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: 14,574ha
Location: Central Queensland
Sale price: About $40 million
One of Australia’s leading beef producers has made another major move in the Queensland property market, acquiring the 14,574ha ‘Myra’ cattle station in the state’s Isaac region.
The highly regarded breeding, backgrounding and finishing operation, located 84km west of Moranbah, has been snapped up by the Camm Agricultural Group following a competitive Expressions of Interest campaign.
While the sale price remains confidential, offers were expected to exceed $40 million.
The deal adds another strategic asset to Camm Agricultural’s growing footprint, which already spans more than 450,000ha across Queensland.
Key holdings include Nungaroo and Marracoonda near Clermont and the Wonga Plains Feedlot at Dalby.
Camm Agricultural turns off more than 80,000 cattle annually and boasts an annual turnover of about $300 million. Pic: Supplied
The company, founded by David and Judith Camm in 1972, is now led by their son Bryce Camm alongside sisters Josie Angus and Ainsley McArthur.
‘Myra’ is estimated to carry 4,500 adult equivalents and features 11,897ha of developed gidgee and brigalow country, 1,110ha of alluvial flats and 507ha of ironbark and rosewood. It has extensive water infrastructure, including three creek frontages, nine dams and 35 troughs supplied by pipelines.
The sale was handled by LAWD’s Grant Veivers and Simon Cudmore, and Kennedy Livestock & Property’s Jake Kennedy.
“Myra offers the full package – extensive permanent water, established productive pastures and excellent infrastructure, making it a powerhouse property in a region renowned for its quality cattle,” LAWD Director Grant Veivers said when he listed the property.
Infrastructure includes two four-bedroom homes, two sets of quarters, a solar-equipped workshop, multiple sheds, and two sets of cattle yards – the main with a 2,000-head capacity.
Size: 74,000ha
Location: Central West Queensland
Sale price: About $20 million
Prominent cattle baron Sterling Buntine has sold a major Central West Queensland pastoral aggregation spanning more than 74,000ha, in a deal that attracted strong market interest.
The aggregation, comprising the 54,300ha Tulmur, 14,140ha Tranby and 6,220ha Owens Creek properties, was offered through an Expressions of Interest campaign by JLL Agribusiness’s Geoff Warriner and Chris Holgar, alongside Walter Cooper of Rural Property and Livestock.
It is understood Tulmur and Tranby were acquired by one local producer, while Owens Creek was purchased by another.
While the price has not been disclosed, when the property was listed there were hopes of more than $20 million.
When the aggregation was listed, Mr Warriner said the holding had been developed with a focus on efficiency and low overheads.
“The property benefits from fit-for-purpose operational infrastructure,” he said.
“This includes three sets of cattle yards with a capacity for 1000 to 1500 head, well-maintained fencing that divides the holding into 12 main paddocks, and additional holding paddocks and coolers.
“Stock water is reliably supplied via a network of surface dams and seasonal and semi-permanent waterholes along the Diamantina River and Williams Creek systems.”
Mr Holgar described the region as highly versatile for breeding, backgrounding and fattening.
“This region is highly regarded for its capacity to support cattle, sheep meat and wool production,” he said.
Mr Cooper said the aggregation’s proximity to key infrastructure added to its appeal.
“The property’s proximity to the Winton township and the Landsborough Highway provides streamlined access from the north and direct connections to key markets in the south and east,” he said.
The aggregation was sold through Buntine’s Baldy Bay company.
Mr Buntine, one of Australia’s most prominent pastoral investors, owns cattle stations across Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
He was part of the group that bid $385 million for S. Kidman & Co in 2016 and more recently expanded into sandalwood plantations in Kununurra.
Size: 4.4 million hectares
Location: 28 stations in QLD, NSW and VIC
Sale method: Auction, TBA
Price Guide: Could be worth more than $2.5 billion
Macquarie Asset Management has announced plans to offload one of Australia’s largest agricultural landholdings, Paraway Pastoral Company, after 17 years of ownership.
In a note to investors earlier this month, Macquarie confirmed it would bring the agribusiness to market following a strategic review.
Paraway Pastoral spans 4.4 million hectares across 28 stations in Queensland, NSW and Victoria, and supports more than 450,000 head of sheep and cattle.
The business, wholly owned by Macquarie Agricultural Funds Management, generates revenue from livestock, crops and wool.
It last reported $231 million in sales and $42.7 million profit before tax for the year ending December 31.
Since its inception in 2007, Macquarie has grown Paraway from a single sheep station into a major red meat exporter supplying markets in the US, China, South Korea and Japan.
Its current positioning targets demand driven by population growth, rising income and health-conscious consumers.
Paraway’s portfolio can support up to 250,000 cows and is expected to fetch more than $2.5 billion, according to the Financial Review.
The auction is expected to attract significant interest from domestic and offshore investors, including pension funds.
The move comes amid a wave of activity in the agribusiness sector. It follows Macquarie’s 2022 sale of Lawson Grains to New Forests for close to $600 million, and KKR’s recent $1.3 billion acquisition of chicken producer ProTen.
Macquarie also holds stakes in Cubbie Station, Cowal Agriculture, Viridis Ag and Fresh Produce Group.
Recent uncertainty has already impacted rural transactions. Pic: Supplied
Australia’s carbon market is facing a critical slowdown, with investor confidence rattled by methodology delays, policy stagnation, and deepening doubts about the integrity of offsetting schemes.
“Activity in the carbon space has generally slowed — not for a lack of interest though, as the sector continues to be the source of much conversation, differences of opinion, review and opportunity,” Herron Todd White Director Bart Bowen said.
A major factor is the long-awaited replacement for the once-dominant Human Induced Regeneration (HIR) method, which expired in 2023.
“A new version of HIR is said to be incorporated in the new methodology called Integrated Farm and Land Management, though this replacement methodology has been in development for more than three years and remains under review,” Mr Bowen said.
The uncertainty has already impacted rural transactions.
“The delay in release has been publicised as the reason for the sale of a Northern Territory cattle property and a noticeable reduction in transactions in the territory,” he said.
Compounding the problem is growing backlash against carbon offsetting.
“An emerging factor which could have serious implications is the growing awareness and non-acceptance of offsetting… rather than change their practices to reduce their emissions,” Mr Bowen said.
The collapse of trust in Climate Active, the federal program for carbon neutrality certification, has intensified the spotlight.
“The downfall of Climate Active appears to be another example of changing and evolving market dynamics and expectations,” Mr Bowen said, referencing the exit of more than 100 companies from the scheme.
Meanwhile, landholders are stuck in limbo.
“Until an accepted methodology is established, farmers and landholders wishing to engage in carbon farming will likely remain on the sidelines awaiting clear guidance,” HTW Central NSW Valuer Allister Rodgers said.
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.