Nathan and Deb Schultz have been growing cereals and running sheep on the 2113ha Murbko, north of Blanchetown, which has potential for irrigation. Photo: Toop + Toop

FRESH to the market are listings for Willoughby in Central Queensland, Murbko in the South Australian Mallee, and five GrainCorp sites in New South Wales.

Willoughby, Qld

In Qld’s renowned Central Highlands, Jan and Greg Hornick have listed their irrigated and dryland cropping opportunity underpinned by secure water.

The 1834ha Willoughby is located near Arcturus, 32km from Springsure and 61km south-east of Emerald, close to Queensland Cotton’s gin and GrainCorp’s grain receival site at Emerald.

It produces cotton, wheat, corn, chickpeas and mungbeans in rotation across 712ha of irrigated cropping and 514ha of dryland cropping land, with 608ha used for water storage and operational support.

Around 60 percent of the open and level land is alluvial brigalow, 17pc open downs and 15pc  brigalow softwood scrub, with the remainder flooded blue gum and river red gum flats.

Soils are a productive mix of heavy black cracking clays and brown scrub soils adjacent to the Comet River and Orion Creek, with some lighter brown and red loam soils and heavy clays in low-lying areas.

Located in CQ’s Arcturus district, Willoughby has been growing summer and winter crops, and features 712ha of irrigation country. Photo: LAWD

LAWD director Simon Cudmore said Willoughby’s location offers strong cotton production potential in favourable seasons, with growers in the region achieving yields of up to and exceeding 20 bales per hectare in exceptional seasons.

“The Central Highlands is widely recognised for its extended growing season, providing producers with greater flexibility around planting and harvest windows compared to many competing cropping regions,” Mr Cudmore said.

“Willoughby forms part of a tightly held and highly regarded cropping precinct, an area that has attracted strong interest from family farming operations and institutional-scale investors seeking exposure to Queensland’s irrigated agriculture sector.”

The property receives around 686mm of annual rainfall with water secured by two equipped bores.

Key to the property’s performance is secure access to 4368ML of unsupplemented water allocations from the Comet River, which forms the property’s eastern boundary.

Overland flow harvesting capabilities are also available from the Comet River and Orion Creek during high rainfall and river flow events.

These sources are supported by 8260ML of on-farm storage capacity across four dams, which supplies the channel systems delivering water to Willoughby’s 12 flood-irrigated fields.

River water is lifted by two pumps on the Comet River and delivered via a below-ground channel on the eastern boundary into open supply channels and ring tank storages.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home, a renovated three-bedroom cottage, staff quarters, sheds and 510 tonnes of combined grain storage capacity in five silos. Willoughby is for sale by expressions of interest closing on August 20.

Murbko, SA

A well-managed cropping and grazing property in the SA Mallee has been listed for sale by Nathan and Deb Schultz after almost 20 years of ownership.

The 2113ha property is located at 499 Murbko Road, Murbko, 20km north of Blanchetown and 30km west of Waikerie.

Comprising three adjoining holdings of 709ha, 413ha and 991ha, the property includes 1295ha of arable land operated on a three-year rotation – two years of cereal crops followed by one year of pasture.

Long-term crop averages are 1t/ha for wheat and 1.2t/ha for barley, with the best yields of 2.4t/ha achieved in 2010, an exceptional season that brought an end to the millennium drought.

In past seasons, vetch has been sown and used as stockfeed for the 400 ewes the Schultz family runs alongside its cropping program.

During their ownership, the Schultz family has steadily improved the dryland farming system, through the adoption of no-till cropping practices that have helped lift productivity.

Toop + Toop Rural agents Sam Hayes and James Kellett said most of the interest is coming from farmers across SA looking to expand and diversify their existing operations into the region.

“There has also been inquiry from commercial agricultural enterprises, including feedlot and poultry operators, who see value in the property’s scale and strategic location, including its easement to the river,” they said.

A price guide of $741/ha ($300/ac) to $865/ha ($350/ac) is being offered across the 2113ha Murbko property.

Situated in a 259mm average annual rainfall region, the Schultz farm also offers irrigation potential.

GrainCorp sites, NSW

GrainCorp is selling five surplus silo sites in north-western New South Wales, offering buyers the chance to repurpose the assets or return them to commercial use.

Coonabarabran-based agent Chris Korff of Ray White Korff & Co, has been appointed to auction the five lots on August 19.

He said the holdings are ready for new uses or continued operation, with the vendor expecting each property to achieve its local commercial value.

On the outskirts of Bugaldie, Lot 1 is a large silo complex covering 7375sqm.

Until five years ago, the site was leased by a Baradine feed mill.

GrainCorp’s Ulamambri site offers 21,700t of shed and 2700t of vertical storage. Photo: Ray White Rural

The property includes a silo and grain shed with a combined capacity of 7600 tonnes, as well as a weighbridge, crib room and small shed.

At Ulamambri, Lot 2 comprises a silo complex on more than 3ha.

Vacant for the past two years, it includes two sheds with combined capacity of 21,700 tonnes, concrete silos with 2700t of capacity, a weighbridge, office and sample stand.

The remaining three sites are in Coonabarabran.

Lot 3 spans 2840sqm and includes a grain shed with 3800 tonnes of capacity. It was used as a warehouse until two years ago.

Lot 4 comprises 5779sqm of vacant land with a weighbridge.

Lot 5 is currently leased. Covering 2023sqm, it has two sheds, a crib room, an office, a fenced yard and a loading ramp.

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