Property Roundup: $250m Kimberley Cattle country & $55m heavenly Holbrook

A significant opportunity in the northern beef industry has presented itself this week with the 2.9 million hectare Kimberley Cattle Portfolio being listed for sale by Archstone Investment Group. Read on to see what else is making waves in the rural property market. 

 2.9m hectare Kimberley Cattle Portfolio goes to market

Above: the Kimberley Cattle Portfolio is rumored to be worth over $250 million. Image: LAWD.

The Hui family’s Archstone Investment Group has listed its 2.9-million-hectare Kimberley Cattle Portfolio for sale this week, presenting a significant opportunity in the northern cattle industry.

Rumoured to be worth over $250 million, the aggregation consists of six pastoral leases as well as six subleases, all situated within a 350km radius in Western Australia’s Kimberley region.

50,000 breeders are currently run across the aggregation, which features frontage to the Margaret, Mary and Louisa Rivers as well as Christmas Creek. 

According to the Portfolio's General Manager, Haydn Sale, the aggregation offers a unique range of opportunities that allow significant scope for increased production and diversification. 

“This business was essentially built around putting together an aggregation of properties that were close enough to work together to create key efficiencies, with potential to develop in a way that would escalate production,” Mr Sale said. 

“The aggregation is unique in that it is a pastoral operation that can breed weaner and feeder cattle but has the option, with further investment, to go to a feedyard production model as well."

The portfolio has been built over several stages since Archstone’s acquisition of the Yougawalla, Bulka and Margaret River stations in 2017, which marked the agri-investment firm's entry into the northern cattle industry. Archstone also currently holds a majority stake in NSW meat processor and exporter Bindaree Food Group, which was purchased by the group in 2017 for $120 million.

Offered for sale by LAWD, expressions of interest in the Kimberley Cattle Portfolio close 9 November.

Large-scale Riverina station tipped to make $55m

Above: Yambla Station has a total estimated carrying capacity of 30,000 DSE. Image: Inglis Rural Property.

Holbrook’s 2654ha Yambla Station has been listed for sale by the Satchell family, who are calling time on their 36-year stint on the NSW Riverina pastoral property.

Currently home to 9,500 Merino ewes as well as a significant beef breeding and backgrounding operation, Yambla has an enviable total carrying capacity of 30,000 DSE which is expected to see the property attract offers in excess of $55 million.

While a large area of the property has been sown to perennial pastures, 400ha of the property has also been sown as fodder crops including oats, rye-grass and triticale. Featuring an average rainfall of around 800mm, Yambla is well-watered thanks to an extensive series of spring-fed dams as well as a solar pump supplying water to the property from the spring-fed Daly Creek.

In addition to a five-stand shearing shed, undercover sheep yards and cattle yards, the property features a five-bedroom homestead as well as a separate four-bedroom residence.

Yambla Station is being offered for sale by Inglis Rural Property via an expressions of interest campaign, which closes on 16 November.

Flinders Ranges farm sells for $5,235/acre after a century of ownership

Above: the Wegner family's mixed farming operation in the southern Flinders Ranges. Image: Ray White Rural.

The Wegner family’s mixed farming operation [Paywall] in the southern Flinders Ranges has sold for $3.9 million at a public auction hosted by Ray White Rural last week.

Nine registered bidders were recorded at the auction, with two bidders quickly escalating their respective offers to reach the final sale price of $3.9 million or $5,235 per acre.

Consisting of two non-contingent lots, House (204ha) and South (97.1ha), Wegners has a reliable average rainfall of around 420mm and a series of bores and mains water to ensure a secure water supply.

Solid 7-line Cyclone fences are in place across both blocks, which feature fertile cropping land as well as lightly timbered grazing hills. Wegners has been used for rotational cropping as well as prime lamb production during the family’s 100-year tenure on the property.

A three-bedroom homestead along with sheep yards, containment pens and a shearing shed can also be found on the property.