Property

Historic Tasmanian grazing property achieves around $15 million

By property editor Linda Rowley January 31, 2025

THIS week’s property review includes a wrap up of recently completed sales and listings across the country.

 Historic Tasmanian grazing property achieves around $15m

 SA’s historic Kappawanta Station returns to Wandel hands

 Versatile Rangelands in southern Queensland

 EOI’s closing for Dirranbandi’s fully exclusion fenced Wombil Downs

 Well-developed Surat block offers expansion

 

Historic Tasmanian grazing property achieves around $15m

A private investor has paid around $15 million for the historic grazing property Rheban on Tasmania’s lower East Coast.

The 3250 hectare property 12km south of Orford and 88km from Hobart was offered by the Gray family after 87 years of ownership.

Rheban is considered one of Tasmania’s premier coastal rural holdings and as a result received strong inquiry.

It boasts has extensive frontage to the Mercury Passage and unrestricted views of Maria Island and the Freycinet Peninsula to the north.

The property supports 5500 sheep — 2000 ewes, 2000 wethers and 1500 lambs — and 100 Angus cattle plus replacements.

The Gray family purchased Rheban in 1937 and after World War 2 carried out extensive land clearing and pasture improvement.

Soil types vary from light sandy loams to alluvials and small areas of black, cracking clay.

During the marketing campaign, Elders agent Scott Newton said Rheban offers significant future water infrastructure and agricultural development opportunities.

“While Rheban is a dryland, livestock enterprise, there is the opportunity to develop irrigation for viticulture or horticulture.

“There are several potential dam sites which could harvest water from the extensive area of crown land adjacent to Rheban,” he said.

Water is sourced from Griffiths Creek and the Sandspit River, with a licence for irrigation.

Infrastructure includes a five-bedroom home, three cottages, a three-stand shearing shed, a shearers quarters, sheep and cattle yards, numerous sheds, and some historic stone buildings.

SA’s historic Kappawanta Station returns to Wandel hands

AN historic South Australian sheep station known for producing high-yielding clean wool and meat has returned to former owners Mike and Jenny Wandel.

The 21,800ha Kappawanta Station located 19km north of

Sheringa and 22km south-east of Elliston on the Eyre Peninsula was settled in 1862.

The station has been sold after eight years ownership by Brenton and Christine Skinner and repurchased on a bare basis by the neighbouring Wandel family.

Elders agent Luke Duncan was unable to disclose the price paid, but said station country is highly sought after in South Australia.

The crown pastoral lease was offered with a maximum stock rate of 3700 DSE or 740 cattle equivalents.

The region enjoys a reliable average annual rainfall of 400mm producing natural grasses and feed abundant for livestock production.

The country is mostly undulating open woodland with more than 2000ha of large picturesque red gum trees, as well as dense areas of Mallee scrub.

The soils are red and brown sandy loams with limestone ridges – typical of the grazing areas in the district.

Water is a feature. There are 13 bores and wells, with nine of the 11 windmills equipped.

Centrally located on the station is the iconic Kappawanta five-stand stone wool shed built around 1867, with attached sheep yards made of local limestone. North of the woolshed is a seven-bedroom stone homestead.

The property also boasts several historical outbuildings and ruins, such as shepherd’s hut ruins, blacksmith shop, stables and horse yards.

Versatile Rangelands in southern Queensland

Goondiwindi’s David and Annie Beare are selling their fully exclusion fenced livestock and cropping opportunity in southern Queensland.

The 2641ha Rangelands is located 43km from Talwood and halfway between Goondiwindi and St George.

Rangelands is capable of running 600 backgrounders, and it is close to livestock markets in Queensland and New South Wales, and to feedlot operations and grain handling facilities.

Nutrien Harcourts GDL agent Andrew McCallum said the property is experiencing a good season.

“Conservatively stocked and boasting plenty of feed, livestock do exceptionally well.

“Rangelands and the broader Talwood district are conducive to backgrounding and breeding operations with a blend of cultivation.”

Mr McCallum described Rangelands as low-cost, low-maintenance and easily managed.

“There has been good interest from those in search of a starter block, locals wanting to expand with a satellite block and from northern and western Queensland producers seeking geographic diversity.”

The country features soft red belah soils running to lighter red undulating box, sandalwood and wilga soils with areas of brigalow.

The Beares have been growing around 80ha of fodder crops; however, there is potential to expand this area to more than 800ha.

Watered by nine dams (two are equipped), the infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, a shed and two yards.

Rangelands will be auctioned on February 28.

Well-developed Surat block offers expansion

JLL Agribusiness is auctioning a well-developed grazing block bordering Surat in southern Queensland’s Maranoa region.

The 937ha Wilga Park is ideally suited as an additional area, a starter block or strategic investment.

The property is located 5km east of Surat and close to saleyards, feedlots and processing facilities.

The vendors have owned the property for 12 years, gradually developing it into a versatile grazing enterprise.

The country features undulating open downs, black soils and areas of lightly timbered softwood bauhinia and belah. Established pastures include Mitchell, blue, buffel and native grasses.

Selling agents Clayton Smith and Bart Norris describe the infrastructure as excellent.

“Wilga Park has a three-bedroom home that has recently been restumped and repainted, an exclusion fenced airstrip and a hangar shed, as well as some new fencing.”

Water is secured by two solar operated bores and four dams.

The property will be auctioned on February 27.

EOI’s close for Dirranbandi’s fully exclusion fenced Wombil Downs

Expressions of interest for Dirranbandi’s fully exclusion fenced Wombil Downs are closing this week.

The 6379ha property 40km north-west of Dirranbandi and 65km south-east of Bollon is described as a turnkey opportunity with plenty of upside. It has been owned by Dean and Sophie Carrol for 12 years.

There has been good interest from locals and outside the district – despite the holiday period.

The mostly cleared open paddocks are growing thick stands of buffel grass. A timber belt with large stands of mulga provides feed during dry periods.

Featuring soft red loam soils with elements of grey melon holes, there are more than 800ha of developed cultivation country with a further 100ha raked and ready to be farmed.

The property I situated in an average 450mm rainfall area. Water is also supplied by a share bore that is capped and piped to 32 troughs and 22 tanks.

Infrastructure includes a renovated three-bedroom home, a two-bedroom cottage, sheep and cattle yards and a shed, as well as 42km of new internal fencing and a laser levelled grain pad for 2500-tonnes.

Nick Dunsdon from Nutrien Harcourts GDL is handling the sale.

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