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.

• Roberts family offers Western Division’s Pulgamurtie Station
• NT’s Aroona Station returns to the market
• EOI’s for Jundah’s Hayfield
• Roma calf factory tipped to make $20m+
• Chinese family offload Liverpool Plains country
• $12m for Warkton Plateau grazing country
• NQ’s Moonby returns for $11.1m
• New England asset lists for $16m

Roberts family offers Western Division’s Pulgamurtie Station

After 75 years of family ownership, Grant Roberts is selling his far western New South Wales cattle and sheep property, roughly the size of Singapore.

The 74,663ha Pulgamurtie Station is located near Packsaddle, 26km east of the Silver City Highway and 235km north-east of Broken Hill, in the state’s Western Division.

The well-balanced station, pictured above, is suited to both cattle and sheep, with a long-term carrying capacity of 17,000-20,000 DSE.

In recent years, Pulgamurtie has transitioned from a mixed enterprise running cattle and sheep to just cattle.

The country is diverse, ranging from stony undulating land to tableland plains with heavier loam soils, vegetated sandhills and expansive lake and creek systems.

Having been run conservatively in recent years, the property is presenting with abundant feed.

Public marketing is about to commence, with Colliers agents Jesse Manuel and Rawdon Briggs appointed to handle the sale.

Mr Manuel said Pulgamurtie Station is an attractive breeding and backgrounding property that would operate well as a standalone enterprise or suit a larger supply chain business.

“The property is well located for the widespread sourcing and marketing of livestock, being central to a range of renowned livestock regions including the Channel Country, Riverina and South Australia’s pastoral region,” Mr Manuel said.

Pulgamurtie would serve well as a depot for cattle coming out of the northern regions for backgrounding on route to southern markets.

Mr Briggs identified significant value-add opportunities.

“The incoming purchaser could increase productivity through further development of water infrastructure and fencing in the north-west part of the property, and possibility crop on the lakes country, subject to necessary approvals.”

Mr Briggs said Pulgamurtie offers strong productive capacity, as well as significant environmental features.

“It is also home to the largest lake in the bio-region with extensive wetlands and creek systems occupying a significant portion of the station and offering both feed and water security.

Situated in a 220mm average annual rainfall region, Pulgamurtie is watered by dams and a bore.

Infrastructure includes a five-bedroom home, workers accommodation, numerous sheds and five livestock yards.

Pulgamurtie is being offered for sale on a walk-in walk-out basis by expressions of interest closing on June 13.

 

NT’s Aroona Station returns to the market

Meantime, an expressions of interest campaign is about to commence for Northern Territory cattle station, Aroona Station.

The 147,510ha Aroona is a well-developed breeding and backgrounding property in the Upper Victoria River district, 90km south-west of Katherine.

It last traded hands three years ago when a South Australian family purchased it from Hancock Agriculture and S. Kidman & Co.

At the time, Beef Central was told the $41.25 million walk-in walk-out deal included 15,400 head of mixed cattle.

Colliers Agribusiness agents Jesse Manuel and Rawdon Briggs have been appointed to handle the WIWO sale including 15,000 adult equivalents, however no price guide has been offered.

Mr Manuel said in addition to its breeding and backgrounding capabilities, Aroona would fit neatly into a larger supply chain operation as a value-add depot asset for young cattle.

The country comprises a mix of shrubs, alluvial flood plains, plateaus, woodlands and basalt hills, with abundant surface water offered by the extensive Flora River and the Haywood, Aroona and Mathison Creeks.

Mr Briggs said one of Aroona’s key attributes was its accessibility.

“Occupying a prime position on the Victoria Highway, the station is close to key infrastructure assets within the live export supply chain, with its main loading yards and homestead situated 7km off the Victoria Highway.”

Mr Briggs said the exceptional operational improvements started (by Ms Rinehart) five to seven years ago have been continued by the current owner.

“Upgrades include fencing, yards, buildings and refurbishing bores, as well as the addition of extensive brand-new infrastructure and water improvements such as new tanks and solar bore pumps and a telemetry system to monitor tank levels.”

Offering reliable rainfall, abundant water, accessibility, proximity to Katherine and quality infrastructure, Mr Manuel said Aroona was a ‘jewel in the crown’ asset that should attract strong interest from a broad market.

Expressions of interest for Aroona Station close on July 5.

 

EOI’s for Jundah’s Hayfield

Backgrounding, breeding and finishing country in central-western Queensland is being offered for sale by Kerri Barton who is downsizing.

The 31,708ha Hayfield is located 40km west of Jundah and 100km north of Windorah, with the original lease held by the family for 75 years.

The country is suited to cattle, sheep or goats and has previously run a fine wool Merino sheep breeding enterprise.

For almost 20 years, Ms Barton has been breeding cattle and since 2014, has been conservatively managing and lightly stocking Hayfield.

Presently enjoying an exceptional season, the property is growing a variety of grasses including Mitchell, Flinders and buffel, with large areas of flood-out country growing sweet fattening high quality feed.

Most of the country is soft chocolate, pebbly gidgee and scattered gidgee flats, Mitchell grass open downs, soft red mulga country with drought reserve, open grassy plains, some range and spinifex.

Around 8093ha is exclusion fenced.

Watered by 13 dams and three bores, there are numerous creeks and gullies that provide flood-out and are well established with buffel grass.

Infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, a two-bedroom unit and cattle yards.

Elders agent Keith Richardson is handling the sale of Hayfield which is being offered by expressions of interest closing on June 5.

 

Roma calf factory tipped to make $20m+

More than $20 million is anticipated for a calf factory in southern Queensland’s Maranoa region.

The 8381ha Stratton is located 60km south of Roma and is being offered by the O’Brien family from Walgett after six years of ownership.

Described as a well-appointed and presented property, Stratton is home to 900 breeders and conservatively stocked with spring calving weaners trucked south in April/May.

In the past, Stratton operated as a backgrounding operation turning off 2400 feeder weight cattle per annum.

Nutrien Ag Solutions Clemson Hiscox & Co agent Russell Hiscox reports widespread inquiry from local, northern South Australian and Gulf producers.

The heavy belah country has improved pastures growing a tremendous body of feed following 180mm of rain in March and early April.

Around 170ha of the soft, loamy soils that extend toward the fertile creek flats have been recently developed to cultivation with the intention of growing some sorghum for silage.

Most of the property is fully exclusion fenced, with the exception of the northern boundary.

Stratton benefits from 10km of double frontage to the Muckadilla Creek, permanent and semi-permanent waterholes, two bores and 26 dams.

Infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, steel cattle yards and numerous sheds.

Stratton is being offered for sale by expressions of interest closing on June 14.

 

Chinese family offload Liverpool Plains country

A Chinese family trading as Mooney Pastoral has listed its cropping and cattle enterprise on the south-western edge of the renowned Liverpool Plains of northern New South Wales.

The 2287ha Tuwinga is a versatile and productive farm near Bundella, halfway between Quirindi and Gunnedah.

Purchased privately in 2018, Tuwinga has not been publicly offered to market since it was settled in the mid-1800s by the Traill family.

The vendors are retaining their other Bundella cattle property Telargra, spanning 3830ha and running more than 7000 head of cattle.

Anticipated to make around $8000/ha to $9000/ha, Elders agent Ben Green said Tuwinga is attracting strong interest from locals and city investors.

The property is suited to an integrated breeding, backgrounding, finishing enterprise on sheltered, heavy chocolate basalt grazing slopes.

Under the current ownership, Tuwinga has been run as a cattle breeding and trading enterprise together with summer and winter crop production.

Mr Green said stocking rates depend on farming rotations and the turnover of trade cattle.

“If converted to solely grazing, Tuwinga could run up to 13,000DSE or 900 breeding cows.”

The country on Tuwinga features alluvial creek flats to contoured farming slopes, rising to undulating hills and steeper range country associated with Moores Mountain.

Mr Green said Tuwinga is a proven performer offering a huge production upside.

“There is potential to further develop the grazing area by applying fertiliser to native grazing areas and/or further developing the improved pasture base.”

Tuwinga is watered by an 8.2km Tamalie Creek frontage, four equipped bores, several unequipped bores/wells, supplemented by dams and spring-fed gullies.

Infrastructure includes two four-bedroom homes, a worker’s cottage, numerous sheds, a five-stand shearing shed, steel cattle and sheep yards.

Tuwinga will be auctioned on June 13.

 

$12m for Warkton Plateau grazing country

After 20 years, Adrian and Elizabeth Betts have listed their Warkton Plateau grazing country in New South Wales’ central west tablelands region for $12 million (bare).

The 2209ha Redbank is situated 28km south of Coonabarabran and is currently covered in thick stands of natural and introduced grasses.

The property is conservatively running 6000 sheep and 500 cattle and followers on mostly heavy chocolate and red basalts tablelands country which runs to the eastern fall.

Around 552ha is arable and 167ha timbered.

During their ownership, the Betts have holistically cell grazed Redbank and this has increased productivity and lifted soil carbon sequestration.

Ray White Rural agent Chris Korff said scale was attracting producers from as far south as Wagga and as far north as Queensland.

Redbank is watered by six equipped bores, 14 dams and three creeks supported by 700mm of rain.

Infrastructure includes three homes, a cottage, two sheds, a six-stand shearing shed, three steel sheep yards, two cattle yards and more than 220 tonnes of grain storage.

 

NQ’s Moonby returns for $11.1m

North-west Queensland’s Moonby Station has returned to the market with an $11.1 million (bare) price tag.

Listed by Bob and Margie Little after more than 80 years of family ownership, the 10,312ha property is fully exclusion fenced and situated 37km south-west of Hughenden.

The backgrounding or finishing block has been set up for sheep and cattle, with the Littles conservatively running sheep and agisting cattle.

Estimated to run 1250 adult equivalents in an average year, the stocking rate is much higher this year.

Wharton & Co agent John Wharton said Moonby is enjoying a very good season.

“Properties like this rarely come on the market. The heavy carrying country is virtually destocked and carrying a terrific body of feed including Mitchell and Flinders grass with some buffel and herbages.”

Noted for its heavy carrying capacity, the undulating tight gidgee pebble country has soft self-cracking soils in a 457mm average annual rainfall region.

Located on the Flinders River watershed, Moonby is watered by the Wariana and Little Wariana Creeks, supported by other channels and three bores (two equipped).

The infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, a self-contained cottage, three sheds, a five-stand shearing shed, shearers quarters, sheep yards and portable panel cattle yards.

 

New England asset lists for $16m

A highly regarded grazing asset in northern New South Wales’ New England has returned to the market with an asking price of $16 million.

The 2237ha Glanmire Station has been held by the Coventry family since 1986.

Twelve months ago and after nearly 40 years of ownership, the family listed Glanmire together with the nearby 2573ha Laura Station, located 10km from Bundarra, 55km from Inverell and 65km from Armidale.

After failing to sell, Glanmire has returned to the market with the family deciding to retain Laura (one of a number of district properties acquired by the late fine wool grower Sperry Coventry).

The country on Glanmire is gently undulating and open with well grassed and well sheltered paddocks with a high percentage of productive arable land.

While Glanmire has historically run sheep or a mixture of sheep and cattle, Ray White Rural agent Andrew Starr expects most of the interest to come from producers seeking a standalone beef breeding operation.

“With its reliable rainfall and kilos of production, the greater New England region typically attracts southern and central Queensland producers seeking to turn off heavy weight weaners.”

The ideal breeding or backgrounding country is capable of running 16,000DSE or a 900 head self-replacing beef herd and according to Mr Starr, offers good value for money.

“Glanmire is also suited to Wagyu production and there are many purebred and Fullblood operations in the area due to its reliable breeding reputation.”

Mr Starr said Glanmire lent itself to further improvement through pasture cropping.

Current management had recently finished planting more than 160ha of modern perennial pasture species plus clovers over sown with annual oats.

Glanmire features Gwydir River frontage, supported by the Two Mile Creek, a bore and several dams.

The infrastructure includes a three-bedroom cottage, steel cattle yards, a five-stand shearing shed and two sheep yards.