THIS week’s property review includes this wrap-up of interesting recent listings in Queensland and two separate articles on recent listings in other states, as well as recently completed transactions.

• CQ cattle & cropping portfolio heads to auction
• $24m+ for CQ’s Dumbarton
• Kirk family offers CQ breeder block
• Strong inquiry for SE Qld grassed breeding & backgrounding operation
• Maranoa’s Quebec offers abundant grass

Infrastructure on 4582ha Matilda Downs located 5km west of Capella and 52km north of Emerald.

CQ cattle & cropping portfolio heads to auction

A premier cattle and cropping portfolio in Queensland’s Central Highlands will go under the hammer next month.

Aggregated and developed by the Shaw family, the 4582ha Matilda Downs is located 5km west of Capella and 52km north of Emerald.

It comprises four adjoining but standalone properties – 1029ha Crystal Brook, 1035ha Bonnie Doon, 1277ha Matilda Downs and 1240ha Mitchell Park.

Its Certified Organic beef and grain production is accredited for the European Union market and certified as non-genetically modified, with additional certification covering the United States Department of Agriculture, Korean requirements and Good Agricultural Practices.

RBV agent Matt Beard said the Matilda Downs Aggregation can be purchased as a whole or as four separate holdings, with early interest coming mostly from within a 200km radius.

“The versatile enterprise offers a diverse mix of irrigation, dryland farming and cattle finishing, supported by quality improvements.”

Mr Beard said the operation had been thoughtfully developed over 15 years of Shaw family ownership.

“The quality holding sits on some of Capella’s most fertile and reliable country. In terms of water security and infrastructure, Matilda Downs rivals most properties.”

Around 3000ha is heavy carrying-capacity country, boasting abundant feed and used to finish cattle. The remaining 1500ha is used for cultivation, with any fodder crops included in the sale.

Matilda Downs will be sold via an online auction starting on May 19.

Here’s a brief summary of each portion:

Crystal Brook

Around 563ha of self-mulching heavy black soils are developed and contoured for cultivation. Around 237ha are ready for winter planting, while 326ha is growing silk sorghum.

The 466ha balance is pastured, with open and semi-open box, ironbark, brigalow, bauhinia and ti-tree waterways.

It is watered by an equipped bore and two dams. Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom home and cattle yards.

Bonnie Doon

Around 440ha are cultivated, including 160ha of waterways with two waterholes. Around 435ha are fenced for grazing and timbered with coolabah, blackbutt, brigalow, box and ironbark. It is watered by a dam and the Capella Creek, with seasonal waterholes. Infrastructure includes cattle yards.

Matilda Downs

Around 570ha of mostly self-mulching heavy black soils to areas of softwood scrub country are ready for winter planting.

Around 706ha of improved pastures include areas of brigalow, blackbutt, bauhinia and box country. The predominantly lighter, loamy soils are displaying an impressive stand of pasture including buffel, panic, seca and native pastures.

It comes with a 680ML water licence and is watered by seven dams.

Infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, 2000-tonnes of grain storage, cattle yards and numerous sheds. Most fencing has been replaced in the last eight years.

Mitchell Park

Around 1035ha of brigalow, bauhinia and softwood scrub country has been developed to pastures.

Around 75ha of cultivation are under centre pivot and planted to oats (early April). A further 90ha are flood irrigated, 71ha are planted to forage sorghum and 40ha to dryland cultivation.

It is offered with two 680ML water licences, supported by five dams. Infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, steel cattle yards and sheds.

$24m+ for CQ’s Dumbarton

Offers higher than $24 million (bare) are being sought for a drought-proofed breeding, backgrounding and cropping enterprise in Queensland’s Central Highlands.

After failing to sell last year and citing a change of direction after 14 years of ownership, Rudi Palinkas and Liz Thorby have relisted the 4662ha Dumbarton in the Mackenzie/Duaringa district.

The property is home to the Uplands Braford Stud, which along with the couple’s commercial Braford and Brahman herd, plant and equipment, will be sold separately.

Dumbarton typically runs 1000 breeders and up to 600 backgrounders on improved pastures of buffel, seca stylo and wynn cassia, supported by a good body of native grasses, summer and winter herbages.

Cattle on Dumbarton

Dumbarton’s feedlot is approved for 2500 head SCU but built for 1000. An application to increase approved capacity to match the infrastructure is currently underway.

The property is offered with two water allocations totalling 609ML supporting three centre pivots with 202ha under irrigation to leucaena, as well as sorghum for forage crops and silage. A further 40ha is available for irrigation via a travelling irrigator.

It is also watered by a central mains line and 14 dams.

Elders agents Leah Freney and Phillip Kelly said more than 5km of Mackenzie River frontage gives the incoming purchaser potential to expand both the irrigated cropping areas and the feedlot.

Infrastructure includes a three-bedroom home, a three-bedroom cottage, workers accommodation, a feed milling facility, numerous sheds and cattle yards.

Kirk family offers CQ breeder block

Garrett and Kate Kirk are auctioning their Central Queensland breeder block after eight years of ownership to move closer to Rockhampton.

The 4012ha Mon-Abri (French for ‘my refuge’) is a freehold property on the Capricorn Highway near Dingo and 123km from Emerald.

TopX agent Gavin Tickle said positioned behind the Dingo Roadhouse and adjoining the Dingo airstrip, the property offers subdivision potential.

“Inspections are underway and inquiry is coming from locals, those within the Emerald district and north and west producers looking for a breeder block.”

Mon-Abri has mostly light loamy and sandy soils, complemented by areas of fertile alluvial creek flats and pockets of heavier country.

A mix of improved and native pastures is presently carrying a strong body of feed, positioning the property well for immediate productivity.

Areas of rosewood timber are suitable for on-farm fencing or potential supplementary income. Additional timbers include ironbark, gums and lancewood.

An on-site gravel pit provides a convenient resource for ongoing property maintenance and development.

Four bores service the property supported by dams, permanent waterholes along the Dingo Creek and 535mm of average annual rainfall.

Infrastructure includes a four-bedroom homestead, cattle yards and 14km of recently installed exclusion fencing. A separate three-bedroom quarters is on the former Belmont portion of the property.

Mon-Abri is also equipped with horse stables and day yards, a round yard, workshop and additional workers’ quarters.

Mon-Abri will be auctioned on June 5.

Mon-Abri has mostly light loamy and sandy soils, complemented by areas of fertile alluvial creek flats and pockets of heavier country

Strong inquiry for SE Qld grassed breeding & backgrounding operation

In southeast Queensland, a fully grassed breeding and backgrounding operation is attracting strong interest, including from drought-affected parts of New South Wales.

Owned by the Gordon family for 20 years, the 5554ha Gedley et. al. is located 22km north-west of Durong.

The holding includes 4667ha of forest grazing country with box and scrub, blue gum hollows, ironbark and spotted gum, along with 877ha of brigalow scrub country.

First National agent Rob Fraser described Gedley et. al. as a vertically integrated business.

“Under current management, the property runs around 800 breeding cows and 600 progeny, with cattle typically backgrounded to around 450kg liveweight prior to sale.”

Mr Fraser said properties of this scale, with this level of development and production capacity, rarely come to market in the Durong district.

“Gedley et. al. presents a compelling opportunity for investors and established grazing enterprises seeking expansion. Interest from across Australia is being driven by the feed on offer, its tick-free status, and the fact it has been destocked.”

In recent years, Gedley et. al. has benefited from significant development works, including extensive fencing that has improved grazing access and boosted operational efficiency.

The property also offers a harvestable timber opportunity, supported by an on-site sawmilling shed.

Water is supplied via a bore, 38 dams, and a network of creeks and tributaries.

Infrastructure includes two four-bedroom homes, workers’ accommodation, two sets of cattle yards and numerous sheds.

Expressions of interest for Gedley et. al. close on April 29, with the purchaser given the first opportunity to buy around 600 cows at settlement.

Maranoa’s Quebec offers abundant grass

In southern Queensland’s Maranoa region, a backgrounding block with a record of producing cattle weight gain resulting in heavy bullocks will be auctioned on May 29.

The 2030ha Quebec is located near Eumamurrin, 42km south of Injune and 50km north of Roma.

Ray White Rural agent Rob Wildermuth said Quebec was purchased by the late Bill Harris in 2007, realising a lifelong dream.

“From a young man shearing in the area in the 1960s, he always found the country north of Roma impressive and Quebec didn’t disappoint.”

“During his ownership, Mr Harris traditionally turned over steers as bullocks and, in recent years, started selling heavy feeder steers and some bullocks,” Mr Wildermuth explained.

Most of the country is undulating with bottle tree and brigalow black scrub soils and a small area of lighter ironbark and pine red forest soils.

It is growing abundant buffel grass, with green panic in the creek, and native pastures.

Quebec is watered by 16 dams and Bungil Creek frontage.

Offered with an 800 head carrying capacity, the estate of the late Bill Harris will allow the successful purchaser early access.

Infrastructure includes two three-bedroom homes, new steel cattle yards and numerous sheds.

Cattle on Quebec, north of Roma