Ashford Heath. Photo: Elders

THE productive Ashford Heath at Bogan Gate in New South Wales has sold, and Edmund Rice Education Australia has listed its Bindoon holding in Western Australia.

Ashford Heath, NSW

Australian resource recovery and organic waste recycling company Bettergrow  is believed to have paid $11 million, or $4334/ha, for Ashford Heath in the Central West of NSW.

The 2538ha mixed farm is 12km from Bogan Gate, 13km from Trundle and 49km from Parkes.

Bettergrow is part of the Borg Group, and its purchase ends 70 years of Ashford Heath ownership by members of the Jones family.

Around 1981ha, or 77-80 percent, of the fertile limestone to red and brown soils is arable, with the owners typically sowing around 800ha to dual-purpose and fodder crops, including canola, wheat, barley and oats.

Alongside the cropping operation, the Jones had been operating a 9000DSE prime lamb breeding and finishing program on open Kurrajong country growing native pastures.

Ashford Heath is securely watered by 44 dams and three bores, two of them equipped, supported by 533mm of average annual rainfall.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home, a cottage, a four-stand shearing shed, an original two-stand shearing shed, steel sheep yards, numerous sheds and eight silos with 380 tonnes in total of grain capacity.

In addition, the property has a 6ha quarry, and the Parkes Shire Council extracts 30,000-50,000t per year, with income generated at $1/t extracted.

Elders agents Brian McAneney and Chris Malone handled the sale of Ashford Heath, but were unable to disclose the buyer or the price paid.

Bettergrow was founded by brothers John and Michael Borg, who five years ago paid $30M on a walk-in walk-out basis for the 5800ha Warragundi Aggregation near Mudgee on the Central Tablelands.

Situated on the banks of the Cudgegong River, it consisted of three main hubs across nine holdings.

Since then, additional blocks have been added to make the Warragundi Aggregation one of the largest agribusiness enterprises in the region.

Today, the Warragundi Aggregation spans 8547ha across 12 neighbouring farms producing pasture, fodder and beef.

Bindoon Agricultural College & farmland, WA

A price guide of $30M-$35M is anticipated for the former Bindoon Agricultural College and its surrounding farmland, north-east of Perth.

The 3464ha property has been listed for sale by Edmund Rice Education Australia, a national network of Catholic schools and educational organisations operating across every Australian state and territory.

Established in 1936 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers as a farm school and boys’ town, the site later evolved into an educational and boarding college.

Situated 10km north of Bindoon, the Bindoon Agricultural College is 86km from Perth, with substantial frontage to the Great Northern Highway.

Ray White Rural agent Steve Vaughan said the property comprises two distinct components.

“Firstly, 1600ha of highly fertile cropping and livestock country, and secondly the extensive college infrastructure, including a campus and a 217ha heritage precinct.”

At the southern end, gently undulating land featuring well-drained, medium red-brown gravel loams is suited to canola, cereals and grains.

The northern section has heavier, undulating red-brown clay loams with granite influences.

While supporting high-yielding crops, it is better suited to grazing.

Around 1217ha is currently cropped by a local farmer under licence, while a further 329ha is used for grazing.

Mr Vaughan said converting some grazing country to cropping could expand the property’s arable area.

He said the campaign is attracting interest from agricultural, tourism and education buyers, as well as investors seeking a substantial property within an hour of Perth.

Water is supplied by three equipped bores, dams and a freshwater spring, supported by average annual rainfall of 600mm.

Infrastructure includes five residences and a broad range of education, training, farming, workshop and boarding facilities, along with a shearing shed and numerous other sheds.

The Bindoon Agricultural College property is being offered for sale by offers to purchase, closing November 6.

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