Property Roundup: 107-year Crookwell holding hits market as chocolate and grain giants cash in

Offers in excess of $80 million are expected for an Italian confectionary company's holdings in the NSW Riverina, as a well-known farming family in WA's Eastern Wheatbelt region takes their 41,178ha Frog Loch Aggregation to market. Read on to see what else is happening in the rural property market this week.

WA grain giants sell up sought-after Eastern Wheatbelt aggregation

Above: offers over $40 million are expected for the 41,178ha Frog Loch Aggregation. Image: LAWD.

Offers of over $40 million are expected to roll in for the Nicoletti family’s 41,178ha Frog Loch Aggregation [Paywall] following the property’s listing earlier this week.

Situated in WA’s Eastern Wheatbelt region, approximately 85% of the mixed farming operation is considered arable, having been used to support a Merino sheep enterprise alongside high value crops including wheat, oats and barley.

The property is ideally located within the Kwinana Port Zone, close to grain receival sites at Southern Cross, Merredin and Northam as well as livestock markets at Muchea and Kantanning.

A total of 15 residences can be found across the entire aggregation, which also features substantial machinery and hay shedding, fertiliser storage, 5,950 tonnes of grain storage, shearing sheds and livestock yards.

10,000 Merino ewes as well as the property’s plant and equipment will be offered as part of the sale of Frog Loch, which is being marketed by LAWD via an expressions of interest process, closing 10 November.

Much-loved confectionary brand takes former hazelnut farms to market

Italian confectionary company Ferrero is expected to command offers in excess of $80 million for its extensive water portfolio and farmland holdings in the NSW Riverina region, after listing both for sale earlier this week [Paywall].

Known for producing brands such as Nutella and Ferrero Rocher, Ferrero purchased the 2665ha, two-farm aggregation back in 2011 via its Australian arms, Agri Australis and Waratah Land Pty Ltd, as it sought to expand into the region.

Encompassing adjoining properties Dellapool and Arrambee, the aggregation is located approximately 14 kilometres southeast of Narrandera and has been used to produce hazelnuts during Ferrero’s 12-year tenure of the two properties.

Ferrero will remove its existing hazelnut plantations prior to handing over the holdings, leaving behind a substantial set of offices, agricultural shed and residential accommodation alongside 1950ha of serviced irrigation farmland ideal for permanent plantings.

500ML of on-farm water storage also features on the aggregation, which is being offered alongside 11,361ML of water entitlements owned by Ferrero.

Offered for sale by CBRE, expressions of interest in the Dellapool aggregation close 23 November.

Crookwell holding hits market for first time in 107 years

Recently departed chair of Farmers for Climate Action, Charlie Prell has put up his historic family property ‘Gundowringa’ up for sale for $12-14 million. The 865 hectares of balanced grazing country and diversified income stream in the highly regarded and reliable Southern Tablelands region of New South Wales has run Corriedale for four generations. The stud was founded in 1916 and boasts a 1906 homestead. It is situated 17km from Crookwell, 121km from Canberra, and 227km from Sydney.

The property features a 1905 stone homestead

The property benefits from an on ongoing income stream from 13 wind turbines installed on the property, delivering $226,800 per annum indexed at for inflation annually.

With an estimated carrying capacity of up to 11,000 DSE, Gundowringa has been running a high performing Corriedale flock and Angus herd, conservatively stocked with approximately 800 ewes and 400 followers along with 250 breeding cows plus followers and 80 yearling cattle.

It has 4km of frontage to permanent Wollondilly River which traverses the property as well as the seasonal Grays Creek, and includes a network of 38 spring fed catchment dams. Rainfall is 750mm per annum, according to BOM.

The land features a combination of well drained granite and red basalt soils and is planted with significant portion of perennial pastures including Phalaris, cocksfoot, ryegrass and sub clovers.

For sale via Inglis via EOI by Thursday 30th November 2023.

Queensland’s Central Highlands country goes to auction

Above: Kulla is situated in Queensland's well-regarded Central Highlands region. Image: RBV Rural.  

An attractive parcel of prime buffel grass grazing country in Queensland’s well-regarded Central Highlands region has hit the market as the region’s Rowlands family sell up their 3785ha property, Kulla [Paywall].

Located 66 kilometres south of Blackwater, the property is situated in the prime fattening and backgrounding Comet-Blackwater-Rolleston triangle in close proximity to export abattoirs and major saleyards at Rockhampton and Emerald.

2700ha or 71% of the property has been sown to buffel grass pasture, with 550ha of partially developed mountain coolabah country, 330ha of developed black soil downs country and 240ha of lancewood forest ridges comprising the rest of the offering.

A 52m deep bore provides a reliable supply of stock water across Kulla, which also features a recently renovated homestead and 250 head capacity cattle yards in excellent working order.

500 Charbray cross heifers with 300 calves at foot are also available for purchase alongside the property, subject to negotiation.

Offered for sale by RBV Rural, the auction of Kulla will be held in Emerald on November 17.