Property

Movement at the Station: Recent property listings

Property editor Linda Rowley, 23/11/2022

THIS week’s property review includes this wrap-up of significant recent listings across the country, and a separate article of recently completed sales of note.

  • $34m for NSW Riverina cattle breeding and hay
  • Heavy carrying capacity country in CQ
  • Speed family offloads CQ’s Footrot Flats
  • Victorian Wagyu property returns to the market
  • $30m anticipated for award winning Avington
  • Two FNQ assets boasting high rainfall
  • Southern QLD fattening & backgrounding on offer
  • Backgrounding opportunity in northern NSW

Moyhu Wagyu – see summary below

$34m for NSW Riverina cattle breeding and hay

A cattle breeding and hay operation fronting the Murrumbidgee River in New South Wales’ Eastern Riverina is expected to make $34 million bare.

Walteela is a highly developed grazing, irrigated and dryland cropping property spanning 1029ha, 13km from Wagga Wagga.

It is an aggregation of two properties put together by Rob Topfer and Becky Sparks who are selling to take on another business opportunity.

Col Medway from LAWD is anticipating the land alone will make around $30 million or $29,155/ha and the water entitlements around $4 million.

“There has been good interest from producers as far north as Queensland looking to drought-proof their existing holdings,” he said.

“It is the last property on the Murrumbidgee River, west of Wagga, that doesn’t go under water. Positioned on the high side of the river, Walteela is flood protected.”

Mr Medway said trading at $2000 a megalitre, the mid Murrumbidgee ground water on offer is relatively cheap for its reliability, compared to other water sharing plans.

Walteela has a 1155mgl zone three alluvial groundwater source, plus a 635mgl regulated river water source, as well as other water entitlements.

Around 174ha is irrigated under six pivots, with works approval for an additional bore and plans for another five pivots (180ha).

Currently running more than 500 head of cattle, the fit-for-purpose operational improvements on Walteela are described as well-appointed – many of which have been constructed within the last two years and are connected by a network of laneways.

Walteela is for sale by expressions of interest closing on December 8.

Walteela is a highly developed grazing, irrigated and dryland cropping property spanning 1029ha, 13km from Wagga Wagga.

Heavy carrying capacity country in CQ

There has been strong inquiry for the Dobe family’s heavy carrying capacity property in central Queensland.

The 5795ha Bar H – Corona at Ogmore is tightly held coastal scrub country, 145km north of Rockhampton and 204km south of Mackay.

It is being offered for sale by the Bowen-based Dobe family after seven years of ownership to enable succession planning.

The aggregation comprises the 3377ha Bar H and the 2418ha Corona and is suitable for finishing and/or backgrounding, or a stud or bull depot.

The freehold country has mostly brigalow and scrub soils with interspersed melon holes.

There are smaller areas of sandy forest soils and generous areas of pondage and melon holes with established paragrass throughout the property.

The aggregation fronts the Styx River and Tooloombah Creek.

Bar H is watered by four dams, a bore and an 18mgl water licence from the Tooloombah Creek.

Corona has seven dams (two are equipped with solar pumps and two have windmills) supplying three turkey nests.

David Buckley from Buckley’s Rural Property & Livestock said more than 137mm of rain fell on the property in October.

“Bar H – Corona is currently enjoying an exceptionally good season and presenting with a magnificent body of feed. The 110ha of recently developed new pastures are now well established and have been lightly grazed.”

The property is being offered for sale. Along with 1550 quality Brangus steers, by expressions of interest closing on December 15.

 

Speed family offloads CQ’s Footrot Flats

Offers over $5.8 million are being considered for the Speed family’s versatile coastal country in Central Queensland.

Owned by brothers Jack and Ben Speed, the 664ha Footrot Flats is situated 25 minutes from Yeppoon.

Spread over a picturesque two titles, the property offers flood-plain and ponded grazing pastures that provide drought proofing.

Kevin Doolan from the Professionals Emu Park said Footrot Flats was a large parcel of prime country that is well located – 30km from the local meatworks and 42km from the Gracemere saleyards.

Fronting the Hedlow Creek, the property has limited irrigation permits as well as three dams.

Footrot Flats has an estimated carrying capacity of 350 feeder steers per annum.

Spread over a picturesque two titles, Footrot Flats offers flood-plain and ponded grazing pastures that provide drought proofing.

 

Victorian Wagyu property returns to the market

After less than a year’s ownership, Roger Shore from Victoria’s Bonnie Doon Wagyu has listed the Moyhu Wagyu Aggregation for sale.

The enterprise is situated in productive, high rainfall country at Meadow Creek at the foothills of the Victorian Alps, near the King Valley (renowned for its fine wines and foods), 42km south of Wangaratta.

Spanning 847ha, it consists of four properties within a 10km radius – 243ha Leatarn, 372ha Handcocks, 176ha Sampsons and 56ha Bartons.

As a whole, around 650 Fullblood Wagyu breeding cows have been grazing a mix of improved pastures based on rye grass, phalaris and clover with some native grass pastures.

The high performing agribusiness was established more than 25 years ago by Emeritus Professor Bob Officer.

At the time of purchase, Mr Shore indicated he would use the Moyhu Wagyu holding to expand his business by aggregating it with his existing holding, Bonnie Doon at Morven in southern NSW.

Mr Shore has now decided to sell the property to allow him to pursue other rural opportunities closer to home.

The sale of Moyhu Wagyu Aggregation is being handled by James Brown from Ray White Rural.

“With water security and fertilised pastures driving production, it is an opportunity for the incoming purchaser to value add with a feedlot operation,” Mr Brown said.

There has been a high level of interest from a good mix of people including producers who inspected the property last year.

The Aggregation is being offered as four separate farms, bare of livestock, via public tender closing on December 16.

 

$30m anticipated for award winning Avington

Around $30 million is anticipated for an award-winning fine wool producing enterprise in Central Victoria’s Macedon Ranges.

The 1196ha Avington is situated at Sidona, 75 minutes from Melbourne.

For the past 26 years it has been owned by Australian Wool Innovation director Noel Henderson and his wife Lyndsay. They founded Avington Merino in 1996 and are regarded as one of Australia’s leading growers of premium Merino wool.

The quality and integrity of the fleeces produced by Avington Merino are renowned for their consistency of crimp and lustre.

The enterprise benefits from a supply agreement with one of Europe’s finest textile manufacturers that rewards Avington for its highly sought after superfine and ultrafine fleeces.

Around 87 percent of the property (or 1040ha) is used as the breeding and grazing platform, currently running 14 dry sheep equivalents per hectare or more than 15,000 DSE.

The gently sloping country features fertile granite loam and clay soils with an extensive fertiliser history and a fully automated and reliable stock water system.

Shane McIntyre and Matt Childs from CBRE Agribusiness have been appointed to sell Avington.

They rate it as one of the most thoughtfully improved properties in Victoria.

“The Hendersons have intensively developed the property with state-of-the-art operational infrastructure and efficiencies including an architect designed residence, sheep handling facilities, water security and pasture development.”

“They have also used the latest technologies and materials to maximise productivity and retain optimum levels of animal welfare for breeding and wool production.”

Avington is being offered for sale via expressions of interest on a walk-in-walk-out basis (including the superfine and ultrafine sheep flock, plant and equipment) or on a bare basis closing on December 8.

The 1196ha Avington is situated at Sidona, 75 minutes from Melbourne.

 

Two FNQ assets boasting high rainfall

The Malaysian-based MBF Group has listed two grazing assets in far north Queensland after 20 years ownership.

The 20,112ha Morecambe Station and the 463ha Walpuli have been leased for the past 12 years.

Morecambe Station fronts the Herbert River and is described as quality low-cost Atherton Tablelands breeding country.

Located at Gunnawarra, 20km south of Mount Garnet and 120km from Atherton, the gently undulating country boasts a heavy coverage of feed.

While no carrying capacity was provided by the agent, it is understood the property ran 1700 breeders plus replacement heifers in the past.

Morecambe Station has alluvial soils along the Herbert River frontage country and loamy, sandy soils on the balance of the lighter forest country.

It is watered by 23 tanks and troughs, a pump and a bore. A 600mgl water licence is included in the sale.

Previously, the property grew peanuts which shows it has good red basalt soils. A 50ha fenced paddock is suitable for irrigation and hay production.

Jez McNamara from Ray White Rural said there has been widespread inquiry for Morecambe Station.

“The good quality breeder country has attracted interest from local and north Queensland producers, from Victoria and southern New South Wales, as well as Sydney and Brisbane investors.”

Mr McNamara said when the vendor managed the two properties, cattle were bred on Morecambe and trucked to the backgrounding block Walpuli at Ellinjaa (a 45 minute drive).

The smaller Walpuli, 40km south of Atherton and 105km south-west of Cairns, is a former dairy property currently grazing beef cattle.

The 463ha undulating ex-rainforest country has red basalt soils that have been fully cleared and planted with improved tropical pastures. The high rainfall property (2200mm) is watered by a main dam, three tanks and troughs and several seasonal creeks and springs.

Mr McNamara said most of the interest for Walpuli was coming from locals.

Morecambe Station and Walpuli will be offered separately at auction on December 16.

 

Southern QLD finishing & backgrounding on offer

A finishing and backgrounding country in southern Queensland is attracting strong local interest.

Adjoining grazing properties Theda-Glen and Buckeroo, spanning 1013ha, are situated at Darr Creek, 40km north of Jandowae and 70km from Chinchilla.

Brigalow/belah melonhole country makes up about 65 percent of the property, with the balance timbered open grazing with lighter red brown soils.

There is exceptional grass coverage, conservatively running 150 cows.

Around 200ha is arable, previously farmed, but now carrying established grasses.

Darr Creek traverses the property and provides seasonal waterholes. Water is also secured by three dams and an equipped bore reticulated to tanks and troughs.

Theda-Glen and Buckeroo will be auctioned on December 15. The sale is being handled by Ross Murray from Nutrien Harcourts.

Adjoining grazing properties Theda-Glen and Buckeroo, spanning 1013ha, are situated at Darr Creek, 40km north of Jandowae and 70km from Chinchilla.

 

Backgrounding opportunity in northern NSW

In northern New South Wales, a mixed grazing and cropping property with the potential to convert to a backgrounding operation is being offered for sale by expressions of interest.

The 1237ha The Glen is located 10km south of Delungra and 40km from Inverell on the border of the Northern Tablelands and the North West Slopes and Plains.

For the past 20 years, the property has been held by Blair Burton and Nancy McPherson who are now seeking a new challenge.

Carl Hurford from Nutrien Harcourts Inverell said The Glen boasts 690ha of prime farming basalt soils, is immaculately presented and if converted to a backgrounding operation could run around 2500 head of cattle.

The property has dual frontage to the Hobbs and Spring Creeks and a single frontage to Myall Creek, as well as eight bores.

 

 

Click here to access more properties listed for sale

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