SA’s Keilira Station has a DSE of 28,000. Photo: Collliers/Elders
THE McBride family’s historic Keilira Station in South Australia’s South East, Spring Park on the south-west slopes of New South Wales, and Ardentrive in Queensland’s Maranoa offer mixed-farming opportunity in three states.
Keilira Station, SA
An iconic South Australian sheep and cattle station with cropping capability has hit the market for the first time in nearly 70 years.
The 3345ha Keilira is situated 34km east of Kingston and described as one of the most prominent properties of significant scale in the state’s south-east Keilira district.
Owned by the McBrides since 1954, the historic holding was originally named Avenue Range Station by James Brown, who arrived from Scotland in 1849.
According to the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse, Keilira (pronounced Killara) was also known as Kalyra, the indigenous name for hopbush which is found locally.
The country comprises more than 2000ha (60 percent) of heavy grazing flats and more than 1200ha (40pc) of undulating hills capable of grazing 28,000DSE.
Colliers Agribusiness director Tim Altschwager said the productive flats could be converted to cropping.
“Further production uplifts are offered by 900ML water entitlements for potential irrigation and continuing the pasture improvement program.”
The district has a reliable winter rainfall with a long-term average of around 540mm a year.
The flats country is benefited by two drainage channels which form part of the South East Drainage Network and help to shift excessive water off the low-lying areas.
Over the years, the McBride family has undertaken a range of infrastructure developments and pasture renovations to drive efficiencies and increase production, including satellite yards.
A significant amount of fencing has been replaced following the Keilira bushfires almost three years ago.
In addition to its agricultural potential, Keilira Station offers possible diversified income streams including the development of wind turbines, which are in advanced negotiations in the region.
Jesse Manuel, also from Colliers, said the sale of Keilira Station is likely to interest private and corporate livestock producers, as well as buyers attracted to the property’s significant cropping potential.
The property features the original homestead and outbuildings including an old stone shearing shed which is now used a workshop and storage shed.
There are three homes, shearers’ quarters, a six-stand shearing shed with yards, cattle yards and numerous sheds.
Mr Manuel, Mr Altschwager and Elders agent Grant Schubert are handling the sale of Keilira Station on a walk-in walk- out basis closing on December 1.
Spring Park, NSW
The historic Spring Park, established in 1872 by Jim Tunney, is being offered for sale by current owners Richard and Elizabeth Westmacott after 37 years.
Named after the springs that provided the stock with water, the 530ha property sits 21km north of Young and 55km from Cowra.
During their ownership, the Westmacotts have made significant investments to enhance the property’s operations.
“We have undertaken soil conservation work, planted hundreds of trees, and built the property up to the highly productive operation it is today, which is equally suited to any combination of sheep, cattle or cropping enterprises,” they stated.
Rated to support 13.4DSE per hectare, the vendors are conservatively managing a 1620-head Merino flock on improved perennial grass, lucerne and clover pastures.
Spring Park is a highly productive mixed farm on the south-west slopes of NSW. Photo: LAWD
The gently undulating country benefits from well-draining, mostly red-brown earth soils with granite outcrops.
Around 90 percent (479ha) of Spring Park is arable, with the 2023 cropping program comprising 25ha of undersown grazing wheat plus 35ha of barley.
The holding is securely watered by 17 dams, natural springs and watercourses, with groundwater available via an unequipped bore.
Improvements include a circa-1888 six-bedroom stone homestead, a new four-stand shearing shed, a machinery shed, steel sheep yards, cattle yards and three grain silos with 190 tonnes of capacity.
Spring Park is being offered for sale by expressions of interest closing November 23.
Ardentrive, Qld
A diverse Qld aggregation has been listed for sale as three separate holdings after passing in at auction for $10 million.
The 3396ha Ardentrive, 25km south of Roma, is suited to finishing, backgrounding and breeding, with grass, grain, fodder and bunk options.
As a whole, vendors Peter and Karen Hancock have backgrounded and finished more than 2000 head of cattle through to feeder weights.
Nutrien Harcourts agent Darryl Langton said there has been good individual enquiry.
Located south of Roma, Ardentrive is being offered in three parcels. Photo: Nutrien Harcourts
Ardentrive
Listed for $7.9M, the 1796ha Ardentrive is 25km south of Roma and is currently operating as a 500-head Wagyu breeding enterprise.
Around 600ha of the flat, deep red loams are in a grain, fodder and silage cropping rotation.
Infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, two cattle yards, numerous sheds, 4500 tonnes of stored silage and a 65t molasses system.
Maffra
Most of the 653ha Maffra is farmed and planted to a mix of barley and forage oats. Listed for $3.28m, and located 23km south of Roma, around 120ha are developed to improved pastures and buffel grass.
It is watered by a bore and three dams and features steel cattle yards.
Edenhope
The 947ha Edenhope has been listed for $5.52m. Situated 25km south of Roma, the backgrounding and finishing block can run 280 backgrounders. The undulating deep red loams to Bungil Creek flats have been established with buffel grass.
Water is supplied by a bore and three dams.
Infrastructure includes a three-bedroom cottage, numerous sheds, and steel cattle yards.
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