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LOCATED in the heart of arguably the best cattle country in Queensland, 3900ha (9655ac), Billabalong station south of Rolleston has set a price record for the Arcadia Valley region of more than $22 million, following completion of an expressions of interest campaign through Colliers International.

The deal finalised this week included only a small number of stock, mostly the nucleus of the vendors’, the Veivers family’s Talgai Droughtmaster Stud.

Buyer was Central Queensland beef producer John Finger, from Middlemount.

Colliers fielded seven formal expressions of interest for Billabalong, mostly from well-established beef producing families plus some corporates from across Central and Southern Queensland and NSW.

The negotiated price, representing a value of around $5626/ha ($2278/ac) smashed the previous record for developed Arcadia Valley grazing country, representing well above $8000 per adult equivalent. Fully developed country like this in the Arcadia can run a beast to four or five acres.

Properties in the Arcadia Valley rarely change hands, but one recent sale made around $1100/ac, and the previous highest-point in the region, achieved years ago, was believed to be around $1200/ac ($3000/ha).

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As these photos show, Billabalong presently carries a big body of feed – mostly buffel and green panic – and looks ‘fantastic’, compared with most areas of eastern Australia at present.

The tick-free, fully-developed brigalow country is in a high 825mm average annual rainfall zone, and unlike much of the Arcadia features exceptional bore water access, reticulated to outlying areas using poly pipe. The property also has a 250ML irrigation licence.

Superior infrastructure including exceptional stock yard facilities, extensive laneway systems for efficient and easy cattle movement, large modern five-bedroom homestead with pool, and a separate cottage.

Handling the sale were Rawdon Briggs and Ben Forrest from Colliers.

Click the link below to view the Colliers marketing video