THIS week’s property review includes this summary of interesting recent listings across the Northern Territory and Western Australia, separate articles on recent listings in NSW and Queensland, and a wrap-up of recently completed sales.

• Kalyeeda Station standout Kimberley holding
• Wanna Station offers scale
• Price drop for NT’s Benmara

Droughtmaster cattle on open country on Kalyeeda, southwest of Fitzroy Crossing

Kalyeeda Station standout Kimberley holding

Well established pastoralists and high net worths from Australia are showing strong interest in an immaculately presented Kimberley cattle breeding, backgrounding and finishing operation listed for offers above $27.5 million.

The 122,519ha Kalyeeda Station is located 140km south-west of Fitzroy Crossing and 220km south-east of Derby. It has been stewarded by Peter Camp and family since 1995, with the sale part of family succession planning.

Progressively developed over their 30-year ownership, the Camps have invested significant capital into Kalyeeda (pictured above), including a state-of-the-art cattle yard complex completed in May last year at an estimated cost of $900,000.

Extensive quality plant and equipment are included in the sale, along with more than 9000 head of mostly Droughtmaster cattle (with a high Bos indicus content).

According to the Camps, over the past five years, Kalyeeda has mustered on average 11,900 head a year.

LAWD agent Olivia Thompson who has been appointed to handle the expressions of interest campaign closing on July 15, said it was an exceptional opportunity to acquire one of the Kimberley’s standout pastoral holdings.

“Kalyeeda boasts impeccable infrastructure, a high-quality herd and 40,000ha of productive flood-out land with consistently strong natural and improved pastures across the remainder of the property,” she said.

“The Camp family has invested decades of care, vision and hard work into Kalyeeda, transforming it into a meticulously developed and highly respected station now ready for its next chapter.”

The property is boundary fenced and has a mix of open forest, some red sandplains and 40,000ha of fertile Fitzroy River and Kalyeeda Creek floodplains featuring rich cracking clays that support Mitchell, paragrass, birdwood, bundle and ribbon grass, as well as curly spinifex.

Paddocks are serviced by 21 solar equipped bores, Fitzroy River frontage, 12 permanent and semi-permanent billabongs and four dams, supported by 450mm of annual rainfall.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home, a three-bedroom home, staff accommodation, numerous sheds and two cattle yards.

Wanna Station offers scale

After 20 years of ownership, Bill Biggs is hoping to raise between $7 million and $8 million for Wanna Station in Western Australia’s Gascoyne region, offered with more than 4000 head of cattle.

Originally known as Elliot Creek, the 360,337ha of breeding and finishing country is located near Mount Augustus, 230km north-east of the Gascoyne Junction and 400km from Carnarvon.

In the mid-1950s Elliot Creek was re-named Wanna Station. During the 1990s, the owners sold the northern portion of Wanna (the southernmost end of the Hammersley Ranges) to the Department of Conservation and Land Management and subsequently purchased the neighbouring Gifford Creek. Today, the amalgamation is known as Wanna Station.

Wanna is typical Gascoyne country with 50 percent high to moderate value pastoral land rated to run 3600 cattle units.

It is currently carrying 3500 head plus breeders and followers with broadleaf and narrow leaf mulga the dominant and most abundant browse.

Land types range from a higher value river system and flood out country to plains growing acacia, bluebush and saltbush running up to rugged ranges.

The Lyons River floods over an estimated 50,000ha of the Wanna country, with the abundant buffel and native grasses used to grow out and finish sale cattle most years.

Wanna is serviced by 57 equipped bores (32 with trap yards) in a 250 mm rainfall region.

Infrastructure includes a five-bedroom home, a five-bedroom staff quarters, numerous sheds and two cattle yards.

Elders agent Greg Smith, who is handling the two stage expressions of interest process closing on July 24, described Wanna Station as a good family sized cattle property.

Yards on Wanna, in WA’s Gascoyne region

Price drop for NT’s Benmara

Northern Territory cattle station Benmara has been listed for offers around $35 million after failing to sell following an expressions of interest campaign.

Situated in the Barkly Tablelands region, the 451,176ha holding is located east of Cresswell and Newcastle Waters and 100km west of the Queensland/Northern Territory border – making it well located to service both the northern live export market, as well as processing works on the eastern seaboard.

In May 2023, Sam Mitchell from Sydney-based Wealthcheck paid $40m bare for Benmara, bought from prominent Mungindi-based producer Malcolm Harris, who had paid $12m bare for Benmara back in 2016.

When Wealthcheck was placed into liquidation a year later, global energy and commodities firm Hartree Partners, who had partnered with Mr Mitchell to run an HIR carbon project on Benmara, took over.

Benmara has diverse landscapes and pasture types, including lateritic and sandstone plains, alluvial floodplains, granite plains, clay plains and sandstone hills.

The open Barkly Downs and forest country has benefited from good rainfall and pasture growth.

Offered with an estimated carrying capacity of 17,500 Adult Equivalents, Benmara has been largely destocked over the past 18 months, however clean skin cattle will be offered as part of the “as is, where is” sales process.

CBRE Agribusiness agents John Harrison and Andrew Loughnan, who are handling the sale, said Benmara offers significant potential for further development and expansion, as well as income diversification.

Water infrastructure includes 20 bores supplying 90 tanks and troughs (most of which have been developed within a 2km grazing radius). Additional water is supplied by 19 dams, numerous watercourses and eight springs which provide seasonal waterholes.

Infrastructure includes three homes, staff quarters, cattle yards and numerous sheds, as well as new and upgraded fencing.

Brahman cattle in a set of yards on Benmara