Canola is one of the crops grown in rotation in the Dunoon Aggregation at Culcairn. Photo: Elders Real Estate

THREE prized New South Wales properties, Eureka at Bullarah, Braemar at Boggabri, and Dunoon at Culcairn, are on the market.

Eureka

A multiple income stream portfolio in the productive Gwydir Valley of north-west NSW has been listed by a local farming family after 40 years of ownership.

The 7356ha Eureka Aggregation is located near Bullarah, 67km west of Moree, and comprises the neighbouring 2291ha Eureka and 4159ha Wandoona, and the nearby 906ha Alamby.

An additional 581ha is under a permit.

The turnkey enterprise is offered with four water licences totalling more than 14,000ML from the Gwydir and Mehi rivers and in excess of 20,000ML of on-farm water storage, supported by 520mm of annual rainfall.

Moree Real Estate agent Terry Adams is handling the sale, which will include the current crops, however he was unable to disclose the vendor or price expectations.

“The regulated water licences are expected to sell for around $8000/ML and recent, comparable property sales are achieving upwards of $10,000 an arable hectare,” Mr Adams said.

“A property of this calibre should attract large family operators and corporates.”

The Eureka Aggregation covers 7356ha in the Bullarah district west of Moree. Photo: Moree Real Estate

The current owners purchased Eureka in the early 1980s and since then have increased the water from 34ha to more than 310ha, missing just growing one cotton crop.

In 1995, they added the neighbouring Wandoona.

Spanning 4159ha of wetland grazing and dryland farming, the property gave the owners additional income streams.

In 2017, the nearby Alamby, a dryland farming block, was added to the mix.

The level open floodplains feature a balance of black and grey self-mulching clays suited to cultivation.

There are 3800ha of dryland farming suitable for both summer and winter cropping and 1600ha of Gwydir Wetlands grazing currently running 340 cows.

Around 1515ha of developed irrigation are divided into 19 fields and watered by four gravity-fed reservoirs.

Every year, three fields are re-lasered to maintain efficient water distribution and improve yields.

Currently, 280ha is planted to dryland cotton, with 2500ha of the remaining area earmarked for planting wheat, faba beans, and chickpeas this winter.

There is extensive infrastructure on Eureka and Wandoona including three homes, four cottages, 5960-tonnes of silo storage, numerous sheds and three cattle yards.

Expressions of interest for the Eureka Aggregation close on May 14.

Braemar

Five generations of Donaldson family ownership will end with the sale of a mixed farm in a tightly held cropping and grazing belt in north-west NSW.

Settled by the family in the 1890s, the 1606ha Braemar is located 30km from Boggabri and 63km north-west of Gunnedah and has been listed for $9.5 million.

It consists of 1127ha of improved pastures and dryland cultivation, 265ha of open and arable grazing country and 213ha of timbered grazing and support land.

Across the holding, strategic contour banks and waterways have been developed to manage water run-off and mitigate any potential erosion issues.

The kurrajong, box and myall country is gently undulating with a mix of red and black basalt soils.

Over the summer, the Donaldsons produced a good sorghum crop and will grow canola this year under a share farm agreement.

In addition to summer and winter cropping, Braemar has been conservatively running up to 360 breeding cows.

Braemar in the Boggabri district is being offered for sale by the Donaldson family. Photo: Nutrien Harcourts

Nutrien Harcourts agent James Thomas said while interest will come from locals, the well-developed and improved country should also draw parties from away.

“The country is productive and tightly held. It also offers scale, and this should attract buyers from the broader New England and north-west region, in particular west of Narrabri, chasing a good mix of soils in a higher rainfall belt.”

Braemar is watered by six equipped bores and 17 dams.

Improvements include a renovated four-bedroom home, a five-bedroom home, a four-bedroom cottage, a two-bedroom worker’s quarters, a two-stand shearing shed, numerous sheds, cattle yards and silos with more than 500 tonnes of storage capacity.

Dunoon

First-class mixed farming country in the Eastern Riverina of southern New South Wales, owned by Nuffield Scholar Murray Scholz and his wife Emma, is attracting good inquiry.

Aggregated by the family over 50 years, the 1138ha Dunoon is 12km from Culcairn and 25km west of Holbrook.

It once formed part of the 36,500ha Round Hill Station owned by the Balfour family.

Last year, Dunoon was offered to the market as a 1419ha turnkey aggregation comprising three holdings – Earlsridge, Dunoon and Killara.

Following an expressions of interest process, Bryan and Lucinda Corrigan, Rennylea Angus, secured the neighbouring 281ha Killara.

It is understood Dunoon will sell for in excess of $17,300/ha ($7000/ac) or above $19.7M.

Elders agent David Gittoes said there has been widespread inquiry, mostly from away, chasing geographic diversity, scale and higher rainfall.

“Suitable for cropping, livestock or a combination of both, Dunoon produces above average crop yields and has a high grazing capacity, coupled with excellent improvements.”

The country is gently undulating with fertile red loam soils and low granite hills.

Around 85 percent is arable and growing wheat and canola, with break crops of oats and vetch to support the 2000 breeding ewes and 120 cow-and-calf operation.

Water is a feature.

The property is connected to town water (Riverina Water) and has numerous dams in a 600-625mm rainfall district.

Infrastructure includes a five-bedroom home, a manager’s house, a new three stand shearing shed, two sheep yards, cattle yards, numerous sheds, 17 silos with 682-tonnes of grain capacity, two 50-tonne fertiliser silos and four silage pits.

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