Each week, we take the pulse of rural property — from sales data to who’s making headlines. Check out this week's report from Kylie Dulhunty.
Size: 7934ha Umbercollie Aggregation, 8204ha of the Jandowae Aggregation
Location: Southern Queensland
Sale price: More than $220 million
Australian farming families have secured major holdings from Proterra Investment Partners’ One Tree Portfolio, acquiring the Umbercollie Aggregation and around 80 per cent of the Jandowae Aggregation in southern Queensland.
Billionaire Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Agriculture is said to be the buyer of the Jandowae Aggregation, which is about 50km north of Dalby.
The transactions follow the March sale of the 5,694ha North Star Aggregation in NSW, bringing the combined tally of sales to more than $220 million since the portfolio was brought to market in June 2024.
LAWD Senior Director Danny Thomas said the results highlighted domestic demand for quality broadacre holdings.
“The sales result for Umbercollie and the Jandowae Aggregation parcels reflects the strong appetite from family farming enterprises to expand and invest for the future, and it has been rewarding to see their engagement through the process,” Mr Thomas said.
He noted that while North Star was purchased by an offshore investor, Queensland assets have been less attractive to foreign buyers.
“When we brought the One Tree Portfolio to market, we expected it to draw local and global interest given it was an unparalleled institutional grade broadacre cropping opportunity, however we are seeing offshore investors hesitating to commit to the Queensland market because of the foreign owner’s land tax surcharge,” he said.
Mr Thomas confirmed talks are continuing for the remaining Jandowae parcels, which will go to auction in October 2025 if not sold prior.
Of the original 9,966ha Jandowae Aggregation, four parcels remain: Dewai (468ha), Oaklands (389ha), Eurangatuck (768ha) and Crooks (137ha).
All feature cropping infrastructure, with Eurangatuck also offering a shearing shed and cattle yards, while Crooks includes a 300-tonne grain silo.
Proterra Managing Director Becs Willson said the divestment process had been slower than expected but had ultimately delivered for investors.
“While the process had been more protracted than expected, the results showed that flexibility in meeting market demand by splitting up the portfolio exits drove increased returns for our investors, since we acquired the first farms for One Tree in 2014,” Ms Willson said.
Size: 1170ha
Location: Mandurama, NSW
Sale method: EOI closing on October 30
Price Guide: About $20 million
A significant family-owned grazing and cropping aggregation on the NSW Central Tablelands has been listed for sale, with expectations the property could attract offers around $20 million.
The 1170ha Glenarvon and Carribee holding, located near Mandurama about 46km south of Orange, has been held by the Wills family for 46 years.
The farm has been the base for their long-running commercial cattle operation, centred on a herd of 800 breeders using Rennylea and Te Mania bloodlines.
The aggregation comprises two properties - Glenarvon at 1001ha and Carribee at 169ha - and is regarded as one of the district’s larger and more versatile farming platforms.
Around 80 per cent of the land is arable, with fertile red and brown loam soils, improved perennial pastures, and extensive alluvial flats that support both cropping and livestock.
Water security is a feature, with 11.2km of Belubula River frontage as well as additional access to Mandurama Ponds and Kangaroo Flat Creek.
The natural resources are complemented by a strong agronomic program and 324ha currently under rotational fodder and cash crops.
Carrying capacity is rated at about 16,000 dry sheep equivalents, with cattle progeny grown through to feedlot entry weights.
Infrastructure includes machinery and hay sheds, two sets of steel cattle yards, grain storage, and a two-stand shearing shed.
A central laneway system links most paddocks, while fencing is reported to be in good order due to regular renewal.
Accommodation on the aggregation includes a substantial 1980s four-bedroom, two-bathroom brick homestead as well as a recently renovated four-bedroom manager’s residence, providing flexible options for family living or staff housing.
The property is being offered for sale through Inglis Rural Property in conjunction with PR Masters Stephens & Co as a whole or as two separate parcels via expressions of interest closing on October 30.
Southern Queensland and Northern NSW are experiencing strong seasonal conditions that continue to underpin confidence in the rural property market.
Herron Todd White Director Bart Bowen said recent inspections show producers well placed after a good summer harvest and strong soil profiles for winter plantings.
“The Southern Queensland and Northern NSW regions have experienced a busy period on the cropping front, with most producers in the major cultivation regions benefitting from a good summer harvest and a full profile of soil moisture for winter plantings,” Mr Bowen said.
He noted the Moree Plains remain particularly wet, driving many croppers towards wheat and barley, while the Darling Downs has seen mixed plantings with some dryland paddocks double-cropped this season.
Mr Bowen said property values in these areas were trending upwards.
“Over the last 12 months we have continued to see market growth in the prime cultivation land classifications, particularly recently in the Bongeen Plains (Toowoomba – Cecil Plains), with rates of $20,000 per hectare dryland not uncommon for plains country, and some recent signals of growth in the Moree Plains district pushing $10,000 to $14,000 per hectare for prime dryland,” he said.
However, some areas aren’t faring as well.
“Alternatively, some regions, for example northern areas of the Jimbour Plain where some corporate holdings have become available, have seen limited market growth due to a temporary oversupply,” Mr Bowen said.
“We are aware that many of these corporate sales in Queensland are advised to reflect land tax pressures and a view of greater opportunity to reinvest in southern states where seasonal conditions have caused a softening of the market.”
Looking ahead, Mr Bowen described the market as finely balanced.
“Given the stage of the rural property market - which could be referred to as a balancing point, currently tipped in either direction by seasonal conditions - a significant change in market supply (listings) could alter the scales,” he said.
Farmers across NSW can now save thousands of dollars and months of red tape with the launch of myFarmPlanner, a new online platform designed to simplify development applications for essential on-farm infrastructure.
The State Government says the tool will allow producers to prepare and lodge development applications in as little as 15 minutes using a tailored questionnaire and interactive map, replacing a process that can normally take up to 12 months.
Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the tool would remove one of the biggest barriers to investment in new farm infrastructure.
“Farmers across NSW are increasingly using online tools to save money and boost productivity,” Ms Moriarty said.
“This new tool is the latest in the Government’s ongoing commitment to ensure farmers have the latest technologies to help producers make practical, cost-effective on-farm decisions.
“myFarmPlanner addresses critical barriers to agricultural resilience by simplifying the development application process and providing immediate, location-specific guidance on planning requirements, reducing the need for expensive consultants and enabling faster recovery decisions.”
For farmers, the savings are significant.
By entering farm data individually, the self-service platform is estimated to cut consultant fees by up to $2,000 per application.
Producers say the tool has real potential on the ground.
Woodview dairy farmer Terry Toohey said myFarmPlanner would be a useful tool in the dairy industry for land-locked farmers.
“The tool will enable farmers to look at their expansion options on their farm and whether the land can accommodate their expansion plans,” he said.
Molong viticulturalist Martin Gransden from Molong said the tool would also simplify the approvals process during farm development.
The platform, jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments, is available at myfarmplanner.dpi.nsw.gov.au
Kylie Dulhunty is a journalist with more than 20 years experience covering everything from court to health. Today, Kylie loves nothing more than turning market trends, industry insights and epic property sales - residential, rural and commercial into captivating stories.