Big birds, big acres and big opportunities feature in this week’s round-up. With everything from Australia’s second-biggest free-range chicken farm to a scenic cattle oasis and mixed farming havens up for grabs, investors and agri-enthusiasts have an egg-citing chance to crack open new opportunities in some of Australia’s prime rural real estate.
Size: 205.98ha
Location: Owen, South Australia
Sale method: EOI closing November 28 at 12pm AEST
Price guide: $20 million-plus
Australia’s second largest free-range chicken farm, which includes supplying the Lilydale brand, is on the market, with expectations of fetching more than $20 million.
Known as the Southern Cross Farms Portfolio, the property spans four contiguous broiler farms in South Australia’s lower and mid-north regions and was converted to free-range production in 2015.
The extensive holding offers 29 poultry sheds, covering about 61,00sq m, with capacity for around 947,200 birds per batch.
JLL’s Agribusiness team is managing the sale through an Expressions of Interest campaign on behalf of a private seller.
Senior Director Chris Holgar said it was an opportunity for both established players and new entrants to secure a large-scale asset in the poultry industry.
“Southern Cross Farms is a long-established holding that has been progressively modernised,” Mr Holgar said.
“It’s a unique opportunity to buy an asset of scale under the growth of the Lilydale brand and with a price expectation well below replacement value based on construction costs.”
Mr Holgar pointed to strong growth in demand for free-range and organic chicken, which currently makes up 20% of domestic sales, a figure projected to reach nearly 25% in the next five years.
“This speaks to the strength and surety of demand, noting Southern Cross has significant long-term grower agreements – and further options – with Baiada Poultry Limited, one of Australia’s largest chicken meat processors and its conduit to Lilydale,” he said.
With 200ha of dryland across the four farms, the property also offers additional revenue potential.
“A location close to Adelaide, roughly an hour’s drive away, creates significant value in the real estate itself,” Mr Holgar said.
Senior Director Geoff Warriner underscored the portfolio’s advanced infrastructure and development approvals to add eight new sheds by 2027, enhancing operational scale.
“The portfolio’s high-quality infrastructure – including recently converted free-range broiler sheds with new brooding areas – is supported by modern management systems, with a well-established team already in place,” Mr Warriner said.
The EOI campaign closes at 4pm ACDT on November 21.
Size: 2723.41 acres (1102.14ha)
Location: Boort, Victoria
Sale method: Auction
Sale price: Lot 1 - $5.089 million, Lot 2 - $2.19 million, Lot 3 - undisclosed, Lot 4 - passed in
Local buyers have fought it out to purchase a tightly held northern Victorian property, Longview, in three separate parcels.
The 1102ha property, which is about 16km southeast of Boort, was auctioned in four lots by FP Nevins & Co Real Estate Director, Luke Nevins, including the 1305.06 acres (585.15ha) ‘Longview’ parcel for a record sale price of $5.089 million.
That lot also included the historic Circa 1872 homestead.
“That lot sold for $3900 per acre under the hammer,” Mr Nevins said.
“It was bought by one of the most influential agricultural gentlemen in the area, and that was Bob Rollinson.
“He and his family were all there and they made an all out assault on securing that property.”
Mr Rollinson is the principal at Concordia Merino stud at nearby Mysia.
Mr Nevins said the second lot, ‘Russ’s Block’, covering 859.49 acres (347.83ha), went to another local farming family at about $2550 per acre, bringing the total to around $2.19 million.
A third local family purchased ‘Lewis’s Farm’, which comprised 323.05 acres (130.73ha), in a post-auction sale for an undisclosed sum.
“The locals were really keen to try and keep the farm(s) relatively in local hands,” Mr Nevins said, noting the importance locals place on retaining ownership within the community.
The vendors, the Coutts family, had owned the ‘Longview’ properties for 152 years, successfully operating a sheep and wool enterprise.
Mr Nevins said the fourth lot, known as ‘George Frank’s’, had passed in and private negotiations were underway.
On the local market, Mr Nevins said there had been a noticeable shift in buyer behaviour recently.
“I think we’ve seen off the heady prices and there’s a lot more calculation involved with buying now,” he said.
Mr Nevins said the trio of properties would now be used for mixed farming.
“There will be the full gamut - cereals, sheep and wool, mainly,” he said.
Size: 1150ha
Location: Anduramba, South East Queensland
Sale method: EOI closing November 28 at 12pm AEST
Price guide: N/A
‘Milford Rocks’, a scenic and productive beef cattle property in South East Queensland, has hit the market, offering an exceptional blend of rural lifestyle and operational capacity.
Located in Anduramba, the 1,150-hectare estate sits just an hour from Brisbane and 56km from Toowoomba, and features a five-bedroom homestead, complete with a 12m inground pool, surrounded by manicured gardens and sprawling green lawns.
The property’s cattle operation supports an estimated 240 breeders, with facilities including two sets of steel cattle yards, efficient fencing, and a laneway system to streamline livestock movement.
“With its open grazing land, lush natural bushland, high peaks, and peaceful gullies, Milford Rocks offers a perfect blend of work and lifestyle,” LAWD Director, Grant Veivers, said.
Water security is a key feature, with livestock water supplied via a 250,000L steel tank connected to a groundwater bore.
The water is distributed through poly pipes to troughs across the estate, supplemented by 18 catchment dams and spring-fed creeks.
Diverse land types span from bluegum timber on granite to ironbark on the eastern side, supporting a rich mix of Rhodes and panic grasses alongside seasonal legumes.
The property’s infrastructure is robust, featuring a 110sq m hay shed, two machinery sheds, and a 175sq m set of stables.
Built in 2012, the 392sq m replica Queenslander homestead includes a master suite, four additional bedrooms, spacious living areas, and an expansive verandah overlooking valley views.
Milford Rocks is accessible via Waterhole Gully Rd and benefits from proximity to the Crows Nest township, with livestock saleyards and processing facilities within easy reach.
Expressions of Interest close on November 28, 2024, at 12 pm AEST.
Size: 478ha
Location: Goulburn, NSW
Sale method: EOI closing November 14 at 4pm AEDT
Price guide: $7 million to $7.5 million
‘Quialigo Park’, a mixed farming property in NSW Southern Tablelands, has hit the market with a price guide of $7 to $7.5 million.
Spanning 478ha of productive land, with reliable rainfall and ample water resources, the property presents a valuable opportunity for farming and lifestyle buyers alike.
Located 20km south of Goulburn, Quialigo Park is easily accessible from Canberra and Sydney, adding to its appeal.
The property offers highly arable land with balanced undulation and a scenic landscape.
Most of the timber has been cleared, but native trees and deciduous shelter belts—including Claret Ash, Desert Ash, and Red Oaks—provide a park-like aesthetic, adding vibrant seasonal colour.
Currently operated as a beef enterprise, the property has an estimated carrying capacity of 5,000 DSE, or 250 breeding cows plus replacement heifers, and is suited to a range of rural enterprises, including prime lamb production, dual-purpose cropping, and hay production.
"Quialigo Park is a model farm in the popular Southern Tablelands region," Inglis Rural Property’s Liam Griffiths said.
"The property’s appeal is immediate on arrival, with its thoughtful and extensive plantation of deciduous and pine tree shelter belts interspersed with bands of retained native timber.
“The well-fenced central laneway allows easy access throughout, making management of the productive cattle enterprise, which is underpinned by high performing pastures, straightforward."
Water infrastructure is extensive, with 41 dams, a high-yielding bore, and double creek frontage to Bullamalito and Quialigo Creeks, ensuring year-round reliability.
Key working facilities include two sets of steel cattle yards, a modern machinery shed, and well-maintained fencing.
Quialigo Park is offered for sale via Expressions of Interest, closing November 14 at 4pm AEDT.
