TWO sizable properties developed for dryland and irrigated cropping as well as grazing are on the market with Bowen Park near Trangie, NSW, and Boundary Farm on Qld’s Darling Downs.

Bowen Park, NSW

Upwards of $40 million is anticipated for one of the prime cotton and cereal-cropping and grazing operations in New South Wales’ Macquarie Valley.

The 3250ha Bowen Park is situated on the Macquarie River near Gin Gin, 20km from Trangie and 37km from Warren in the state’s Central West.

It is close to cotton gins and grain-handling facilities, including those 50km away at Narromine, and is 75km from Dubbo’s livestock exchange and sheepmeat abattoir.

Owned by the Miller family since 1952, brothers Anthony, Mark and Stephen are selling to dissolve a family partnership.

Meares & Associates principal Chris Meares is offering Bowen Park via online auction starting on May 1 with the sale including the land, fixed improvements and water entitlements.

“With values close to $4000/ML, that means the 3888ML of water entitlements that underpin the property are worth around $15.5M.”

“Early interest is coming from farmers keen to expand the property’s cropping potential,” Mr Meares said.

Around 95 percent of the property is arable and comprises 457ha of well laid-out flood irrigation and 972ha of dryland cropping country.

The rich alluvial and mostly black self-mulching soils are growing irrigated cotton and cereal and oilseed crops, including wheat, canola and oats.

The vendors report irrigation yields for cotton are around 16 bales/ha, with dryland yields of five to six tonnes/ha for wheat and three tonnes/ha for canola.

The 1821ha balance is conservatively rated to carry up to 330 breeding cows or 6000 sheep.

Mr Meares said 80 percent (1505ha) of the grazing country, which consists of red river gum, yellow, white and bimble box, could be farmed.

Mr Meares said Bowen Park is a highly sought-after asset in a tightly held region.

“The property represents one of the few major holdings in the Macquarie Valley region to be offered for sale in recent years.”

“Developed into one of the prime cash-cropping properties in the Macquarie Valley, Bowen Park is a versatile, highly productive and well managed asset offering scale.”

As well as 3888ML of general-security Macquarie River entitlements, there are 296ML of supplementary water, 86ML of floodplain harvesting entitlements and 703ML of on-farm water storage, supported by eight equipped bores and 14 dams.

Infrastructure includes three homes, steel cattle yards, a five-stand shearing shed, numerous sheds and 470 tonnes of grain storage.

Boundary Farms, Qld

A dryland and irrigated cropping operation in the highly productive Inner Downs region of southern Queensland has returned to the market with a $22M price tag.

Located near Ellangowan, the 1217ha Boundary Farms is 19km south-west of Clifton, 49km from Warwick and 52km from Toowoomba.

The asset failed to sell at a Ray White Rural auction and selling agent Matt Cleary is now negotiating with interested parties.

Over 17 years, brothers Allan and David Ruhle and their wives Cheryl and Moira have developed four separate properties into one contiguous enterprise.

Boasting some of the finest soils on the Eastern Darling Downs, the aggregation is situated on the Condamine River floodplain with deep black self-mulching clay soils.

 

Mr Cleary said Boundary Farm is regarded as one of the better irrigated and dryland properties on the upper reaches of the Condamine River floodplain.

“Considerable money has been spent on laser-leveling and drainage to improve efficiencies and productivity, with the property achieving yields of 10t/ha of sorghum and 7.5t/ha of wheat over recent years.”

More than 90pc is arable with 1142ha developed for cultivation of which 144ha is under centre-pivot irrigation, 445ha is planted to summer crops and the remainder is fallow after the 2023 winter crop.

The balance is elevated box loamy ridge, lagoon and river frontage country.

Mr Cleary said the vendors have invested in modern irrigation equipment, as well as laser-leveling and drainage, to improve workability.

“Boundary Farms has three groundwater allocations totalling 258ML, numerous bores – two of which have been recently reconditioned and connected to three centre pivots spanning 146ha.”

Boundary Farms has a 3500t grain storage capacity, 2000t in silos, and grain-drying and aeration facilities.

The infrastructure includes two three-bedroom homes, a cottage, workers’ accommodation, steel cattle yards and numerous sheds.