Multi-buyer transaction completed for iconic Balmullin aggregation

Balmullin grazing holding changes hands in multi-buyer deal

Size: 1550ha

Almost 1600ha of grazing country in Victoria’s north-east has changed hands, with the Ball family’s landmark Balmullin Aggregation near Euroa sold and split between three local buyers.

The Ball family, through Ball Agriculture, have sold two key components of the aggregation, with the 868.82ha Balmullin holding and the 350.88ha Berridale property both transacted in recent weeks.

It is understood Balmullin itself was divided between two local purchasers, while Berridale was secured by a third nearby grazier.

While the final sale prices have not been disclosed, the three properties were listed in January with individual price guides totalling $14 million.

At the time, Balmullin was offered at $8 million, Berridale at $3.25 million and the third parcel, the 330.88ha Boxwood Park, at $2.75 million.

Boxwood Park remains on the market.

The Balmullin Aggregation, located at 1350 Geodetic Rd, Euroa, had been expected to attract offers in excess of $8150per hectare and was marketed as either a whole or in three separate lots.

The aggregation has a carrying capacity of about 15,000 DSE, underpinned by renovated pastures, improved soils, new fencing and extensive infrastructure.

The property was home to the Ball family’s Molka Lamb enterprise, which ran about 6500 first-cross and composite ewes and consistently achieved lambing rates above 125 per cent.

Infrastructure across the holding included a state-of-the-art shearing complex, machinery sheds, workshops, haysheds and containment areas, alongside a renovated four-bedroom homestead.

CBRE Agribusiness agent Matt Childs, whohandled the sale, said in January that the scale and quality of improvementsset the aggregation apart.

“The scale of it is one appealing aspectand then the infrastructure and improvements that have been made to it inrecent years,” Mr Childs said.

“All the sheep handling facilities,accommodation, fencing, laneways and water supply have all been replaced andmodified over the past five to 10 years.”

From homestead to water rights: Riverina mixed farm goes under the hammer

Size: 225.4ha

A mixed-farming property in southern NSW, complete with a family home, irrigation infrastructure and significant water entitlements, is set to go under the hammer later this month via an online auction.

The 225.4ha property known as Willowglen, located at 528 Lakers Rd, Blighty, will be offered for sale by online auction through AuctionsPlus on February 25 at 11am (AEDT).

The holding will be offered in three separate lots, providing flexibility for buyers seeking land, water or a combination of both.

Lot one comprises the Willowglen aggregation, spanning approximately 557 acres and featuring a three-bedroom Shadowline homestead, a three-stand shearing shed and a machinery shed.

Around 25% of the land has been laser levelled and is supported by a recycle channel, with the property subdivided into six main paddocks.

The land offering includes 610ML of delivery entitlements.

Two additional lots are being offered separately, including 155ML and 150ML water share entitlements respectively, allowing purchasers to tailor their investment to operational or expansion needs.

The residence, known as Laker House, includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study or office, pantry and closed-in verandah, with four reverse-cycle air conditioners providing year-round comfort.

Infrastructure also includes a double carport, two rainwater tanks and a house dam with pump.

Across the wider holding, fencing is largely near-new, comprising ringlock and double barbed wire, while a dedicated laneway system provides efficient livestock access.

Stock watering is supported by extensive channel access throughout the property.

Elders Finley selling agent Nathan Mackay said there were numerous positives about the property, including its locationand soil quality.

“It’s a great add-on block or starter block,” he said.

“It would be brilliant for someone wanting to get into the farming game because it’s a good size and it’s manageable.”

Willowglen occupies a strategic position midway between Deniliquin and Finley, with bitumen road frontage on the corner of Lakers and Bouchiers roads.

The nearby hamlet of Blighty offers a rural community setting, with school bus access to Blighty, Deniliquin and Finley primary and secondary schools.

Receivers bring Gapsted Estate winery to market

A landmark winery and hospitality destination in Victoria’s Alpine Valleys wine region has been brought to market, with Colliers appointed to sell Gapsted Estate on behalf of Receivers& Managers Luke Andrews and Mathew Blum of BDO.

Describing the offering as a rare opportunity in a tightly held region, Colliers’ National Director of Agribusiness Duncan McCulloch said the property combined genuine production scale with strong brand and tourism appeal.

“Gapsted Estate is a high-quality, fully integrated wine business with genuine scale, excellent infrastructure and strong brand recognition,” Mr McCulloch said.

“The ability to acquire an attractive going concern business opportunity provides an incoming owner with immediate operational continuity and significant flexibility, whether they are an established wine group, a contract producer or a private investor seeking exposure to premium Australian viticulture.”

Located at Gapsted in north-east Victoria, the estate is widely recognised across the Australian wine and viticulture industries as a premium, fully operational business.

It offers multiple income streams underpinned by vineyard production, large-scale winemaking infrastructure and an established hospitality offering.

The property extends across about24.05ha, with around 8.41ha planted to vineyard.

Plantings include Chardonnay alongside emerging and alternative varieties such as Saperavi, Tempranillo and Petit Manseng, providing diversity and flexibility for future production strategies.

At the heart of the estate is a purpose-built winery capable of processing up to 6,500 tonnes of grapes per year.

The facility includes wine storage capacity of about 8.2 million litres, supported by additional oak barrel storage and red fermenter capacity, enabling both estate winemaking and contract processing at scale.

“Assets of this calibre, offering both operational depth and lifestyle appeal, are exceptionally tightly held, especially in regions with strong long-term demand drivers like the Alpine Valleys,” Mr McCulloch said.

The production infrastructure is complemented by a modern cellar door and licensed on-site restaurant, which together form a key part of the visitor experience.

The restaurant can accommodate about 60patrons for lunch service and up to 80 patrons for events, positioning the estate to capitalise on the region’s growing food and wine tourism market.

The property also benefits from being close to the renowned King Valley wine region.

Colliers Executive Agribusiness Connor Dixon said the location added further weight to the investment proposition.

“The Alpine Valley wine region is highly regarded for its cool-climate conditions, scenic landscapes and strong tourism draw,” Mr Dixon said.

“Gapsted Estate is strategically positioned close to key regional centres including Myrtleford, Bright, Beechworth, Wangaratta and Wodonga, and approximately a three-hour drive from Melbourne.

“That combination of accessibility, established tourism and premium wine production makes this a very compelling regional investment.”

Additional improvements include a large warehouse and distribution facility, administration building, production and laboratory building, tasting room, barrel shed and staff amenities.

Gapsted Estate is being offered for sale by Expression of Interest, closing March 18 at 4pm (AEDT).

Australia’s biggest Bravo apple play hits the market in rare Goulburn Valley sale

A large-scale, vertically integrated apple and pear enterprise in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley is being brought to market, offering investors exposure to premium horticulture production, established infrastructure and branded fruit supply chains.

Marketed by LAWD, Project Brooklyn comprises a 216ha aggregation of six apple and pear orchards, supported by significant packing, cold storage and marketing infrastructure.

The portfolio includes 97.1ha of apple orchards, 83.1ha of pear orchards, with the balance allocated to infrastructureand unplanted land.

One of the defining features of the portfolio is its scale in proprietary apple varieties, including one of Australia’s largest plantings of Bravo, a premium apple developed from Cripps Red and Royal Gala.

More than 20 per cent of the orchard area is planted to Bravo, with Project Brooklyn holding licences as both a grower and packer, positioning the business to participate in the growth of branded fruit categories.

All orchards are located within a 10kmradius of the central packing facilities, allowing rapid movement from harvest to cold storage.

Average annual production is about 5,600tonnes of apples and 5,200 tonnes of pears, supplying major supermarkets, wholesalers, distributors and retailers across Australia’s east coast, as well as established export markets.

Operations are managed in-house by an experienced team, supported by five full-time orchard staff and eight full-timepacking staff, with up to 50 additional seasonal workers engaged during peakperiods through a long-standing local labour hire provider.

Water security underpins the operation, with a diversified portfolio totalling 2,012ML of high and low reliability Greater Goulburn water entitlements sourced from the Goulburn River’s eastern channel system.

Orchards are irrigated via automated microjet sprinkler systems, supported by an average annual rainfall of 482.2mm.

LAWD senior director Jaclyn Hope said the asset was being offered on a walk-in, walk-out basis.

“Project Brooklyn provides the incoming purchaser with direct access to a large-scale, professionally managed horticultural enterprise, underpinned by high-quality land and water assets, as well as a vertically integrated marketing business supplying Australia’s leading retailers and international customers,” Ms Hope said.

“The portfolio presents significant upside through the acquisition of further land, expansion of Bravo plantings, technological upgrades, increased export volumes, expansion of cold storage capacity and value-add of lower-grade fruit.”

The operation has benefited from significant capital investment, including a 13,234sq m packing facility, multiple grading and packing lines, and cold storage capacity for about 20,000bins.

Sustainability initiatives include a200kW solar system across storage facilities and integrated pest management practices, with 67ha protected by orchard netting.

Located 4km from Shepparton, Project Brooklyn is positioned between Melbourne and Sydney with direct highway access. The portfolio is being offered for sale via an expression of interest campaign closing on March 5 at 12pm (AEDT).

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.