Revealed: Who owns South Australia’s farms now

An investigation by The Advertiser can reveal the state’s five-biggest private landowners farm a combined 12.6m hectares – almost on par with Greece and the UK.

South Australia’s biggest farming families operate across an area roughly the size of Greece.

An investigation by The Advertiser and Weekly Times can reveal the state’s five-biggest private landowners farm a combined 12.6 million hectares – almost on par with Greece’s 12.8 million hectares and England’s 13 million hectares.

The state’s biggest landholder is the Williams family of Williams Cattle Company whose 4.65 million hectare portfolio includes the 2.4 million hectare Anna Creek Station, between Coober Pedy and Lake Eyre, which is famous as the world’s largest working cattle property.

The Maclachlan family’s Jumbuck Pastoral Company is South Australia’s second-biggest landholder with 2.5 million hectares spread across six stations – including the 1 million hectare Commonwealth Hill Station at Coober Pedy – in addition to land it owns in NSW and Western Australia.

Crown Point Pastoral Company, a partnership between the Costello and Oldfield families, is the state’s third biggest landholder with 2.4 million hectares. Its spread includes the 1.65 million hectare Clifton Hills Station on the Birdsville Track – the world’s second-biggest farm - which it purchased in late 2018.

Rounding out the top five landholders are Muttooroo Pastoral, operated by the Morgan and Wells families, which occupies 1.95 million hectares of South Australia and AJ&PA McBride whose vast empire covers 1.1 million hectares.

Gina Rinehart. Picture: Getty Images

Other major include Australia’s richest woman, Gina Rinehart, who owns about 2.46 million hectares of the state through her various farming interests including pastoral giant S Kidman and Co, and the family of the late Tom Brinkworth, who is said to have amassed more than 100 properties and one million hectares during his lifetime, including several in South Australia.

S Kidman and Co’s South Australian portfolio includes the 1.36 million hectare Innamincka Station at Leigh Creek and the 1.1 million hectare Macumba Station at Oodnadatta.

According to the Federal Government, about 4.9 million hectares or 11 per cent of South Australian farmland was foreign owned as of June 30, 2019.

TA&PA BRINKWORTH-CAPARRA PTY LTD

One of Australia’s wealthiest grazing families, the Brinkworth family operates over one million hectares of land spread across 100 properties, including:

• Banff Station, Salt Creek SA.

• Cortina Station, Kingston SA.

• Didicoolum Station, Kingston SA.

• Frome Downs, Yunta SA. 607,899 hectares. Purchased in 2010 for $3.8 million.

• Ninga Ninga Station, Kingston SA.

• SFM Australasia aggregation, Padthaway SA. Six properties from the receivers of the failed timber company in 2010, and reverted back to grazing.

• Watervalley Station, Kingston SA.

BROOK PROPRIETORS

Organic beef pioneers David and Nell Brook and their family run about 3.5 million hectares in southern Queensland and South Australia, including:

• Alton Downs, via Birdsville SA.

• Cordillo Downs, Innamincka SA.

• Murnpeowie Station, Marree SA.

Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing. Picture: AFP

CK LIFE SCIENCES (CHINA)

Hong Kong-listed company, backed by Hong Kong’s richest person Li Ka-shing. Australia’s second-largest vineyard owner. Also has citrus and grape growing properties in Victoria’s Sunraysia region as well as grain, cotton, mango and berry investments.

• Bussorah Vineyard, Padthaway SA – 165 hectares of vines.

• Dalmeny Vineyard, Padthaway SA – 213 hectares of vines.

• Miamba Vineyard, Lyndoch SA – 131 hectares of vines.

• Qualco East Vineyard, Riverland SA – 171 hectares of vines.

• Qualco West Vineyard, Riverland SA – 415 hectares of vines.

• Schuberts Vineyard, Lobethal SA – 73 hectares of vines.

• Station and Kirkgate vineyards, Coonawarra SA – 256 hectares of vines.

Source: ck-lifesciences.com

CC COOPER & CO

Based in Jamestown, South Australia and run by Leith and Averil Cooper and their sons Seth and Tom. Mixed cropping and livestock business with properties in South Australia, Western Australia and western NSW, including:

• Cropping farm, Narrung SA – 5500 hectares.

• Jamestown SA.

Farmer Leith Cooper on his farm located in the Jamestown district.

CROWN POINT PASTORAL COMPANY

Run by northern cattle producers Viv Oldfield and Donny Costello. Operation is spread over more than five million hectares.

• Clifton Hills Station, Birdsville Track SA – 1,650,000 hectares.

• Crown Point, Birdsville Track SA – 209,000 hectares.

• Pandie Pandie Station, Birdsville Track SA – 662,500 hectares.

Adelaide Plains Livestock Exchange owner Viv Oldfield.

TIM & EMILY EDMUNDS-HALE RIVER HOLDINGS

Former owners of Northern Territory stations Ambalindum and Numery.

• Kadlunga, Mintaro SA. Purchased as part of a five-farm aggregation in 2017.

J&F FENNELL

Central Australian pastoralists.

• Wintinna, Coober Pedy SA – 372,500 hectares.

FIRST STATE SUPER

Superannuation group established in 1992 for NSW public sector employees and their families. Currently manages about $89 billion on behalf of 770,000 members.

• Amaroo, Paringa SA – 1700 hectares of almonds. Purchased from Select Harvests in 2015.

GROWTH FARMS

• Cygnet Park Farms, Kangaroo Island SA – 7821 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for about $25 million.

Paddy Handbury, son of Geoff and the late Helen Handbury.

HANDBURY GROUP

Headed up by Paddy Handbury, son of Geoff and the late Helen Handbury. Sold Collinsville Merino stud and property in 2014.

• Arcoona Station, Woomera SA. 343,000 hectares. Purchased in 2008.

• Swinging Shovel, Lucindale SA.

JUMBUCK PASTORAL COMPANY

Founded by the MacLachlan family in 1888, it is now one of Australia’s biggest sheep and cattle producers with 11 stations spanning 4.94 million hectares.

• Bulgunnia, Coober Pedy SA – 309,600 hectares.

• Commonwealth Hill, Coober Pedy SA – 1,000,000 hectares.

• McCoys Well, Yunta SA – 58,680 hectares.

• Mobella, Coober Pedy SA – 413,200 hectares.

• Mt Victor, Yunta SA – 199,914 hectares.

• Mulgathing, Coober Pedy SA – 530,700 hectares.

PETER LITCHFIELD & FAMILY

South Australia organic livestock producers farming across 600,000 hectares.

• Mount Lyndhurst Station, Leigh Creek SA – 348,900 hectares. Purchased in 2016 for more than $7 million.

• Mundowdna Station, Leigh Creek SA.

• Wilpoorinna Station, Leigh Creek SA.

MACQUARIE AGRICULTURE

The Macquarie Bank funds of Paraway Pastoral Company, Lawson Grains and more recently Viridis Ag are ranked as Australia’s second-biggest agriculture investor with assets worth $2.7 billion. Macquarie Agriculture has an additional US$250 million invested in agriculture in Brazil.

– VIRIDIS AG

Has put together 100,800 hectares in 11 districts of Western Australia, NSW, Queensland and South Australia in addition to a 49 per cent stake in Australia’s largest cotton farm – Cubbie Station at Dirrinbandi in Queensland

• Cummins, Port Lincoln SA – 2600 hectares.

AJ&PA MCBRIDE

Based in South Australia, the sixth-generation AJ&PA McBride and Co operates across 1.1 million hectares and boasts assets of between $300 and $400 million. The company is now owned by 102 McBride family shareholders with a strong focus on wool.

• Ashmore, Kingston SE SA – 6920 hectares. Purchased in 1937.

• Braemar Station, Burra SA – 131,213 hectares. Purchased in 1907.

• Brooklyn/Omar, Lucindale SA – 3596 hectares. Purchased in 1952.

• Faraway Vineyard, Naracoorte SA – 34 hectares. Purchased in 2003.

• Konetta Station, Millicent SA – 5171 hectares. Purchased in 1974.

• Nepowie, Naracoorte SA – 2665 hectares. Purchased in 1955.

• North Well, Kingoonya SA – 403,943 hectares. Purchased in the 1980s.

• Teetulpa, Yunta SA – 70,173 hectares. Purchased in 1905.

• Wilgena Station, Tarcoola SA – 474,194 hectares. Purchased in 1924.

MIDFIELD GROUP (POMALA PTY LTD)

Midfield Meats boss Colin McKenna owns about 7284 hectares across eight properties in southwest Victoria and South Australia’s South East.

Adelaide businessman George Millington.

MILLINGTON FAMILY

Headed by former Adelaide businessman George Millington.

• Cappedee, Hallett SA – 2040 hectares. Purchased in 2010.

• Collinsville Station, Burra SA – 56,090 hectares. Purchased in 2014.

• Kadlunga, Mintaro SA – 3923 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for about $22 million.

MUTOOROO PASTORAL COMPANY

Established in 1968, Mutooroo Pastoral Company covers about 1.95 million hectares in South Australia’s northeast. It consists of five main station and is owned and operated by the Morgan and Wells families.

• Muttooroo Station, via Broken Hill SA – 250,300 hectares.

• Mulyungarie Station, Cockburn SA – 336,600 hectares.

• Quinyambie Station, via Broken Hill SA – 1,206,500 million hectares.

• Lilydale and Manunda Stations, Yunta SA – 161,100 hectares.

NAPIER PASTORAL COMPANY

Owned by Greg and Sharon Vickers from Keith in South Australia. Also owns country around Alice Springs.

GARY OVERTON

• Mulka Station, Marree SA. 560,000 hectares.

PSP INVESTMENTS

– AURORA DAIRIES

• Bonney View, Millicent SA – 460 hectares.

• Canunda Park, Millicent SA – 250 hectares.

GINA RINEHART

One of Australia’s richest persons, Gina Rinehart is one of the nation’s biggest landholders with more than 9.7 million hectares of land worth $700-$800 million.

– S KIDMAN AND CO

Gina Rinehart is the majority owner of the iconic S Kidman and Co business which has 12 stations spread across 7.2 million hectares.

• Innamincka Station, Leigh Creek SA – 1,355,000 hectares.

• Macumba Station, Oodnadatta SA – 1,100,000 hectares.

• Tungali Feedlot, Sedan SA – 1700 hectares.

ROBERTSON CHOWILLA PTY LTD

Run by the Robertson family.

• Chowilla Station, Renmark SA – 123,000 hectares.

Simon Rowe who is also based in South Australia.

SIMON & ANDREA ROWE (PRINCESS ROYAL)

Own 14 South Australian properties, including 500,000 hectares of station country and 40,500 hectares of farming land.

• Burra Creek Wines, Burra SA.

• Mackerode Station, Burra SA.

• Princess Royal Station and feedlot, Burra SA. Purchased in 2002.

• Wertaloona Station, Blinman SA – 257,000 hectares.

• Wooltana Station, Blinman SA.

RURAL FUNDS GROUP

The ASX-listed Rural Funds Group has large-scale investments in almonds, beef, cotton, macadamias and vineyards across 692,182 hectares in NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.

• Dohnt vineyard, Coonawarra SA – 30 hectares of vines.

• Geier vineyard, Barossa Valley SA – 243 hectares of vines.

• Hahn vineyard, Barossa Valley SA – 49 hectares of vines.

• Kleinig vineyard, Barossa Valley SA – 206 hectares of vines.

• Mundy vineyard, Adelaide Hills SA – 26 hectares of vines.

• Murphy vineyard, Adelaide Hills SA – 30 hectares of vines.

SAMPSON FAMILY

Wellbourn Hill, Marla SA – 338,700 hectares.

SELECT HARVESTS

Operates 7696 hectares of almond orchards in Victorian Mallee, the South Australian Riverland and NSW Riverina.

• Loxton/Paringa orchards SA – 637 hectares.

PAUL & JO SMITH

• Tieyon Station, Kulgera SA – 652,730 hectares.

Chairman Kerry Stokes at the Seven West AGM in Pyrmont. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

KERRY STOKES (AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL EQUITY)

Australian businessman and Seven Network chairman. Last year sold a 7821-hectare aggregation on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island for about $25 million.

• Balquhidder Station, Parawa SA – 3000 hectares. Purchased in 2007 for $30 million.

• Mt Scrub, Fleurieu Peninsula SA – 660 hectares. Purchased in 2009 for about $5 million.

SWISS AUSTRALIA FARM HOLDINGS

Operates farms in NSW, South Australia and Queensland.

• Glenstrae, Willalooka SA – 5876 hectares.

• Naweena, Padthaway SA – 7433 hectares.

CAROLINE THOMAS & JOHN KNIGHT

• Evelyn Downs, Coober Pedy SA – 234,500 hectares.

TODMORDEN CATTLE COMPANY

• Todmorden Station, Oodadatta SA – 716,860 hectares.

WILLIAMS CATTLE COMPANY

Owned by South Australia’s Williams family, Williams Cattle Company’s 4.65 million hectares include what is considered the world’s largest cattle station, Anna Creek, which it bought from S Kidman and Co in 2016. Owns seven pastoral properties in the north of South Australia as well as grazing and cropping land in the Flinders Ranges.

• Anna Creek Station, Coober Pedy SA – 1.57 million hectares. Purchased from S Kidman & Co in 2016.

• Arckaringa Station, Coober Pedy SA – 274,500 hectares. Purchased in 1989.

• Connibar/Carieton, Carieton SA – 11,400 hectares.

• Hamilton Station, Coober Pedy SA – 701,000 hectares.

• Mt Barry Station, Coober Pedy SA – 492,000 hectares.

• Mt Sarah Station, Coober Pedy SA – 224,800 hectares.

• Nilpanna Station, Coober Pedy SA – 565,800 hectares.

• The Peake Station, Coober Pedy SA – 813,000 hectares. Outstation to Anna Creek, purchased in 2016.

YADLAMALKA PASTORAL

Owned by South Australian pastoralist Andrew Doman.

• Beltana Station, Flinders Ranges SA – 154,100 hectares. Purchased in 2017 for $8.4 million.

• Yadlamalka Station, Flinders Ranges SA.

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