It’s been another busy week in the rural property market, with a series of sales and new listings of grain country in New South Wales and South Australia.

• Forest Creek, NSW picked up by neighbours
• Stirlings, Pompies and Town, SA attract strong inquiry
• Norgara Downs and Calimpa, SA listed at $15.25m

Forest Creek, NSW picked up by neighbours

Darren and Leanne Eather’s Bellevue Pastoral Co has expanded in footprint in New South Wales’ Riverina region following the purchase of neighbouring country.

The 1800ha Forest Creek is a mixed farming property near Conargo and 38km from Deniliquin.

The property, which once formed part of the Landale family’s Blackwood Park Aggregation, was offered for sale by Richard Knox and family after around 20 years of ownership.

The over the fence transaction came to light when a complete farm equipment dispersal sale for the property was recently listed by Nutrien Harcourts.

According to its website, the Bellevue “portfolio is a modern cropping operation focused on broad-scale irrigated cropping and dryland farming in three key locations – Narrabri, Lindifferon and Carrathool.”

With a focus on cotton, durum wheat, canola, sorghum and various other cereals and pulses, the Bellevue Pastoral Company has also diversified into almonds.

The Bellevue property portfolio includes Warinella (purchased in 1996), Narooma (2002), Violet Downs (2007), Glenelg (2011), Qunidalup (2014), Blackwood Park (2018), Sapphire (located near Blackwood Park) in 2020, Merila (adjoining Narooma) in 2021, Warilea, Browns and Curra (2022) which neighbour Bellevue.

“Today the Bellevue entity is focused on cropping with most of the farms operating with broad scale irrigation for cotton and durum wheat. The balance of the are dryland and support wheat, canola, sorghum and other cereals and pulses.”

While details surrounding the sale are unknown, the property is situated in a region recognised for high-value agricultural production including sheep and cattle operations, and summer and winter cropping (cotton, corn and fodder).

Properties in the area, including Forest Creek, feature extensive frontage to water sources, such as the Billabong and Forest Creeks, and hold water access rights for irrigation and stock, including from the Murray and Murrumbidgee river systems.

Stirlings, Pompies and Town, SA attract strong inquiry

Strong inquiry and multiple inspections are underway for a versatile cropping and residential subdivision development opportunity in South Australia’s Murray Mallee region.

Vendor Robin Schaeffer is selling 871ha across three properties used for dryland cropping, including cereals, pulses and oilseeds.

Located 40km from Renmark, the portfolio comprises the 550ha Stirlings, the adjoining 194ha Pompies and the 127ha Town block, which borders the Riverland township of Loxton. Pompies and Town are 10km from Stirlings.

About 95 percent (830ha) of the gently undulating sandy rises and loam flats are arable, supported by an average annual rainfall of 275mm.

LAWD director Nigel Gosse said the properties have a strong moisture profile following recent rain.

“All have productive soils, are well managed and require minimum tillage. Despite the sale, the vendor is conducting business as usual, including spraying and preparing soils for sowing.”

Mr Gosse said the highly flexible asset offers multiple income and development pathways.

“An 8ha portion of Town has received council approval for a residential development comprising 79 residential lots, providing an immediate opportunity to realise value through staged delivery.”

Stirlings, Pompies and Town are being offered for sale in one line or as three separate assets via expressions of interest closing on May 12. For an absentee owner, Mr Schaeffer is open to leasing back the properties.

Located 40km from Renmark, the portfolio comprises the 550ha Stirlings, the adjoining 194ha Pompies and the 127ha Town block.

Norgara Downs and Calimpa, SA listed at $15.25m

After failing to sell via expressions of interest, a productive and versatile irrigation opportunity with substantial water entitlements in South Australia’s Upper South East region has been listed for $15.25 million.

Offered to the market late last year for around $20m, the 1294ha aggregation comprises the adjoining 926ha Norgara Downs and 367ha Calimpa located 18km south-east of Tintinara and 27km north-west of Keith.

The enterprise is supported by 4421ML of water entitlements – one of the largest in the Coonalpyn Water Zone.

LAWD director Nigel Gosse said the extensive irrigation development and water security support a 550-cow dairy operation, alongside high-yielding cropping and pasture production.

“The extensive water entitlements, productive soil types and quality irrigation infrastructure offer potential to grow a range of high value grain, seed, forage or vegetable crops.”

Free draining sandy loam soil types, together with extensive clay spreading on hills, support cereal crops and lucerne, with hay production averaging 3.5t/ha to 4t/ha per cut, with around five cuts per year.

Infrastructure includes three homes, 12 pivots, a 50-bale rotary dairy with 18,000 litres of milk storage, two grain silos, numerous sheds, a three-stand shearing shed and sheep and cattle yards.

The adjoining 926ha Norgara Downs and 367ha Calimpa located 18km south-east of Tintinara and 27km north-west of Keith.