THIS week’s property review includes this wrap-up of recently completed sales, and three separate articles on interesting recent listings across New South Wales, Queensland and the Top End of the country.

• Scenic CQ grazing country sells three ways
• Locals expand with versatile grazing country near Augathella
• $9.5m+ for NQ’s well grassed Barragunda

The three holdings comprising the Mt Helmet aggregation near Rolleston attracted good inquiry from locals and the Roma and Charters Towers regions.

Scenic CQ grazing country sells three ways

After being offered to the market earlier this year, the 6160ha Mt Helmet and Pocket Aggregation in Queensland’s Central Highlands has been split three ways.

Located near Minerva, 36km north-west of Springsure and 67km south-west of Emerald, the holding comprises adjoining properties – 3124ha Promenade, 2421ha Mt Helmet and 657ha Pocket.

For the past 36 years, the aggregation has been owned by the Wilson and Bogle families who are Wagyu breeders and trade under the banners of Mt Helmet Beef and Wilson Wagyu.

Greg Hardgrave from CountryCo and David Buckley from Buckley’s Rural Property and Livestock said the three holdings attracted good inquiry from locals and the Roma and Charters Towers regions.

The 3124ha Promenade and 657ha Pocket were purchased by local producers for undisclosed sums, while the 2421ha Mt Helmet was withdrawn from sale and retained by Ross and Julie Wilson.

Both blocks were sold bare of livestock, plant and equipment (although Promenade has a set of cattle yards) and presented well with a good body of fresh feed.

Across the aggregation, the undulating black soil downs grazing country is grassed with buffel, Mitchell and native species with scattered bottle trees, and capable of breeding, finishing and backgrounding around 1430 adult equivalents.

Pocket has views of the Fairbairn Dam and is watered by a bore and permanent hole in the Stoney Creek.

Locals expand with versatile grazing country near Augathella

A local family has paid more than $11.1 million to expand with Wadeholme in south-west Queensland, ending 42 years of ownership by Garry Washbrook.

The 19,733ha of breeding, backgrounding and finishing country are located near Langlo, 90km west of Augathella and 96km north-west of Charleville, and neighbours the 30,759ha Noella which changed hands two years ago.

Elders agent Keith Richardson was unable to disclose the buyer or the price paid, however Wadeholme was passed in at auction for $11.1m (bare of livestock but with some plant and equipment) and sold shortly afterwards for a higher price.

The pulled country is established to buffel pastures, soft natural grasses and a mixture of salines and herbages.

Extensive mulga areas pushed over the years are also growing buffel, as well as extensive low mulga regrowth reserves.

The soft red and chocolate soils support a variety of timbers including gidgee, brigalow, blackbutt, box, sandalwood, yarran and mulga.

Thousands of hectares are flooded and irrigated by the numerous creeks running through the property.

Situated in a 450mm rainfall area, Wadeholme is watered by 14 dams, numerous semi-permanent waterholes, a new sub-bore and two older bores.

Infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, a two-bedroom cottage, cattle yards, an old shearing shed and two sheds.

The pulled country on Wadeholme is established to buffel pastures, soft natural grasses and a mixture of salines and herbages.

$9.5m+ for NQ’s well grassed Barragunda

Two Far North Queensland producers are believed to have paid more than $9.5 million for open downs breeding, backgrounding and finishing country near Hughenden.

The 9269ha Barragunda is located in a tick free area 67km south of Hughenden, and was offered to the market by Peter and Marie Atkinson after 30 years of ownership.

Brodie Agencies agent Tom Brodie was unable to disclose the buyers or the price paid, however during the marketing campaign, the vendors were seeking offers above $1025/ha (bare of livestock, plant and equipment).

Barragunda had been lightly stocked, with some of the country available for immediate access for livestock.

A good body of Mitchell, Flinders and buffel grass, and other native grasses and sweet fattening summer herbages, was growing on pebbly chocolate and red fertile soils.

In an average season, the Atkinsons estimate Barragunda can comfortably carry 1100 cows and calves

Free of prickly acacia, Barragunda has a minor infestation of Parkinsonia along the creek systems that is being controlled by the vendor. A previous, small outbreak of Coral Cactus is being constantly monitored.

Situated in a 475mm rainfall region, Barragunda is watered by a sub-artesian bore and six equipped dams. After a good wet season, numerous short-term waterholes can be found along the Yantee and Gum Creeks.

Infrastructure includes a five-bedroom home, a one-bedroom cottage, steel cattle yards, steel sheep and goat yards, numerous sheds and 20km of exclusion fencing.

Wagyu cattle on Barragunda, near Hughenden