THIS week’s property review includes this wrap-up of recent offerings including aggregations in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.

 Paroo watershed country heads to auction

 McBrides relaunch SA/Vic Telopea Downs aggregation

 Prime Marra Creek country makes $15m

Paroo watershed country heads to auction

Highly regarded Paroo watershed country known as the “pride of the Paroo” has been listed for sale by Murray and Anne Todd, Cambooya, and their son Sam.

The 56,587ha Turn Turn and Wittenburra aggregation is located 45km south of Eulo and 110km south-west of Cunnamulla in southern Queensland, placing it between southern and northern livestock markets.

The aggregation comprises two adjoining holdings – the 16,289ha Turn Turn and the 40,297ha Wittenburra – as well as an additional 3726ha of stock route crown land.

During their nine-year ownership, the Todds have completed a major fencing and water infrastructure program and have now decided to downsize.

Nutrien Harcourts GDL agent Nick Dunsdon said the capital improvements have lifted both production capability and ease of management across the property.

“The exclusion-fenced area will soon increase from 30,513ha to 45,122ha, with 30km of new fencing being added to the existing 130km network.”

Mr Dunsdon said Turn Turn and Wittenburra have previously operated as a Merino and Santa stud, but are equally suited to beef, lamb, wool or goat production.

“The sheep and cattle breeding and finishing country has a reputation for heavy-cutting sheep and impressive fat cattle, with the Todds cutting more than 500 bales of wool this year.”

The vendors estimate the aggregation can carry 22,000DSE. It is currently running 18,500 sheep and 600 cattle.

The country is mostly flat to gently undulating and features sweet pebbly gidyea and mulga.

Open flooded plains carry mostly yapunyah with some gidyea, along with bluebush, sugar grass, green panic, Mitchell and Flinders grasses and prolific seasonal herbages.

The property sits in a 330mm average annual rainfall region and is watered by Turn Turn, Wittenburra, Wiseman and Flannelbelly Creeks, 12 artesian bores, 19 dams and numerous Paroo River waterholes.

Infrastructure includes two five-bedroom homes, two cottages, shearers’ quarters, a seven-stand shearing shed, steel cattle yards, three sheep yards, goat yards and numerous sheds.

A small HIR Project provides an additional income stream.

Turn Turn and Wittenburra will be auctioned on September 25.

McBrides relaunch SA/Vic Telopea Downs aggregation

After a year without a sale, Colliers Agribusiness has initiated a renewed marketing campaign for Victoria’s largest grazing and cropping aggregation, owned by the sixth-generation family-owned company AJ & PA McBride.

The Telopea Downs aggregation on the Victorian / South Australian border spans 47,660ha across 11 adjoining properties – 10 in Victoria and one in South Australia, midway between the towns of Bordertown and Kaniva.

Telopea Downs was purchased by the McBrides, one of the country’s largest wool producers — in August 2018 from Qatar-owned Hassad Australia for more than $70m — in what was seen at the time as the largest single farm transaction in Victorian history.

The aggregation originally comprised 10 properties spanning 40,454ha across western Victoria and was purchased by Hassad in April 2012 for more than $35m. During its ownership, the company added more than 7000ha to the aggregation which it primarily used as a sheep breeding hub.

With a long-term carrying capacity of over 100,000 DSE, the holding is currently carrying around 85,000 Merino and crossbred sheep and more than 1100 cattle.

According to the McBride’s website, the family has been running a Merino sheep flock with some crossbred influence, a beef herd and a large fodder and commercial cropping enterprise growing wheat, barley, lupins, beans and canola.

Since the beginning of 2023, Telopea Downs has been the home of the McBride Angus beef stud which provides bulls for the company’s commercial herds.

The Colliers Agribusiness transactions team has been appointed to handle the international expressions of interest sale process of Telopea Downs.

National director Jesse Manuel said the significant farming operation has benefited from the past and present owners’ continued land and pasture improvement program.

“Telopea Downs has in excess of 27,000ha of clay improved country supporting established renovated pastures and a large-scale cropping program.”

“In addition to the renovated pastures, a targeted fertiliser program together with water infrastructure improvements and upgrading or replacing fencing has enhanced the carrying capacity of Telopea Downs,” Mr Manuel said.

His counterpart Tim Altschwager said Telopea Downs is centrally located, offering proximity to a significant catchment area for the sourcing of stock.

“With a temperate climate, moderate rainfall and irrigation capabilities, the property would add tremendous value to a range of supply chain operations from a breeding or backgrounding perspective.”

Telopea Downs boasts substantial water entitlements totalling 2325ML for irrigation, and more than 300ha of centre pivot development for fodder production to support the livestock enterprise or alternative income streams through seed or horticultural crop production.

Telopea Downs is watered by 50 bores.

Prime Marra Creek country makes $15m

St George Merino breeder Tim McDonald is expanding his southern Queensland holdings after paying around $15 million for prime Marra Creek grazing country in central western New South Wales.

The 13,600ha Womboin Station is near Girilambone and 111km north of Nyngan and 146km north-west of Warren. Combined with an 843ha crown land lease, Womboin spans 14,443ha.

Sydney-based Meares & Associates agent Sam Meares was unable to disclose the sale price; however, it is understood the property achieved close to the $1112/ha ($450/ac) price guide offered during the marketing campaign.

Mr Meares said Womboin Station appealed to a broad cross section of buyers.

“Local, regional and interstate interests recognised the outstanding sheep breeding and wool growing reputation of the Marra Creek district, as well as the 30-plus year tenure of Womboin’s manager Andrew McGrath.”

It was offered to the market by Gordon Welsh as part of a strategic portfolio realignment across central western regions of both New South Wales and Queensland.

The productive and low input cost grazing property is well regarded for both cattle and sheep breeding and finishing, as well as fine wool production.

Womboin is rated to run 14,000DSE, and has historically carried 6500 Egelabra blood ewes and, in recent years, has backgrounded and finished 500 to 1000 opportunistic trade or agistment cattle.

The open to lightly timbered country features a diverse soil profile, ranging from alluvial Marra Creek flats along the western boundary through to extensive clay pans and lighter red and brown loams to the east.

Extensive ponding across the clay country has encouraged a strong mix of annual and perennial herbages, clovers and grasses, including old man and bladder saltbush.

The Warrambool, a seasonal watercourse running through the holding, provides an abundance of additional seasonal feed during wet periods.

Womboin boasts 38km Marra Creek frontage and is watered by 31 dams and three equipped bores, supported by 420mm of annual rainfall.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home on the banks of the Marra Creek overlooking the Homestead Lagoon, a 10-stand shearing shed, renovated shearers quarters, four sheep yards, new steel cattle yards, 1200 tonnes of grain storage and numerous sheds.