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.

• $16m price tag for FNQ breeder country
• Bylong Aggregation lists for $13.5m-$15.5m
• Northern Tablelands aggregation to be split up
• Grazing block in southern NSW offers upside
• Carbon income on CQ finishing & backgrounding holding
• Five high rainfall properties offer scale in NSW

Brahman cattle on Gorge Creek, North of Hughenden

$16m price tag for FNQ breeder country

Brett Wehl is selling his large-scale northern Queensland breeder property with renewable energy potential, with hopes of raising $16 million.

The 43,500ha Gorge Creek Station is adjacent to Blackbraes National Park in the basalt 220km north of Hughenden in far north Queensland.

After 24 years of ownership, it is being sold with 1900 branded females and followers, as well as some plant.

TopX agent Brett Christie said Gorge Creek has been identified as having enormous renewable energy potential.

“The vendor is currently in negotiation with interested parties (developers and investors), as well as cattle producers looking for breeder country,” he said.

“Gorge Creek offers plenty of feed and water, and plenty of scope to increase numbers with further development,” Mr Christie said.

The forest grazing country is grassed with an abundance of mostly native grasses, and a strong influence of seca stylo and wynne cassia.

Around 800ha was previously cultivated and could potentially be used to grow hay.

Offered with carrying capacity of 3000 Adult Equivalents, Gorge Creek’s numbers could be lifted given the property’s abundant water and development potential, Mr Christie said.

Gorge Creek is abundantly watered by numerous dams and springs and eight bores (mostly equipped with solar), in an 812mm average rainfall region.

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

Bylong Aggregation lists for $13.5m-$15.5m

Local producers and Sydney investors are showing good interest in a Central New South Wales mixed grazing and farming operation listed with a $13.5 million to $15.5 million price guide.

The 2545ha Burrumbelong Aggregation is located on the favoured western side of the renowned Bylong Valley, 40km from Rylstone and 80km from Mudgee.

Comprising adjoining Burrumbelong, Montoro, Thornvale and Oakey Mountain, the aggregation has been held by a local family for more than 50 years and is being sold as a result of ‘inter-generational change.’

With a potential carrying capacity of more than 17,000DSE, the country is typically undulating and rolling hills in the valleys between elevated heavily wooded forests and escarpments.

Around 1200ha is suitable for cropping and or improved pasture development and a further 480ha is productive native grazing country.

The arable country consists of 50pc non-calcic brown, 30pc solodic and 15pc red and brown soils, favourable for winter and summer forage cropping and the establishment of sub-tropical perennials and clovers.

The holding is watered by seven bores (three are equipped), 19 dams and Burrumbelong Creek frontage, supported by 630mm of average annual rainfall.

Infrastructure includes two homes, two cattle yards and two sheds.

Burrumbelong is being offered for sale by expressions of interest closing on December 11. McGrath agents Stewart Adlington and Ingrid Kazzi are handling the sale.

Northern Tablelands aggregation to be split up

John Kennedy will list his aggregation of five Northern NSW Tablelands grazing properties as separate holdings over the next 12 months.

The 4468ha Runnymede Aggregation is situated near Yarrowyck, 36km from Uralla and 42km west of Armidale. It comprises adjoining holdings Runnymede, Eureka South, Trida, Stonebrook and Sand Creek – aggregated by Mr Kennedy over 23 years.

The first holding offered to the market is the 1236ha Runnymede, a breeding or backgrounding enterprise equally suited to cattle or sheep. With 90pc arable, it is also suitable for cropping or a combination of both.

Listed for $9.4 million, it features mostly granite soils, complemented by some areas of basalt country.

For the past 15 years, Runnymede has been running 600 breeders, however Nutrien Harcourts agent Joel Fleming said numbers could be lifted with additional improved pastures, fertiliser and the expansion of supplementary crops.

“Runnymede is a well-maintained, productive property with the hard work done. The entire property is fertilised annually with single super and oversown with clover (with the exception of 2019). Around 400ha is sown to premier digit tropical pasture, ensuring optimal grazing year-round.”

Runneymede has 33 dams (eight are spring fed) in a 750-800mm average annual rainfall region.

The infrastructure includes two cottages, numerous sheds, a five-stand shearing shed, sheep and cattle yards.

Grazing block in southern NSW offers upside

A picturesque grazing block on south-west slopes of New South Wales offering further upside has been listed for sale by Lyn Picker for $6.2 million.

The 1116ha Graham and The Gap are well located properties near Hovells Creek, halfway between Boorowa and Cowra.

Over the past 45 years, the property has been managed by two successive generations of women, with Lyn Picker selling to retire.

Featuring creek flats to gently undulating country, as well as some steeper hills, the heavy black soils and mostly decomposed granites are growing a substantial body of feed.

In previous years, Graham and The Gap earnt an outstanding reputation for fine wool production.

Today, the properties are conservatively stocked with 100 cows and calves, 300 weaner cattle, plus 200 ewes and lambs but with further development could run much higher numbers.

Kirshner and Mackay Property and Livestock agent Aaron Mackay said the absence of any fertiliser, chemical or pasture improvement makes the property suitable for organic grazing and farming (subject to the usual approval process for certification).

The property is well watered by the Gap Creek and 26 dams and numerous springs.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home, a five-stand shearing shed, steel sheep yards, cattle yards, horse stables and numerous sheds.

The 1116ha Graham and The Gap are well located properties near Hovells Creek, halfway between Boorowa and Cowra.

Carbon income on CQ finishing & backgrounding holding

The Gunthorpe family is selling its finishing and backgrounding country in Central Queensland, with four registered soil carbon projects.

The 1385ha Green Yards is situated in a tightly held area, 38km north-east of Theodore and halfway between Moura and Banana.

Ray White Rural agent Richard Brosnan is anticipating good interest from locals, producers moving cattle from north to south and those who have done their homework and are excited about the carbon soil project.

“While many places are offered with carbon potential, sales of properties with a registered carbon project are few and far between. Green Yards has four sites, with ACCUs issued after just two years,” he said.

Registered in March 2022, Green Yards has four soil carbon projects, with two of the projects recently awarded a combined 9329 ACCU credits.

As an indicative guide and according to CORE Markets, the ACCU spot price traded at $40.50 on November 13. Refer to Beef Central’s homepage Industry Dashboard graphs for ACCU price history.

Mr Brosnan said a key benefit for the incoming purchaser was that the owners paid for the baseline soil sampling at the commencement of the project.

“Agriprove, who is running the project, is monitoring the four sites to ascertain the best time to test for increased soil carbon retention, and the possibility of further ACCU credits being issued,” he said.

Around 350ha of Green Yards is brigalow and softwood scrub country developed to buffel and green panic pastures, with the balance a mix of open and shaded downs country.

The holding is watered by four bores, three dams with seasonal semi-permanent springs along the Lonesome Creek, in a 596mm average rainfall area.

The only infrastructure is a set of steel cattle yards.

Five high rainfall properties offer scale in NSW

Five high rainfall grazing properties listed for sale on the renowned Southern Tablelands of New South Wales offer purchasers the opportunity to aggregate or secure them as single holdings.

Located in the Crookwell district, close to Goulburn and Canberra, the neighbouring Clovelly and Rosemont are 15 minutes from Hazeldean and another 10 minutes to the adjoining Darlington and Bald Hill.

The three operation hubs have two homes and are capable of running 20,850 Dry Sheep Equivalents.

LAWD agent Col Medway said the assets would suit a range of investors – from entry-level families wanting to start their farming journey to experienced managers seeking scale.

Hazeldean

Sydney Channel 7 newsreader Mark Ferguson and his wife Jayne, a non-executive director of Commonwealth Games Australia, have listed their picturesque sheep and cattle property for $8.5m or $10,932/ha.

The 775ha Hazeldean is located 33km from Crookwell and 72km from Canberra and is suited to any combination of store lamb, fine wool and cattle production.

Purchased by the couple in 2015, the Fergusons have invested significantly in improvements to pastures, fencing and water supply.

They have also upgraded livestock handling facilities and renovated the historic Hazeldean homestead.

Mr Ferguson said it would be tough to say goodbye to the property.

“I have loved the journey over the past ten years but family priorities change and it is time to hand Hazeldean over to someone new. I am very proud of the improvements we have undertaken resulting in a very productive block.”

LAWD’s Col Medway said Hazeldean should appeal to a wide range of buyers, particularly given the improvements to infrastructure and the flexibility of enterprise.

“It provides an ideal add-on enterprise for existing operators outside the Crookwell district who are seeking geographic diversity, or investors looking for a turnkey, hands-off rural investment.”

Capable of running 7650 Dry Sheep Equivalents, the property has a history of carrying 3000 Merino ewes joined to terminal sires for store lamb production and can run 150 cows on agistment in a weaner production system.

Currently managed under a long-term contract with no obligation to continue, Mr Medway said Hazeldean presents a turnkey investment for those seeking management solutions.

Complementing the high annual rainfall of 783mm, Hazeldean is securely watered by 1.3km of double frontage to Phils River and 2.7km of single frontage to Berrells Creek supported by 25 dams.

Infrastructure includes an historic, fully renovated four-bedroom home, a four-stand shearing shed, steel sheep yards and numerous sheds.

Rosemont

The 826ha Rosemont is a well-appointed livestock breeding and grazing opportunity being sold by the Seaman family for $8.9 million or $10,777/ha.

Located 8km from Golspie and 36km from Crookwell, it is suited to pasture and crop production and offered with a 5900DSE carrying capacity.

Currently, the enterprise is growing improved and native pastures and running a 5200 head self-replacing Merino flock producing 18.5 micron wool, in addition to 60 cows and progeny.

Rosemont is renowned for its prize-winning fine wools that feature regularly in the Australian Fleece Competition, with the Seamans being the only commercial producers in 21 years to win Grand Champion Fleece against national stud and commercial entries.

The country rises from fertile creek flats through to arable slopes and grazing hillsides and is watered by dams and double frontage to two creeks.

The fit-for-purpose operational improvements to support sheep and cattle enterprises include a four-stand shearing shed, steel sheep and cattle yards, a shed and two silos with 60 tonnes of grain capacity.

Clovelly

Next door, the 408ha Clovelly is a livestock breeding and finishing platform rated to run 3900DSE.

Located 5km from Golspie and 25km from Crookwell, it features creek flats rising to arable slopes and grazing hillsides.

Developed over 10 years by former NRL chief executive Neil Whittaker and wife Liz, Clovelly has been listed for $4.95m or $12,115/ha.

The couple run a self-replacing Merino flock with ewes joined to Merino rams and a portion of the progeny joined to Border Leicesters for first cross ewes, which are then joined to Poll Dorsets for prime lamb production.

Equally, Clovelly could be converted to a beef enterprise or provide agistment for cattle.

Water is supplied by dams and double frontage to the Bolong River and Mianga Creek.

Improvements include a three-bedroom home, 15km of new fencing, a two-stand shearing shed, three sheep yards, numerous sheds and a 30-tonne silo.

The adjoining 439ha Darlington and Bald Hill have been listed for $4.5m ($10,251/ha) and operate as a single enterprise running 3400DSE.

Darlington

The 358ha Darlington is a breeding platform equally suited to cattle or sheep.

The block is located near Binda, 27km from Crookwell, and has been listed for $3.8m or $10,614/ha.

The country rises from creek flats to arable slopes and grazing hillsides. The granite soils are growing native perennial grass and clover pastures capable of running 2800DSE, with further upside.

Securely watered by 17 dams and double frontage to the permanent Diamond Creek.

Infrastructure includes a three-stand shearing shed, two steel sheep yards and two steel cattle yards.

The 358ha Darlington is a breeding platform equally suited to cattle or sheep.

Bald Hill

The adjoining 81ha Bald Hill is rated to run 600DSE and also offers further upside.

In a normal season, the livestock breeding platform has the capacity to support 40 cows and calves in a weaner production system or 335 ewes in a store lamb enterprise.

Rising to arable slopes and grazing hillsides, the block is scattered with majestic yellow box trees and offers a favourable northern aspect.

Listed for sale for $990,000, Bald Hill has granite soils growing well fertilised native perennial grass and clover pastures.

It is securely watered by two dams.