SIZABLE cropping and mixed-farming holdings are being listed well into autumn as the property market maintains momentum.

Holdings recently put up for sale include Fairholme and The Island in the Lachlan Valley, two Grimwade & Gordon holdings in the Southern Riverina, and Meryon at Warren.

Blue ribbon Lachlan irrigation lists for $33M+

Between $33M and $35M is anticipated for a first-class irrigation development, dryland cropping and livestock breeding and finishing operation in the renowned Lachlan Valley region of central western NSW.

The 3786ha Fairholme Aggregation is situated 25km east of Condobolin, 65km from Forbes and 160km from Orange.

The aggregation comprises two landholdings:

The 1428ha The Island is owned by Sean Duggan who has additional country at Cowra and Woodstock and is selling to focus on expanding the grazing operation that he and his extended family own between Boorowa and Cowra.

With 6.5km of Lachlan River frontage, the property is being offered with significant water entitlements including 1426ML of groundwater and 700ML of Lachlan River general security, supported by 700ML of on-farm water storage.

The Island is developed to 670ha of lateral and centre pivot irrigation, 77ha of highly developed flood irrigation, 344ha have been identified for irrigation potential, with the balance dryland cropping (wheat, barley, canola and cotton).

Separated from The Island by a council-maintained road is the 2358ha Fairholme, owned by a conglomerate of five local parties who are selling due to a change of direction.

Under current management, Fairholme has been operated as a cattle-finishing enterprise using pastures and silage produced under irrigation.

In a mixed-farming platform of cropping and beef-cattle breeding, Fairholme can run up to 400 breeding cows and 150 weaners, along with the dryland cropping program.

At present, 160ha is under centre-pivot irrigation, 310ha to border-check flood irrigation, a further 500ha is suitable for irrigation, 1253ha is dryland arable and there is 135ha of grazing and support land.

Significant water entitlements include 472ML of Lachlan regulated river water, 184ML of Jemalong Irrigation Scheme general security water, supported by 900ML of delivery entitlements and 2000ML of Lachlan alluvial groundwater.

The Fairholme Aggregation’s dryland cropping and irrigation program is supported by a 1900t grain silo, fertiliser storage and machinery sheds.

Livestock production is supported by an integrated stock-water system, a four-stand woolshed and undercover cattle yards.

Ian Robertson from LAWD said The Island and Fairholme were being marketed as a whole, with strong interest from both corporates and private individuals.

It is being offered for sale by expressions of interest, including water licences, closing on May 23.

Grimwade & Gordon offer Riverina country

Grimwade & Gordon is offloading part of its Southern Riverina cropping and livestock holding as it consolidates its assets and expands its northern grazing footprint.

David Leeds from Border Real Estate and Matt Horne from Elders Deniliquin have been appointed to sell the 2524ha South Studleigh and the nearby 809ha Letona which are situated near Deniliquin, close to the Victorian border.

The price guide being offered for South Studleigh and Letona combined is $5000-5500/ha, or $16M-17M, with South Studleigh expected to fetch $12M-12.5M, and Letona $4M-4.5M.

Mr Leeds said the two holdings were attracting good local interest.

“With technological advances, the once-marginal cropping country has become more valuable for cropping,” Mr Leeds said.

“Last year was a good season for those unaffected by floods and an inch of rain which fell last week has helped to lift confidence.”

“Most of the water storages are almost full and the farming country is virtually drought-proof with broadscale characteristics and scope for further irrigation development.”

South Studleigh is a large-scale irrigated cropping and grazing holding that has been largely re-configured and re-fenced, ready for the 2023 winter cropping season.

It features 515ha of developed irrigation supported by four Murray Irrigation Limited delivery outlets and a high-volume, deep irrigation bore.

During its ownership, Grimwade & Gordon has undertaken significant works to improve the efficiency of the cropping program, and the additional land could be easily returned to irrigation.

Improvements include significant farm storage and sheep yards.

The 809ha Letona, 47km south-west of Deniliquin, is currently run as a dryland operation featuring a mix of soil profiles and a native tree corridor.

Water is accessed via the MIL Irrigation network.

Improvements include a three-bedroom home, machinery sheds, a three-stand shearing shed and adjoining steel yards.

South Studleigh and Letona are being offered for sale by expressions of interest as a whole or as two non-contingent parcels closing on June 7.

In February Grimwade & Gordon, a partnership between well-known sheep breeder George Grimwade and former Financial Review rich lister Michael Gordon, paid $26M bare for two well improved NSW western land leases: Ellavale Station and Congararra.

Prime farming land for sale at Warren

After 43 years of ownership, Gary and Jenny Wrigley are selling their prime farming country in central NSW to enable retirement.

The 4516ha Meryon Aggregation, 20km east of Warren and 33km west of Collie, comprises the adjoining 1835ha Meryon, 1742ha Clyde Cottage and 939ha The Ranch.

The country is generally flat to slightly undulating heavy chocolate, self-mulching soils running to some heavy red loams.

Most of the country has been cleared for farming with some timbered areas used for agistment cattle.

Around 4250ha are annually cropped to wheat, barley, canola and chickpeas on a rotational basis.

This year, 2343ha have been sown to wheat, 1245ha to canola and 445ha to barley which are included in the sale.

In 2021, 1206ha of canola produced 2773 tonnes or 2.3t/ha, 2097ha of wheat produced 8807 tonnes or 4.2t/ha and 350ha of chickpeas produced 951 tonnes or 2.7t/ha.

The Meryon Aggregation is well watered by 16 dams and five bores.

The improvements are described as excellent and include 10,350 tonnes of grain and silo storage, machinery sheds, fuel storage, a weighbridge and cattle yards.

Peter Dwyer from Peter Milling & Company Dubbo said the management has been faultless with the Wrigleys using the latest agronomic advice and farming practices.

The Meryon Aggregation is being offered for sale by expressions of interest closing on June 15.