Harvest at Buckingbong, being sold by Lawson Grains now that its Riverina portfolio includes the nearby Bulgandra. Photo: Elders

CORPORATE farmer Lawson Grains is hoping to raise $40 million from the sale of the Narrandera district’s Buckingbong Aggregation in the Riverina region of southern New South Wales.

Put together in 2014 and 2015, the portfolio spans 4628ha and comprises three holdings – the adjoining 2536ha Buckingbong and 654ha Calooli, and the nearby 1438ha Barragunda.

Lawson Grains is divesting the aggregation due to portfolio realignment within the region following the acquisition of the Bulgandra Aggregation near Rand earlier this year.

Recognised as a producer of high-yielding cereal, canola and pulse crops, the 3096ha aggregation was purchased in March for around $44M.

“Bulgandra is close to existing grain production, storage and logistics operations at Rand, which has meant a realignment of the portfolio in southern NSW,” Lawson Grains chief executive officer Angus Blair said.

“Since acquiring the Buckingbong Aggregation 10 years ago, the company has continued to develop the property to drive performance and it is now presented to the market as a turnkey grain farm at scale.”

Around 92 percent, or 4245ha, is arable and growing wheat, barley, canola and legumes.

During its ownership, Lawson Grains has undertaken an extensive soil amelioration program involving lime and gypsum, while operating the properties under a 12m controlled-traffic farming system, incorporating stubble retention and a strategic crop rotation.

Structural improvements have focused on access roads, water supply, and grain storage totalling almost 12,000 tonnes via a combination of upright silos and grain bunkers.

Buckingbong can store a total of close 12,000t of grain in bunkers and silos. Photo: Elders

Elders agent Nick Myer has been appointed to sell the aggregation as a whole or in three parcels.

“Buckingbong is a rare offering of scale in the tightly held Riverina region and should appeal to a wide range of investor profiles for both broadacre farming and the potential for alternative revenue streams.”

Lawson Grains is one of Australia’s leading corporate grain growers with more than 123,000ha under management across 11 aggregations in NSW and WA.

In January 2022, it was acquired by Alberta Investment Management Company (AIMCo) and Australian-headquartered New Forests, which soon after established its agriculture business New Agriculture.

Since then, Lawson Grains has been steadily acquiring assets across NSW, including Bulgandra, Green Park, Noorongong, Ellim-Eek, Jemalong Station, and Hehir’s Grain Storage and Transport, which has recently been rebranded as Lawson Logistics.

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