Fairview’s improvements include four homes, three shearing sheds, extensive hay and grain storage, and multiple sheep and cattle yards.

ONE of the largest grazing properties in South Australia’s south-east is being offered for sale by an overseas-based family after 25 years of ownership.

The 4326ha Fairview is located at Lucindale and comprises six contiguous properties – Old Fairview, Lantara, Wombalano, Keys, Watson’s and Mickan’s.

Colliers Agribusiness agents Jesse Manuel and Tim Altschwager have been appointed to sell the property via an expression of interest campaign closing on September 26.

The agents believe the holding will generate significant enquiry.

“Fairview is well located and accessible to markets.

“It offers versatility and an excellent balance of country types, as well as scale,” they said.

“Strong local interest is anticipated from within the tightly held district and nationally, including corporate buyers.”

Fairview director Grantley Stevens is confident the sale will set new benchmarks for the south-east South Australia region.

“Premium land of this size and versatility is a long-term investment.

Land sales in the region are currently making $14,500/ha to $20,000/ha, so it will be interesting to see what the market determines.”

At those rates, Fairview will make between $64 million and $86 million on a bare basis.

Significant potential to increase livestock carrying capacity

Fairview has been running a Merino ewe flock for second cross prime lamb production.

The property is described as well-balanced with open heavy flats, warmer hills and timbered grazing country, as well as vast areas of improved pastures.

It is running a self-replacing cattle herd of Angus and Angus/Black Simmental cross cows and a mostly Merino ewe flock using Suffolk and Dorset rams.

Mr Manuel said Fairview is totally self-sufficient in terms of its year-round stock feed requirements, with 130ha planted for fodder production.

Fairview farm manager Marc Dupree believes there is significant potential to increase the overall carrying capacity of the property.

“When I arrived in 2004, Fairview was running more than 14,000 sheep and around 1000 (beef) breeders; however, the average annual stocking has been reduced to around 25,000DSE due to recent extensive soil redevelopment projects.”

The measures included deep ripping sub-surface rock in the plains country for pasture roots to access clay and claying the lighter hills country to increase soil moisture retention.

Mr Dupree said most of the property is now back in production.

“Fairview has been understocked, but with the potential to improve more of the country and pastures, livestock numbers can be significantly lifted moving forward.”

Fairview is situated in a 600mm average annual rainfall region and also benefits from over 1000ML of water entitlements for irrigation, with 25ha developed to flood irrigation.

The property is also watered by solar and electric bores, with underground water pumped to header tanks and reticulated to troughs. A handful of windmills are still in use

Improvements include four homes, three shearing sheds, extensive hay and grain storage, multiple sheep and cattle yards, a large workshop, horse stables and implement sheds.

The agents said the aggregation incorporates extensive laneways, excellent fencing and largely fenced paddocks.