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Size: 4031ha
Location: Northern VIC
Price: More than $50 million
Queensland’s McLean Farms has acquired the large-scale, 4031ha Torrumbarry Farms Aggregation in northern Victoria, marking a significant expansion of its grain and poultry operations.
The aggregation consisted of three hubs located within a 7km radius: the 2,297ha Torrumbarry Estate; the 1,610ha Warwick Farm, Billabong and Wattle Creek; and the 124ha Pollocks.
Located 16km from Echuca, the 4,031ha aggregation spans both irrigated and dryland cropping, as well as grazing and support land.
Nearly half the property has been developed for irrigation via centre pivots, lateral move systems and flood irrigation, supported by strong water entitlements and on-farm storage.
The sale sees the aggregation pass from one farming family to another.
Offered by Australian Fresh Milk Holdings (AFMH), Torrumbarry was initially listed in 2023 with a price guide of more than $60 million.
After being relisted in 2024 “north of $50 million”, the property has now sold, with the final price undisclosed, but believed to be above the $50 million figure.
AFMH, which is majority owned by the billionaire Perich family alongside the Moxey family and New Hope Group, originally acquired the aggregation in 2019 for around $20 million, converting it from a dairy rearing property to a high-performing cropping operation.
The buyers, McLean Farms, are a second-generation family business based at Pittsworth on Queensland’s Darling Downs.
Managing Director Andy Crocker said the acquisition would bolster the company’s supply chain, including its Victorian poultry operations at nearby Bendigo.
“The McLean family is renowned for large-scale, sustainable agricultural holdings and this acquisition will support our existing operations and underpin future growth,” Mr Crocker said.
LAWD Senior Director Danny Thomas, who brokered the sale alongside Director Erica Semmens, said it was pleasing to see the aggregation stay in family hands.
“It’s always rewarding to see a significant property like this transition from one family to another, continuing the legacy of hard work and land stewardship,” Mr Thomas said.
“The original Torrumbarry property was owned by the Baillieu family for about 60 years. It’s rare to see large-scale properties retained in family ownership in a market awash with foreign capital.”
Mr Thomas added that demand for properties with secure water supply remained strong.
“The sale attracted a lot of interest as buyers are looking for productive assets that provide water security for ongoing production during times of drought,” he said.
Size: 342,000ha
Location: North QLD
Sale method: First-round offers close on July 25
Price Guide: $200-$250 million
One of Australia’s most historic and water-secure cattle stations, Millungera Station in North Queensland, has hit the market with expectations it could sell for between $200 million and $250 million, walk-in, walk-out.
Listed by the Acton family after nearly four decades of ownership, the 342,000ha station is located about 130km north of Julia Creek and includes about 50,000 branded cattle.
First-round offers close on July 25, with Bentleys Queensland handling the sale.
Originally established in 1864 by pioneer James Gibson, Millungera has a rich legacy of beef production spanning more than 160 years.
CSR Limited owned the property in the mid-20th century before auctioning it in 1985 to Evan Acton and his late brother Graeme, who purchased it for $7 million with 25,000 head of cattle.
While a joint venture was later formed with Australian Country Choice, the Acton family retained management of Millungera.
Brendan Goulding, director of Bentleys Queensland, said the property’s long-standing reputation and water infrastructure make it a standout offering.
“Some of the unique attributes that make the property special is it has a very long history of producing cattle for over 160 years and is a proven performer for consistently producing large volumes of high-quality cattle sought after by the backgrounding, feedlotting and beef processing market channels for the Australian and export beef markets,” he said.
“A big part of its success is that it has a vast supply of underground Artesian water with extensive water infrastructure making it arguably the most water secure beef cattle asset in Australia.”
Millungera features a mix of shaded downs, sandy forest, river frontages and Gidgee country, and is currently run as an integrated breeding and growing system.
The property is well supplied with natural and artesian water sources to support livestock grazing, featuring 21 bores, 25 dams, and substantial frontage to the Flinders and Saxby Rivers.
Several waterholes along these river systems are permanent. Water is primarily delivered through an extensive infrastructure network, including troughs, poly pipe, dams and bore drains.
The average annual rainfall is 655mm.
“There is also the possibility of further development of water, fencing and cattle infrastructure to lift carrying capacity at the Millungera. Along with that, its fertile soils and abundant water resources also offer potential for irrigated and broadacre cropping developments,” Mr Goulding said.
Size: 1539ha
Location: Northern NSW
Sale method: Auction, August 6 at 11am (AEST) at The Tourist Hotel, Narrabri
Price Guide: N/A
After more than a century in the same family, the 1,539ha mixed farming enterprise ‘Wilgaroi’ has been listed for sale, offering a rare opportunity in northern NSW's' prized ‘Golden Triangle’ cropping region.
Located east of Bellata between Narrabri and Moree, Wilgaroi is being offered with well-established wheat (674ha), canola (225ha) and chickpea (379ha) crops already in the ground.
Of the total area, 1,278ha (83%) is arable.
LAWD Senior Director Col Medway said the inclusion of a full winter crop made Wilgaroi especially attractive to buyers seeking immediate income potential.
“The vendor has continued to improve the property, resulting in 100% of the arable area being sown to crop, which makes it a compelling opportunity given the potential and immediate income this year,” Mr Medway said.
“The crops are well established and benefiting from excellent seasonal conditions.
“I anticipate we will see a lot of interest from existing landholders or syndicates seeking expansion opportunities, and out-of-area farming families looking for geographic and climatic diversity.”
The property includes a historic 1930s homestead, two guest quarters, and extensive operational infrastructure to support cropping and livestock, including machinery sheds, hay sheds, silos, cattle yards, and water security from bores, dams and rainwater tanks.
Wilgaroi also benefits from proximity to major grain storage and processing facilities at Pennys Lane (Manildra), Bellata and Gurley (Graincorp), as well as cotton gins in Moree and Narrabri.
The buyer will have the option to take over management of the crops from exchange of contracts and can continue to engage contractors, as the current owners have done.
Wilgaroi will be auctioned at 11am (AEST) on August 6 at The Tourist Hotel in Narrabri.
Size: 135ha
Location: Tamworth, NSW
Sale method: Online auction via AuctionsPlus on July 17 at 11am
Price Guide: N/A
A premier equestrian estate just 14 minutes from the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC) in Tamworth has hit the market, offering a rare blend of luxury living, elite horse infrastructure and mixed farming potential.
‘Sweetwater’, a 135ha property at 91 Gidley Siding Road, is being offered for sale via online auction through AuctionsPlus on July 17 at 11am.
The property includes a five-bedroom designer homestead, state-of-the-art equine infrastructure, and productive country currently planted to oats and lucerne.
Nutrien Harcourts Scone and Merriwa’s Gavin Beard said the property offered flexibility for a range of buyers.
“It has got a magnificent, five-bedroom home on it, so it'll suit an array of pursuits,” he said.
“However, the people that own it at the moment have built it and based it around a lamb fattening operation as well as an equine training facility.”
‘Sweetwater’ boasts world-class equine infrastructure, including a 9-stable barn, undercover sand arena with mechanical cow, round yard, Priefert walker, and 18 well-fenced paddocks tailored for mares, foals and stallions.
Additional facilities include undercover day yards, a heated wash bay, tie-up area and mare crush.
“They've all been built in the last two years,” Mr Beard said.
“We're pitching the property probably more toward the equine industry based on the fact that it's only 14 minutes drive from the AELEC there in Tamworth.”
He added the location was also ideal for livestock producers.
“The current owners take advantage of where it's located against the TRLX, which is the Tamworth Regional Livestock Selling Exchange,” Mr Beard said.
Sweetwater also offers steel cattle and sheep yards and a large machinery shed, three dams, two equipped bores and extensive rainwater storage with reticulation throughout.
The contemporary five-bedroom homestead features polished spotted gum floors, a marble kitchen, media room, outdoor entertaining area with pizza oven, and a swimming pool.
Interest has come from a mix of horse professionals and retirees looking to downsize while staying close to regional services.
“It’s just five minutes from 55,000 people, so it's right on the edge of quite a thriving regional centre,” Mr Beard 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.