Investor pays about $50m for Burmah Aggregation in NSW

New agriculture investment vehicle, Wilga Farming, has paid around $50 million for the Burmah Aggregation on the north-west slopes of New South Wales.

Wilga Farming is managed by Gunn Agri Partners, an Australian manager focused on sustainable farmland management, backed by minority stakeholders the Canadian pension fund CDPQ and the Federal Government’s ‘green bank’ Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

Burmah is a diversified mixed farming operation currently supporting cattle breeding and finishing together with dual-purpose crops and fodder production.

The 5437ha aggregation is located 10km from Graman and 30km north-east of Warialda and comprises four strategically acquired and developed properties operated as a single holding.

It was listed in May after seven years ownership by Macquarie Bank’s Paraway Pastoral who said it was part of the active management of its portfolio to realise some of the capital growth for investors.

The company stated the money raised would be reinvested to further develop its business and other properties.

LAWD director Danny Thomas was appointed to handle the sale of Burmah Station and confirmed a transaction had occurred, but was unable to disclose the buyer or the price paid.

Burmah sits at an elevation of 550m, and with a Summer-dominant average annual rainfall of 765mm is suited to cattle breeding and finishing in combination with crop and fodder production. Conservatively stocked, the property is rated to run 40,000DSE.

Around 2773ha has been developed for dryland cropping, 2103ha is used for grazing, with the 561ha balance made up of timbered grazing and remnant timber. Water is supplied by seven bores and catchment dams.

Fit-for-purpose infrastructure includes three dwellings, two livestock yards, a shearing shed and multiple sheds, as well as 410t of grain storage.

In May, Wilga Farming purchased its first asset, the 1237ha The Glen for around $11m.

The immaculately presented grazing and cropping country is located 10km south of Delungra and 40km from Inverell, on the border of the state’s northern tablelands and the north-west slopes and plains.

The Glen boasts 690ha of high performing farming basalt soils growing canola, wheat and field peas.

Areas of developed open grazing country are carrying a good body of native pastures and if converted to a backgrounding operation could run around 2500 head of cattle.

The property has dual frontage to the Hobbs and Spring Creeks and a single frontage to Myall Creek, as well as eight bores.

A month after purchasing The Glen, Wilga reported it was considering a range of initiatives to improve farm productivity, such as reducing synthetic fertiliser use and improving irrigation, grazing and soil carbon management.

Western Australia’s The Glen is a great opportunity

After a lifetime on the land, Carrolup farmer Rob Ladyman is selling his mixed dryland cropping and livestock breeding and finishing opportunity in the renowned Great Southern region of Western Australia.

The 1652ha property has been farmed by his family for more than 100 years, The Glen is located 15km west of Katanning and 17km east of Kojonup.

The Glen is expected to command between $18 million ($11,000/ha) and $21.5 million ($13,000ha). Strong enquiry is coming from locals and Great Southern farmers looking to relocate in order to expand.

The property comprises 20 adjoining lots and benefits from fertile soil types and 477mm of average annual rainfall, providing ideal conditions to support crop and pasture growth.

The 1312ha of arable farming country is gently undulating with mostly grey sandy and shallow loamy duplex soils growing barley, canola and oats.

Over the past six years, crop production average yields achieved 4.1t/ha of barley, 2.3t/ha of canola and 4.2t/ha of oats.

The balance of country has been running 3000 ewes and followers, as well as 870 deer. The Glen is watered by 33 dams and five metered scheme water connections.

Infrastructure includes two homes, a workshop, a fertiliser shed, a five-stand shearing shed, sheep yards and 13 silos with a total storage capacity of 400 tonnes.

LAWD agent William Morris is handling the sale of The Glen as one line or as separate parcels via expressions of interest closing on December 19.

Offers of $15m expected for QLD property

Offers of around $15 million are anticipated for Grimwade and Gordon’s irrigation asset in south-west Queensland.

The 1520ha exclusion fenced Melrose, 3km west of Cunnamulla, is an aggregation of two properties first purchased in 2019 and then added to in 2022.

The significant Warrego River irrigation asset sources 6388ML of water from the Cunnamulla Weir, supported by an additional 300ML underground licence, as well as a bore.

The 462ha of established irrigation (using lateral and central pivots) and 1000ha of grazing country currently support Grimwade and Gordon’s livestock depot. Previously the property focused on table grape and crop production.

Colliers Agribusiness agent Nicholas Warmington said with grey self-mulching cracking clays and red brown earth soils, Melrose has the capacity to produce several crop and fodder varieties.

Colliers Agribusiness boss Rawdon Briggs said the business falls outside of the operation requirements of the vendor.

“With established low cost and efficient irrigation systems and management in place, Melrose offers an opportunity for a buyer to drought proof with a property in a tightly held region.”

Infrastructure includes three main homes and substantial worker accommodation, workshops, several machinery and storage sheds and steel sheep and goat yards.

The sale of Melrose is being handled by Colliers Agribusiness agents Rawdon Briggs, Phillip Kelly and Nicholas Warmington together with LAWD agents Danny Thomas, Elizabeth Doyle and Simon Cudmore.

Expressions of interest close on December 12.

NSW Pine Valley Aggregation on sale after three generations

After three generations, Henry and Renee Purcival have listed the family’s picturesque, non-contiguous mixed farming aggregation in New South Wales’ central-west.

The 1444ha Pine Valley Aggregation is anticipated to make around $6.6 million ($4500/ha) to $7.15 million ($5000/ha).

It is situated at the foothills of Gunning Ridge, 40km north-west of Forbes and 51km from Parkes, comprising two holdings less than 1km apart – the 926ha Pine Valley and Stoney Ridge and 518ha Warrawee and Waitara.

Most of the country is gently sloping and ideal for both cropping and livestock enterprises.

Around 75 percent is arable with the mostly red sandy soils growing cereal crops including wheat, barley and oats. It is also suited to growing mixed pastures and lucerne.

Together with the annual cropping program, the aggregation typically carries up to 250 cows and calves, and around 300 breeding ewes.

The family history dates back almost 100 years, with Ernest Purcival taking up Warrawee in 1925 and his son Jim purchasing Waitara and Stoney Ridge some years later. In 2002, Henry, added Pine Valley to the portfolio.

The current vendors, Henry and Renee Purcival, are selling to pursue another local investment opportunity.

The holding is watered by 24 dams underpinned by the region’s 475mm average annual rainfall.

Improvements include a four-bedroom home, a large machinery shed, a workshop, modern cattle and sheep yards, a recently completed 12km fencing project and five silos.

Johnston Rural Group agent Sam Johnston said the Pine Valley Aggregation will attract producers seeking a centrally located, large scale mixed farming operation.

The Pine Valley Aggregation is being offered for sale as a whole or as two separate holdings via an expressions of interest campaign closing on December 14.