John and Julie Nicoletti and associates have listed more than 200,000 hectares of WA freehold and leasehold country. (Photo: CBRE)
THEY farm big in Western Australia, and the holdings don’t come any bigger than the 62,768 hectares of freehold arable land being sold by John and Julie Nicoletti and associated interests.
Through CBRE agent Danny Thomas, the offering in total covers 76,575ha of freehold, plus a lease which covers 127,018ha, including 95,040ha of arable country, to be assigned to the purchaser.
The sale parcel also includes 15,000 tonnes of vertical storage adjacent to CBH Group’s Merredin facility, plus plant and machinery.
Also included in the offering are more than 50,000 Merino ewes plus progeny, and wool from the aggregation’s most recent shearing.
Speaking with Grain Central, Mr Nicoletti said he would continue his involvement with agriculture in his role as principal of the WA Ag Implements network of John Deere dealerships once the properties changed hands.
“We’ve already sold land to the Chinese, and now we’re passing on the sub-lease and all the land I’ve acquired since,” Mr Nicoletti said.
“There is big demand for agricultural land in Australia, and not just China. I’ve had inquiry about this from all over the world.”
The portfolio comprises mainly farms with an annual average rainfall of around 300-350 millimetres centred in the wider Merredin and Southern Cross districts in WA’s wheatbelt.
Mr Nicoletti said some properties adjoining the family’s holdings were being offered within the aggregation.
“Some of my neighbours are part of it too.”
The listing includes the Nicoletti-owned Daisy Downs at Mullewa near Geraldton, a property covering around 27,500ha, including more than 15,000ha of arable land.
Plant and machinery all up includes a long list of near-new equipment featuring 14 headers, 12 seeders, seven sprayers, 13 large and seven smaller tractors, as well as four speed tillers.
Average yields for the aggregations key crops are 1.35 tonnes per hectare of wheat, 1.84t/ha of barley and 0.8t/ha of canola.
“This listing offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to invest in the future of cropping in Australia on a grand scale,” Mr Thomas said.
“With the inclusion of the Merino flock, it also provides an established income stream at a time when wool and sheep prices are showing incredible strength.”
Mr Thomas said he expected the Nicoletti listing to attract strong interest from Australian as well as overseas investors.
The closing date for non-binding Expressions of Interest to be submitted to CBRE is 29 June, 2018.
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