THIS week’s property review includes this wrap-up of recently completed sales, and two separate articles on interesting recent listings across the country, both north and south.
- Hughes family snaps up NT’s Murray Downs
- Overseas investor secures Jundah’s Hayfield
- Riverina grazing country sells at auction
Murray Downs homestead and yards complex
Hughes family snaps up NT’s Murray Downs
Clermont’s Richard and Dyan Hughes and family have made their first foray into the Northern Territory, purchasing Murray Downs Station from Filipino lawyer, businessman and property developer Romeo Roxas.
The 559,500ha operation is located in the lower Barkly Tablelands region, 195km south of Tennant Creek and 400km north of Alice Springs.
The walk-in walk-out sale included 10,000 quality Santa Gertrudis cows, heifers and followers.
Earlier this month, the Central Queensland producers (trading as Wentworth Cattle Co) listed their quality breeding and finishing country in North Queensland, with son Bristow telling Beef Central, the sale would facilitate expansion into other areas.
Held for five years, the Hughes’ 18,970ha Tabletop Station is located 23km north of Collinsville and 70 km south-west of Bowen and will be auctioned on a bare basis on October 3 by Queensland Rural.
The Hughes family has also listed the 3613ha Eleanor Farm which sits on the northern rim of Central Queensland’s renowned Kilcummin farming district. Featuring heavy black soil country, in a reliable rainfall area, 2487ha have been developed to dryland cultivation. It will be auctioned on November 1 by RBV Rural.
Bristow Hughes was unable to disclose the price paid for Murray Downs, but said the Northern Territory offered value, scale and potential to expand the family’s breeder operations.
Murray Downs
The soft mulga and buffel breeding country is able to run between 10,000 and 12,000 breeders, with the Davenport Ranges to the north providing excellent flood-out.
Murray Downs is watered by 34 bores (30 are solar powered) and benefits from the Amelia, Skinner and Murray Creek systems, as well as seasonal waterholes.
Purchased by Mr Roxas’ Australian Green Properties in 2015, Murray Downs has undergone extensive water, fencing and structural improvements.
Infrastructure includes numerous renovated residences, including a four-bedroom home, numerous sheds and 12 cattle yards.
When it was offered to the market in July, Nutrien Russell Property and Livestock agent David Russell said the holding offered further development opportunities.
“Mr Roxas has spent millions of dollars upgrading the stations he has purchased and is still undertaking works on Murray Downs, including a new set of cattle yards,” he said.
“Additionally, there is a mountain of poly pipe, tanks and troughs yet to be installed. It is a ‘work in progress’ and if not completed by settlement, will be handed on to the new owner,” Mr Russell said.
Overseas investor secures Jundah’s Hayfield
An overseas investor has paid around the $4.7 million asking price for backgrounding, breeding and finishing country in central-western Queensland.
The 31,708ha Hayfield, 40km west of Jundah and 100km north of Windorah, was sold by Kerri Barton, with the original lease held by Pidgeon family for nearly 70 years.
Elders agent Keith Richardson was unable to disclose the buyer or the price paid, but when Hayfield was listed earlier this year it was offered with a $4.7m price tag (bare of stock and plant).
The country is suited to cattle, sheep or goats and has previously run a fine wool Merino sheep breeding enterprise.
Hayfield 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.
Hayfield is growing a variety of grasses including Mitchell, Flinders and buffel, with large areas of flood-out country growing sweet fattening high quality feed.
Riverina grazing country sells at auction
Riverina breeding and finishing country has exceeded expectations selling at auction for more than $2.6 million.
The 2527ha Yerrinbool, 18km east of Maude and 35km west of Hay, is low input pastoral country suited to sheep, goats and cattle.
It was sold by Tim and Tamara Mulholland from Noorong in New South Wales.
The purchasers were Victorian famers Alistair and Simone Murdoch (Kooloonong, 80km north-west of Swan Hill) and Melbourne-based Kevin and Tatiana O’Loughlin.
During the marketing campaign, Yerrinbool was offered with a $1000/ha ($400/ac) price guide.
Elders agent Matt Horne said after strong participation, the property achieved $1038/ha ($420/acre).
Yerrinbool features a mix of blue bush, cotton bush, salt bush, lignum, winter and summer grasses, medics and trefoil clover, with good weed management.
Under conservative management, it has been consistently carrying between 1200 to 1300 ewes plus replacements, with scope to run additional numbers when seasons permit.
Water is secured via the Darcoola Joint Water Authority, strategically positioned tanks and troughs and a 7ML water allocation.
Infrastructure includes a two-bedroom cottage, a four-stand shearing shed, sheep yards and sheds.
The 2527ha Yerrinbool, 18km east of Maude and 35km west of Hay, is low input pastoral country suited to sheep, goats and cattle.