

Peronne Station will be auctioned on August 31. Limited station plant and equipment are included in the sale, along with 480 cows.

 

Low-cost breeding in scenic southeast QLD

Well-watered quality forest grazing country in Queensland’s picturesque Scenic Rim will be auctioned by Bartholomew & Co on September 3.

Rosemore is nestled in the rolling hills at Kappa Creek, 20 minutes south of Beaudesert and 48 minutes from Boonah.

The 622ha block is currently running a low-cost breeding operation with 300 cows, but there is also potential for backgrounding and fattening.

Selling agent Tony Moller said it was rare to find a property of this scale in this region.

“South-east Queensland is hot property at the moment. It is a great opportunity for a producer seeking expansion, or for downsizing western producers,” he said.

For the past 12 months Rosemore has been held by Mick and Joanne Walker from New South Wales who have decided to consolidate their assets.

Rosemore is watered by two bores and 12 dams.

Well grassed Biloela grazing block

Producers from far north Queensland to northern New South Wales are showing good interest in Central Queensland’s Springvale owned by Peter and Minnie Clarkson.

Spanning 1120ha (comprising 1008ha freehold and 112ha leasehold), Springvale is located 32km from Biloela in a 658mm per year average rainfall district.

The country consists of 728ha of bottle tree scrub, 162ha of previously black soil cultivation, with the remainder heavy loam and iron bark forest.

Springvale carries an excellent coverage of grass that can carry 350 cows and calves or up to 450 mixed cattle.

Brad Mulvihill from TopX Australia said Springvale was a quality parcel of land in a sought-after area.

“Most of the interest is coming from producers seeking expansion. With the majority of the country cleared and recently pulled, all the hard work has been done.”

Springvale is watered by two dams and a bore and will be auctioned on September 2.

 

Rain delayed Maranoa properties return to the market

Darryl Langton from Nutrien Harcourts Roma has three grazing properties listed for sale with inspections hampered by excellent rainfall.

“At this time of year, Queensland’s Maranoa is usually waiting for rain and seasonal conditions to improve, to commence the marketing of properties.”

“Instead, we are waiting for paddocks to dry up so we can carry out physical inspections. As a result, the selling season is likely to be more spring-focussed than summer-focussed,” Mr Langton explained.

Here’s what’s on offer:

Larnook

In April, the 4179ha well developed grazing property Larnook, adjacent to the township of Mungallala in Queensland’s Maranoa, was passed in at auction and subsequently listed for $10.5 million.

Located 130km west of Roma and boasting a big body of feed, Larnook is suited to breeding, fattening, backgrounding or potential lotfeeding.

Mr Langton said the property is still attracting interest, but it has been difficult to inspect following more good rain several weeks ago.

The country is undulating brigalow and box, bottletree with bendee soils, with the balance pulled and racked.

Around 2800ha has been blade-ploughed and established to silk sorghum and buffel grass. Around 200ha is ready for oats.

During his four years ownership, Joe Henry has installed 32km of boundary exclusion fencing, 20km of new internal netting fencing, 7km of new laneways and 13 new watering points.

There is an automated water system with a bore supplying an 80,000g tank (with observant monitoring) gravity fed to troughs.

 

Pinora West

There has been good initial inquiry for quality fattening and breeding country in southern Queensland’s western downs region, with inspections now weather dependent.

The 1746ha Pinora West is situated 27km north-west of Jackson and 67km south of Wandoan.

For the past ten years, it has been owned by Adrian Sharp who is now retiring.

The country consists of brigalow, belah, bottletree dark soils with low rises of ironbark. The prolific improved pastures have been developed to buffel, bambatsi, Gatton panic and rhodes.

The well positioned property is watered by a bore and ten dams and can fatten up to 450 steers.

Pinora West will be auctioned on September 1.

 

Nimity

Andrew and Renee Richardson’s Roma district grazing property Nimity was listed back in March, but wet weather stopped potential buyers from inspecting the block.

The 628ha property, located 44km north of Roma and 55km south of Injune, has now been listed for sale for $4.35 million.

The Richardsons are selling Nimity after securing country on the Darling Downs as part of an expansion process.

The country features brigalow, belah and softwood scrub falling to 3.8km of improved creek flats along Eumamurrin Creek and 1.5km along Eight Mile Creek.

Nimity can run 300 backgrounders and has more than 100ha of established leucaena.

Water is secured via five dams, two bores and a supply from the Eumamurrin share bore scheme.

 

Historic SA sheep station offered for sale

Expressions of interest are being sought for South Australia’s historic Talia Station on the Eyre Peninsula.

The 13,283ha holding (11,200ha pastoral lease and 2083ha freehold) operates as a sheep station that is rated to run 2000 dry sheep equivalents.

Located 20km from Venus Bay and 45km from Elliston, the holding was settled in 1856 by J. T. Symes. Shortly afterwards Talia Station was acquired and named by John Harris Browne from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘near water’.

The country is slightly undulating with open limestone grazing, open grasslands, broken to dense mallee, areas of former she-oak grasslands and sandier soils to the north.

Water is supplied by eight wells and bores.

Justin Thompson from Nutrien Harcourts said there have been inquiries from locals, producers, investors and those seeking a lifestyle change.

The EOI campaign for Talia Stations closes on August 31.

 

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