Weekly Property Reports

Ultrafine wool award-winning Glen Stuart sells

By property editor Linda Rowley June 2, 2023

THIS week’s ‘Movement at the Station’ wrap from property from editor Linda Rowley includes a top selection of well-equipped natural and improved pasture grazing sheep and wool properties that have sold and are for sale nationally.

Properties sold/ Movement at the Station

 Launceston producer secures award-winning Glen Stuart

 Local business secures Tasmania’s Snowhill

 Two NSW Western Division holdings sell prior to auction

 Historic Guyra blocks sell under the hammer

 Carson family portfolio split between three locals

Launceston producer secures award winning Glen Stuart

A LOCAL producer has secured a prominent ultrafine wool property in northern Tasmania described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The 1823ha Glen Stuart is situated near Nile, 15 minutes from Evandale and 25 minutes from Launceston.

Michael Warren from Nutrien Harcourts Tasmania was unable to disclose the buyer or the price paid.

Glen Stuart was offered to the market by the Phillips family after 24 years of ownership.

Glen Stuart sheep ready for shearing.

Over recent years, the vendors have conservatively managed the property by running up to 4000 Saxon Merinos on the open native grass (semi-improved) and bush country.

Glen Stuart is well known for producing ultrafine wool (13.5 to 16 microns), achieving record prices and numerous accolades for individual fleeces.

Titles include five national Zegna trophies, the New England Wool Ultimate Clip Competition and two Australian Superfine Wool Growers Association Champion Fleece awards.

Glen Stuart is situated in a 700mm average rainfall region. It enjoys more than 3km of Nile River frontage and is watered by dams, springs and waterholes. A 500mgl water licence was included in the sale.

Local business secures Tasmania’s Snowhill

Snowhill Merino wethers showing good frame and condition.

A local business family has secured a large well-known Tasmanian wool-growing property that was offered with a $3m to $4m price guide.

The 1475ha Snowhill was owned by Joan Gee and her late husband Tony. It is located at Royal George near Avoca, 100km from Launceston and 50km from the east coast.

The property boasts a 2km frontage to the St Pauls River and a mix of improved and native pastures running 2000 Saxon Merinos that produce high quality superfine wool.

Snowhill has cropping potential, giving the incoming purchaser the opportunity to further develop the property with dam sites and irrigation.

Michael Warren from Nutrien Harcourts was unable to disclose the buyer or the price paid.

Two NSW Western Division holdings sell prior to auction

Yandaroo Merino ewes in full fleece.

Two neighbouring New South Wales Western Division grazing properties have been snapped up prior to auction for carbon and grazing.

The 20,406ha Delta and the 9230ha Yandaroo are situated 70km and 80km west of Bourke.

Greg Seiler from Nutrien Harcourts Bourke was unable to disclose the price paid or the buyer, but the new owner is understood to be a family farming operation with strong connections to Bourke.

Mr Seiler said during the marketing campaign, the carbon opportunity on Delta had generated tremendous inquiry.

“The property has a large, uncontracted HIR project that will produce significant credits in the future.

“This means the credits can be sold on the open market or aggregated and offloaded at a later time,” he said.

The Davis family has owned Delta for 63 years, running a Merino sheep and cattle operation that annually averages 4000 ewes and 100 cows.

In recent years, the income stream has been diversified with goats and carbon.

There is a good mix of grey floodplain soils running into red soils growing native grasses, herbages and salines.

The slightly undulating country with ironstone ridges acts as a watershed for the Willaroo and Yandaroo Lakes and watercourses. Water security is supported by Warrego River frontage, dams and bores.

The Davis family purchased Yandaroo 80 years ago and has been running a Merino sheep and beef cattle operation averaging 2000 ewes and 55 cows, with the addition of goats in recent years.

Like Delta, the property’s flat to slightly undulating country comprises productive grey soils along the Warrego and Poison Point Plain flood-out country, running back into soft red soils growing native grasses, herbages and salines.

Yandaroo is also watered by Warrego River frontage, dams and bores. Over the past 10 years, the fencing has been extensively renewed.

Vendors Garth and Mary-Lou Davis will now relocate to their country at Yeoval.

Historic Guyra blocks sell under the hammer

Well-shaded grazing country on Chandler’s Peak.

Two historic eastern fall grazing blocks in northern New South Wales have sold under the hammer ending six generations of ownership by Guyra’s well-known Wilkinson family.

The 346ha Chandlers Peak, 15km east of Guyra, sold to neighbours Andrew and Hannah Coddington for $6.67m.

The 576ha Messines (including the 126ha Part Trigaire), 31km east of Guyra, sold to near neighbours David and Penny Grills for $6.05m or $10,503/ha bare.

The two properties are located 15km apart. They have a 45 to 48 year super history with an emphasis on long-term pastures, and are carrying a tremendous body of feed after being destocked since late February.

Chandlers Peak, affectionately known as ‘The Peak’, is described as a production powerhouse that runs 800 ewes and progeny alongside 160 head of cattle.

Ninety percent of the property is arable, with flat to undulating deep black basalt and some red basalt soils.

It is watered by the Wollomombi River, the Boundary Creek and 28 spring-fed dams.

Messines is ideally suited to breeding or fattening, and is estimated to run 370 beef breeders plus replacements.

The property has traprock soils with slate outcrops, Aberfoyle River frontage and 20 dams.

Craig Thomas from Colin Say & Co handled the sale of Chandler’s Peak and Messines.

Good grazing country on Messines.

Carson family portfolio split between three locals

After almost 50 years of ownership, the Carson family’s southern Queensland livestock and cropping portfolio has been split up and sold to three local families.

The three properties total 18,180 hectares. The adjoining 6777ha Ooraine and 5258ha Somerset are operated as one hub and the 6144ha Hooloovale is run separately.

The portfolio is situated 35km from Dirranbandi in the Balonne region and was offered for sale in one line or as separate assets by expressions of interest.

Somerset at sunset.

The adjoining 6777ha Ooraine and 5258ha Somerset have been developed for sheep and cattle, with an estimated carrying capacity of 15,500 dry sheep equivalents or 1840 adult equivalents.

The country features productive soil types and meandering black/grey soil Coolibah floodplains which transition to open woodlands. Water is provided by a shared bore.

The 6144ha Hooloovale, upstream of Cubbie Station, features 471ha of irrigation underpinned by substantial water resources and upgraded pumping infrastructure.

There are also extensive controlled flood out grazing areas suitable for potential dryland/irrigation development.

JLL Agribusiness was unable to disclose the purchase price or the name of the buyers, but reported strong domestic and foreign interest.

Director Chris Holgar said it is encouraging to see private buyers consistently competing at levels of value that might have almost been seen as reserved for institutions.

“It is a trend that owes its origins to the pandemic, fuelled by logistical challenges of travel, the re-weighting of portfolios and many institutions taking a wait-and-see approach to its impact.”

“Domestic buyers can often settle more quickly and pose less executional risk for the vendor,” Mr Holgar said.

Properties for sale / Movement at the Station 

THIS week’s property review includes a wrap-up of interesting recent listings across the country, and a separate article of recently relisted properties of note.

 Well-improved NSW Western Division grazing

 Freehold grazing in NSW’s north-west

 Nowendoc property boasts quality

 Livestock and irrigation asset in Tasmania’s north

 Cattle and sheep enterprise close to Adelaide

 Western Queensland’s Rosevale Station fails to sell

Well-improved Western Division grazing

The Avondale shearing shed.

A well-improved New South Wales’ Western Division grazing operation has been listed for sale by the Ponder family after 21 years of ownership.

The 35,446ha Avondale, that once formed part of the Dunlop Aggregation, is located 88km north-west of Louth and 188km west of Bourke.

The soft country is suited to sheep or goat breeding and fattening, with the ability to also run cattle.

Avondale is a natural haven for rangeland goats and has a history of mustering large numbers. It comes with a local land services rating of 8775DSE.

In addition to running sheep and goats, the property generates a significant income stream from a human induced regeneration (HIR) carbon project that has 25 years to run.

Areas of flood-out country from the Utah Lake and Kerribree Creek systems are interspersed with soft rolling red sandhills and flats growing a large body of native grasses, herbages and salines in season.

The western portion of the property has areas of open mulga grassland, shrubs and bush.

Avondale is well watered by nine bores and 14 of the 18 water enclosures are trapped.

Improvements include a three-bedroom home, a worker’s cottage, a machinery shed, a six-stand shearing shed, sheep and cattle yards.

Greg Seiler from Nutrien Harcourts Bourke is handling the sale of Avondale and it will be auctioned on 20 July.

Freehold grazing in NSW’s north-west

One of the largest freehold grazing properties in the Walgett area of New South Wales’ north-west has been listed with a $5.8m price tag.

The 9423ha property Springvale is located at Cumborah, 50km north-west of Walgett, and has been owned by Jon Pocknell for 20 years.

Mr Pocknell has been running a sheep, beef and goat operation with the long-term carrying capacity estimated at 2000 ewes, 50 cows and calves and up to 1000 rangeland goats harvested annually.

Springvale sheep head out to graze.

Frank Power from Ray White Rural said there has been good enquiry for Springvale.

“Most of the interest is coming from interstate and New South Wales sheep and cattle producers, especially from the central west and tablelands seeking scale and affordable ‘outside’ grazing country for breeding.”

Springvale is mostly level open plains country that is lightly timbered. Heavy black self-mulching type soils to grey loams are growing significant areas of Mitchell and fine canegrass.

The property fronts the Big Warrambool Creek that provides beneficial flood-out and is watered by nine tanks, three unequipped bores and an 11 megalitre irrigation licence.

The working infrastructure is in good operational order and includes a four-stand shearing shed, steel sheep and cattle yards, as well as two goat self-mustering yards with loading facilities.

Nowendoc property boasts quality

A high rainfall and mixed grazing opportunity in the New England region of New South Wales could make between $16m and $18m when it is auctioned on 6 July.

The 971ha Eastern Hills, is located 18km north of Nowendoc and 42km south of Walcha. It can support any combination of beef, lamb and wool production with irrigation options also available.

The property is in a 1400mm average rainfall region that is 1280m above sea level. The heavy red chocolate basalt soils, sown to high performance pastures, are capable of running 750 cows or 12,700DSE.

Eastern Hills composite ewes in prime condition.

Peter Etheridge from Etheridge Properties and Simon Cudmore from LAWD were unable to give a price guide; however, comparable country in the region is making between $16,000/ha and $20,000/ha.

The country comprises rising creek flats to arable slopes and grazing hillsides, with 40 hectares developed to a potential centre pivot irrigation site.

James and Belinda Lyon purchased Eastern Hills in 2016 as a eucalypt plantation from Forest Enterprises Australia. As a result, most of the fit-for-purpose operational infrastructure was built in the last seven years and includes a two-stand shearing shed with undercover sheep yards, steel cattle yards and a machinery shed.

The fencing has been completely overhauled and includes 3.15km of internal laneways and 18km of electric wired boundary fencing.

Eastern Hills has dual frontage to the Uriamukki Creek and is watered by numerous dams, including a 100 megalitre dam.

Livestock and irrigation asset in Tasmania’s north

The St Patricks Run yards.

A range of investor profiles is showing good interest in a productive and versatile irrigation asset in northern Tasmania that is anticipated to make around $10m.

The 1501ha St Patricks Run (incorporating the 563ha Bullocks Hunting Ground listed for sale late last year) is situated at Nunamara, 17km east of Launceston and 28km north-east of Evandale.

The property is situated in a reliable 1043mm average annual rainfall area. The block has been carved off the Dunedin aggregation owned by Samantha Hogg and Marcus Griffin.

Underpinned by highly fertile volcanic red and black basalt soils, the property is suited to cattle, sheep, cropping, horticulture and potential carbon opportunities.

St Patricks Run has 2000ML of irrigation entitlements, a 2100ML storage dam and excellent irrigation infrastructure, including 250ha under centre pivots with significant scope for further development.

The property also enjoys an 8.8km frontage to the St Patricks River and a 2.6km frontage to the North Esk River.

The Bullocks Hunting Ground block is currently managed under a cell grazing system running 11,300 dry sheep equivalents. With further development, numbers could be lifted to 14,400 DSE.

Working improvements include a shearing shed and sheep and cattle yards.

St Patricks Run is being offered for sale via an expression of interest process closing on 16 June.

Elders Real Estate agents Nick Myer, Henry Mackinnon and Laurens De Wit are reporting interest from local, mainland and institutional investors.

Sheep and cattle enterprise close to Adelaide

The impressive undercover sheep yards and solar-power wool shed on Bundara.

A well-improved and conservatively managed cattle and sheep enterprise in South Australia’s south-east has returned to the market.

The 1801ha Bundara is situated 7.5km from Kingston and three hours from Adelaide.

It has been listed for sale after failing to sell following a registration of interest process which closed late last year.

Bundara is located in a reliable 600mm average rainfall area. It has been held by the Flint family for more than 100 years.

The property is conservatively grazing 2400 Merino ewes, 700 weaners, 90 rams and 120 cows and calves, 70 heifers, 30 steers and six bulls.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home, a shearing shed and two sets of cattle and sheep yards.

The sale of Bundara is being handled by Darryl Gaunt from Nutrien Harcourts Kingston.

Western Queensland’s Rosevale Station fails to sell

Negotiations are continuing with interested parties after the historic western Queensland grazing property Rosevale Station after it was passed in at auction for $11.5m.

The 39,077 hectare property is located 20km north-west of Wyandra and 98km south of Charleville. It is suitable for beef, sheep and or goats.

Abundant native pasture on Rosevale Station.

The country features diverse Nemunmulla Creek and Warrego River flood-out country with Mitchell grass flats and dense Buffel grass in the lighter country running into Mulga rangelands.

As a result of recent rain and 30,500 hectares of exclusion fencing (as part of the Wyandra cluster), Rosevale is presenting with heavy stands of native pastures including Mitchell, Mulga Mitchell and Mulga oats.

There are multiple sets of yards and a laneway system for ease of operation, as well as a shearing shed.

Water is provided by bores, dams and a 100mgl water licence from the Warrego River. Water security is also being upgraded with the installation of new supply tanks in the pipelines.

The sale of Rosevale Station is being handled by Adcock Partners Property & Livestock and Glynn Agriculture.

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