RURAL industry again proved the place to invest with NSW property prices posting impressive gains during 2022.
Driven by the ongoing strength of commodity prices and in particular the cattle market, confident investors dominated by family groups pushed the market to new heights.
Here are some of the top sales from 2022.
Liverpool Plains
Coal miner Shenhua sold its 16,500 hectares (40,772 acres) of land spread across three major holdings at Tambar Springs, Breeza and Barraba for $120 million, through a sale process handled by CBRE.
The land was bought by 12 local farming families along with an undisclosed corporate investor, which took about a third of the offering.
Shenhua Watermark had bought the land to develop coal mines. However, following long running protests, the miner did an estimated $100m deal with the NSW Government in 2021 to withdraw from the region.
CBRE's agribusiness head David Goodfellow said the Breeza block with irrigation protential had created the most interest, selling for an average of about $15,000/ha ($6000/acre), while the Barraba made less than ($2500) $1000/acre ($2500/ha).
A total of 45 expressions of interest were received for all or part of the three Shenhua aggregations, which were suited to both cattle and cropping.
Plumthorpe
Standout Northern NSW cattle breeding aggregation Plumthorpe sold before its scheduled auction in November, including cattle and equipment for $125 million.
The buyer of the 11,323 hectare (27,980 acre) Barraba operation was identified in the Australian Financial Review as the Newcastle-based O'Brien family.
The O'Brien family sold its animal health company Jurox to Zoetis earlier in the year for an estimated $400m, AFR said.
Located in the Banoon Valley about 15km north west of Barraba, the Plumthorpe-Campo Santo-Mayvale aggregation includes about 3500ha of farming country.
Plumthorpe is currently operated as a breeding, backgrounding and fattening operation, running about 4000 Angus breeders and followers.
The property also features an 11 bedroom homestead, four staff cottages, five sets of large cattle yards, two shearing sheds and various machinery and hay sheds
The marketing of Plumthorpe was handled by Meares & Associates, and Barraba agent Charlie Hart.
Bective Station
AAM Investment Group added more punch to its investment portfolio, securing the Vickery family's 4053 hectare (10,015 acre) Bective Station near Tamworth for $65 million, on a walk in, walk out basis.
The property was added to the AAM Diversified Agriculture Fund as the centrepiece of its agricultural technology innovation and commercialisation program.
The historic property has been bought on a walk in, walk out basis including 3000 head of cattle, plant and equipment, and irrigation water licences.
The underlying value was estimated at about $55 million.
AAM managing director Garry Edwards said the acquisition took ADAF's asset value to more than $600m across a diverse agricultural supply chains operating in Queensland, NSW, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
The investment opportunity was introduced to AAM by Daniel McCulloch, McCulloch Agencies, Tamworth.
Riverina
The late Anthony Crichton-Brown's noted 51,280ha (126,716 acre) Coolong Pastoral Portfolio in the Riverina sold to a number of family investors for a combined figure understood to be about $45 million.
Offered by Inglis Rural Property in conjunction with Elders Real Estate, the aggregation comprised of Toronga (28,079ha/69,383 acres), Natue Station and Merrimajeel (18,062ha/44,633 acres), and Fairleigh (5139ha/12,700 acres).
Offered by Inglis Rural Property in conjunction with Elders Real Estate, the aggregation comprised of Toronga (28,079ha/69,383 acres), Natue Station and Merrimajeel (18,062ha/44,633 acres), and Fairleigh (5139ha/12,700 acres).
The aggregation was marketed through an expressions of interest process with a price guide of about $45 million. At that figure, the country was valued at about $877/ha ($355/acre).
The aggregation has a combined estimated carrying capacity of 34,500 to 41,700 dry sheep equivalents.
Goulburn
The attraction of potential passive income from renewable energy proved a drawcard for the Southern Tablelands grazing property Hillview Park, which sold in mid-October.
Auctioned by Elders, the 911 hectare (2251 acre) property was passed in for $7.8 million. However, the Goulburn property sold soon after for a considerably higher, but undisclosed, figure.
Hillview Park was offered with an approved, but still to be constructed, 13 turbine windfarm. The Crookwell 3 windfarm agreement will deliver a substantial passive income of about $235,000 a year for 30 years, indexed to CPI.
Well suited to cattle breeding, wool and lamb production, the picturesque property offered by Donoghoe and Son was running 200 Angus breeding cows and 1500 Merino ewes.
A feature is the four bedroom colonial, bluestone and brick homestead was built by convicts circa 1840 and is a fine example of historic architecture.
The marketing of Hillview Park was handled by Mike Clifton and Richard Gemmell from Elders NSW Rural Real Estate.
South Bukalong
Monaro region property South Bukalong sold for $16.05 million at an Inglis Rural Property auction conducted on AuctionsPlus.
The 1919 hectare (4743 acre) property set up for cell grazing sold for the equivalent of about $8364/ha ($3384/acre).
South Bukalong was held by the Garnoch family for six generations and has an estimated carrying capacity of 12,000-15,000 DSE and is well suited to wool, prime lambs and/or beef production.
Improvements include a five bedroom, four bathroom rammed-earth construction residence set among established gardens, plus a four bedroom manager's house and two cottages.
Elizabeth Farm
In the elite rural lifestyle market, media identity Alan Jones's luxury Elizabeth Farm-Charlieville property on the southern Highlands sold for more than $15 million.
The meticulously maintained 27.5 hectare (68 acre) estate features a 10 bedroom, eight bathroom homestead set in 12ha of designed gardens, which includes a championship tennis court and impressive equestrian facilities.
There is also a six box stable with 12 day yards, a flood lit dressage arena, a two bedroom manager's cottage, a machinery/workshop and sundry shedding.
Located at Fitzroy Falls, 15km south east of Moss Vale and 24km north west of Bowral, the landmark property was sold through Liam Griffiths and Sam Triggs from Inglis Rural Property.
Glen Emu Station
The Riverina's Glen Emu Station at Balranald delivered a $16.1 million pay day on the 43,334ha (107,078 acre) pastoral property at an Elders auction in early September.
Offered by Mark and Lee Newnham, Hay, and father and son team Robert and Andrew Hiscock, Kilmore, Victoria, the aggregation was bought by Bill and Pip Ryan, Curragh, Hay.
The aggregation comprised of four adjoining properties: Glen Emu (12,673ha/31,315 acres), Ettrick 12,804ha/31,639 acres), Llanover Downs (10,331ha/25,528 acres), and Glen Dee (7525ha/18,594 acres).
Glen Emu is described as having a healthy mix of annual and perennial salt bushs, blue bush, trefoil clover, grasses and native herbages.
Improvements include a modern four bedroom main residence, a second large homestead, two shearing sheds, cattle yards, and goat traps with containment yards.
New England
There was also plenty of activity on the New England, including the sale of Greg Upton's 2668ha (6593 acre) four property operation near Walcha in April.
Estimated to fatten 6000 steers a year, the $88m deal for Pindari Tops, Alpha, Billy Creek/Foxdale and Brislington included some 4500 cattle worth some $8m, creating a underlying land value of about $29,985/ha ($12,134/acre).
Also making big money was the former 325ha (803 acre) New England CSIRO research station Arding, which sold above expectations at a McCulloch Agencies auction for $8.2 million - the equivalent of about $25,231/ha ($10,211/acre).
Offered by well known businessman John Cassidy, Arding was bought by John Jackson, Jackson Agriculture, at the fast paced, aggressive auction in September.
Matthew and Melissa George added more country to their Wagyu operation at Guyra, paying $7.9m for Mount Emby at a Ray White Rural NSW auction.
The sale price of the 402 hectare (992 acre) high altitude property was equal to about $19,652/ha ($7964/acre).
The Georges already owned the nearby 956ha (2363 acre) property, Brucelyn, which they bought at auction in November 2021 for $14.35m.
The Georges are particularly well known in the feedlot and cattle industry through their business Bovine Dynamics.
Somerset
Coastal country was also in demand with the well known Manning River property Somerset in the Kimbriki district selling at a Ray White Rural auction for $8 million.
Covering 893 hectares (2206 acres) the property has more than 5km of frontage to the Manning River.
The sale price was equal to an impressive $8959/ha ($3626/acre).
The highly productive alluvial river flats and undulating grazing country is supported by a 92 megalitre Manning River irrigation licence and 13 dams.
Known as the 'Jewel of the Manning', the property is well suited to beef, dairy and horses as well as lifestyle pursuits.
There are 22 paddocks, laneways and undercover steel cattle yards.
There are also substantial native forest and rainforest plus a hardwood plantation.
Somerset also has a north-facing homestead, with commanding views over the river, flats and mountains.
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