Tara Moira at Trundle includes a 4000-head lamb feedlot. Photo: Elders

THREE large and productive New South Wales properties – Tara Moira at Trundle, Monwonga at Bedgerabong, and the Mitolo Hillston Portfolio – are on the market.

Tara Moira features a feedlot capable of turning off 19,500 lambs per annum, while the Monwonga and Mitolo Hillston holdings both feature irrigation entitlements within the Lachlan Valley.

Tara Moira

The largest contingent mixed-farming operation in the Central West’s Trundle district is being offered to the market by the retiring Watt family.

Assembled over 70 years, the 4327ha Tara Moira Aggregation is being sold with 3331ha of crops.

Two adjoining properties spanning 1181ha have also been listed for separate sale, which means the landholding could be expanded to 5508ha.

The neighbouring properties comprise the 970ha Tara Moira and Steeton and the 211ha 1489 Carlisle-Trundle Road.

Currently leased by the Watt family, the two holdings are also being sold by Elders.

Elders agents Brian McAneney and Chris Malone were unable to offer a price guide for Tara Moira, however they described the aggregation as a landmark asset.

“To say it is ‘impressive’ is an understatement.

“Tara Moira boasts scale, productivity and versatility. It has an enviable combination of productive soils, first class infrastructure, reliable water and cutting-edge management.”

In November last year, major red meat processor Roger Fletcher and family secured the nearby 8828ha Darriwell Aggregation, a trophy enterprise owned by the Jones family, for a sum believed to be in excess of $43 million including almost 6000ha of crops.

The cropping and livestock powerhouse, comprising 19 holdings, adjoins the Trundle township and attracted strong interest from both farming family entities and institutional investors.

Like the Darriwell Aggregation, Tara Moira’s scale and productivity are anticipated to generate inquiry from both corporate and family farming enterprises.

The open, level Kurrajong country on Tara Moira features red loams soils which have benefited over the years from the application manure from the feedlot and of lime, in addition to a comprehensive fertiliser program.

More than 95 percent is arable and produces winter cereals, oilseeds and pulses which are used in the feedlot.

The 2025 cereal planting includes 791ha of canola, 1709ha of wheat, 616ha of barley and 215ha of lupins, which are included in the sale.

Traditionally, the operation runs 5000 Merino and first-cross ewes, producing prime first and second-cross lambs.

A modern 4000-head lamb feedlot turns off up to 19,500 lambs a year.

All pens have gravity-fed water and a return system which filters and treats the water as it returns to the header tanks.

The Tara Moira Aggregation is watered by three dams and a bore.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home, three other residences, a four-stand shearing shed, four sheep yards, 1900 tonnes of grain storage and numerous sheds.

Expressions of interest close July 2.

Monwonga Aggregation

Tim and Jenny Webb are auctioning their large-scale cropping and grazing operation on the banks of the Lachlan River in central western NSW after 35 years of ownership.

Situated near Bedgerabong and 48km from Forbes, the 2933ha Monwonga Aggregation once formed part of the historic Big Burrawang Station.

When the 1135ha Monwonga Aggregation was brought to market in September 2019, it consisted of Monwonga, Gloming, and Wool Wash.

Since then, the Webbs have added the neighbouring 663ha Aston Park to the portfolio.

Boasting 13km of Lachlan River frontage, 92 percent is arable with the alluvial river flats, red loams and black self-mulching soils suitable for growing cereals, legumes and oilseeds.

There is scope to reintroduce irrigation across 400ha of laser-levelled country and grow cotton.

Operating as a dryland enterprise and cropping 1200ha, the property has consistently carried 5000-6000 ewes and followers, as well as 2000 wethers.

It is well watered by seven bores and 24 dams, water use and works approvals are in place along 11km of the Lachlan River, and some irrigation infrastructure is still in place.

The quality infrastructure includes a circa-1930s riverfront homestead, a workers’ cottage, a seven-stand shearing shed, two steel sheep yards, one steel cattle yards, shearers’ quarters, numerous sheds, and 3000 tonnes of grain storage.

Monwonga boasts 13km of Lachlan River frontage at Warroo, downstream from Bedgerabong. Photo: LAWD

Elders Emms Mooney agents Hugh Gooding and Chris Malone described it as a standout holding.

“Combining productivity, versatility and future potential, properties of this size, river frontage and calibre are hard to come by in this tightly held area.”

The Monwonga Aggregation will be auctioned July 18.

Mitolo Hillston Portfolio

Upwards of $45M is anticipated for intensive irrigated and dryland cropping opportunity in the Lachlan Valley region of central western NSW.

The 3646ha Mitolo Hillston Portfolio spans four non-contiguous holdings: 532ha Moora; 673ha Shilo; 2435ha Glenavon, and the 6ha Lachlan River Packing Shed, all within a 14km radius of one another.

Owned by the Mitolo Group and backed by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board and its Australian agriculture subsidiary AustOn Corporation, the company also owns farms in South Australia’s Riverland, Mallee, and Virginia regions, as well as a number of packing sheds.

LAWD agent Jaclyn Hope expects the listing to draw significant inquiry from the market.

“High levels of interest are likely to come from institutional investors and corporates looking for a premium investment opportunity in Australian agriculture.”

Ms Hope said the potential buyer has the option to benefit from an experienced management team.

“Infrastructure to support access to diverse markets and an experienced management team, currently operated by Mitolo Family Farms, provide scope for a smooth transition of ownership.”

Situated 20km from Hillston and 100km from Griffith, the aggregation is currently used for irrigated and dryland cropping.

The Mitolo Hillston Portfolio includes around 1872ha under centre-pivot irrigation. Photo: LAWD

With mostly red brown chromosols and calcareous red soils, the focus is growing around 40,000t of brushed potatoes a year, as well as wheat, barley, and canola.

Around 1872ha are under centre-pivot irrigation, with 1542ha of dryland cultivation also suitable for irrigation.

Situated in a 375mm average annual rainfall region, the Mitolo Hillston Portfolio is underpinned by 6005ML of water entitlements via the Lower Lachlan groundwater source, with the ability to carry-over unused water entitlements year on year, up to 150 percent, delivered by four bores.

Improvements include two homes, an extensive grading and packing shed facility, significant cold room storage, numerous sheds and 240t of grain silo capacity.

The Mitolo Hillston Portfolio is being offered by expressions of interest closing on June 26.

LAWD agents Patrick Kerr and Danny Thomas are also handling the sale.