Farmland owners NT: Billionaire Joe Lewis leads foreign-backed owners

AN NT News investigation can reveal the Territory’s five biggest property barons occupy almost 12.2 million hectares – and are all backed by some form of foreign capital.

Billionaires from Australia, the UK and Bahamas are leading the charge for Northern Territory farmland.

An NT News investigation can reveal the territory’s five biggest property barons occupy almost 12.2 million hectares – three times the size of Switzerland – and all are backed by some form of foreign capital.

The single-biggest landholder is the ASX-listed Australian Agricultural Company – one of Australia’s oldest continually run companies – with its nine territory stations accounting for 3.29 million hectares of its national seven million hectare footprint. AACo’s biggest backer is UK billionaire Joe Lewis, who owns a 45 per cent stake.

Joe Lewis who has bought up NT farm land Picture: David Klein

Bahamas-based Australian billionaire businessman Brett Blundy comes in at No. 2 with six stations spanning 2.37 million hectares while the North Australian Pastoral Company rounds out the major placings with 2.34 million hectares over two stations.

Founder of DIVA jewellery Brett Blundy.

NAPCO is majority owned by the Queensland Investment Corporation, a Queensland Government fund which includes some foreign money.

Other major Territory landholders include British businessman Guy Hands, whose Consolidated Pastoral Company portfolio spans five stations and 2.27 million hectares and Australia’s richest woman, Gina Rinehart, whose business interests including pastoral icon S Kidman and Co occupies 1.9 million hectares.

Gina Rinehart. Picture: Getty Images

The Territory’s biggest farms are the 1.64 million hectare Alexandria Station on the Northern Territory-Queensland border, owned by NAPCO, Hughes Pastoral’s 1.6 million hectare Lake Nash Station on the Barkly Tableland, AACo’s 1.22 million hectare Brunette Downs Station at Tennant Creek, the 1.2 million hectare Wave Hill Station at Victoria River, owned by Western Grazing Company and the 1.09 million hectare Andado Station at Alice Springs, operated by Crown Point Pastoral Company.

According to the Federal Government, about 28 per cent of farmland in the Territory is foreign owned.

Brunette Downs near Tennant Creek.

AAM INVESTMENT GROUP

Managers and operators of the Regional Livestock Exchange. In 2019 raised $60 million-plus for a new agriculture fund. Has investments in poultry assets in South Australia.

• Legune Station, Kununurra NT – 285,270 hectares.

AMBURLA NOMINEES

Owned by Tony and Pam Davis. Sold the Narwietooma, Derwent and Glen Helen properties in 2020.

• Amburla Station, Alice Springs NT – 202,000 hectares.

• Hamilton Downs Station, Alice Springs NT.

AN VIEN PASTORAL HOLDING & AGRICULTURE (VIETNAM)

Owned by Vietnamese businessman Pham Nhat Vu.

• Vermelha Station NT – 200,000 hectares. Purchased in 2016 for $13.6 million.

AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY

Founded in 1824, Australian Agricultural Company or AACo runs about 400,000 cattle across 6.4 million hectares of land. It is listed on the ASX with UK billionaire businessman Joe Lewis the biggest investor with a more-than-45 per cent stake.

• Anthony Lagoon/Eva Downs, Tennant Creek NT – 934,900 hectares.

• Brunette Downs Station, Tennant Creek NT – 1,221,200 hectares.

• Camfield Station, Victoria River NT – 279,000 hectares.

• Delamere Station, Victoria River NT – 300,300 hectares.

• La Belle, Batchelor NT – 61,000 hectares.

• Montejinni Station, Victoria River NT – 485,623 hectares.

• Pell and Tortilla, Darwin NT – 5473 hectares.

Australian Agricultural Company’s Anthony Lagoon & Eva Downs Station – AACo.

AUSTRALIAN GREEN PROPERTIES PTY LTD (PHILIPPINES)

Owned by Filipino banker and property developer Romeo Roxas.

• Murray Downs, Barkly Tablelands NT – 265,000 hectares. Purchased in 2015.

BASS CATTLE COMPANY

Owned by David and Suzanne Bassingthwaite.

• Epenarra, Barkly Tablelands NT – 265,000 hectares. Purchased in 2019.

NICO BOTHA-SAWA PASTORAL COMPANY

Businessman, Kimberley cattleman and former owner of Moola Bulla Station.

• Ban Ban Springs, Darwin NT – 187,300 hectares. Purchased in 2016 for $10 million.

BRETT BLUNDY RETAIL CAPITAL (SINGAPORE)

The beef division of retail king Brett Blundy’s private investment company owns 2.43 million hectares across four cattle stations in the Northern Territory.

• Amungee Amungee, Elliot NT – 316,900 hectares.

• Beetaloo Station and OT Downs, Elliot NT – 707,800 hectares.

• Mungabroom Station, Elliot NT – 346,900 hectares.

• Walhallow/Cresswell Downs, Tennant Creek NT – 999,700 hectares. Purchased in 2015.

STERLING BUNTINE-BALDY BAY

At one point ran about 2.5 million hectares of cattle properties in Northern Australia. Was part of a five-member syndicate that made a last-minute bid for S Kidman and Co in 2016.

• Alroy Downs Station, Tennant Creek NT. 400,000 hectares. Purchased in 2008 for $70 million.

• Dalmore Downs Station, Tennant Creek NT.

• Landsdowne Station, Kimberley NT.

BURATOVICH FAMILY (ARGENTINA)

• Manbullo Station, Katherine NT – 379,130 hectares. Purchased from Consolidated Pastoral Company for $23.4 million in 2019 in a sale and leaseback deal.

• Scott Creek, Katherine NT – 101,850 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for about $12 million.

• Sturt Downs, Katherine NT – 67,840 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for $6.8 million.

CAASON GROUP-AILERON PASTORAL HOLDINGS

Melbourne-based private investor group with a focus on natural resources, mining and telecommunications.

• Aileron Station, Alice Springs NT. 408,000 hectares. Purchased in 2015.

CLEAN AGRICULTURE & INTERNATIONAL TOURISM (VIETNAM)

Purchased almost 733,000 hectares of land from Consolidated Pastoral Company in 2019 as part of a deal worth $135 million.

• Auvergne Station, Katherine NT – 414,200 hectares.

• Newry Station, NT – 246,700 hectares. Purchased in 2019 from Consolidated Pastoral Company as part of a $135 million deal.

CONSOLIDATED PASTORAL COMPANY

British investor Guy Hands owns Consolidated Pastoral Company, once one of Australia’s biggest pastoral empires. The portfolio has reduced dramatically in size in recent years.

• Bunda Station, Victoria River NT – 178,800 hectares. Purchased in 2015.

• Dungowan Station, Katherine NT – 445.400 hectares.

• Kirkimbie Station, Victoria River NT – 230,400 hectares. Purchased in 1986.

• Manbullo Station, Katherine NT – 379,130 hectares. Sold to Buratovich family for $23.4 million in 2019 in a sale and leaseback deal.

• Newcastle Waters Station, Newcastle Waters NT – 1,033,101 hectares.

CROWN POINT PASTORAL COMPANY

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

• Andado Station, Horseshoe Bend and New Crown, Alice Springs NT – 1,085,000 hectares.

• Maryvale Station, Alice Springs NT. 324,000 hectares. Purchased in 2018.

DUNKELD PASTORAL COMPANY

Owned by prominent Melbourne barrister Allan Myers QC. Operates more than 10,000 hectares of land in Victoria’s Western District.

• Tipperary Group: Tipperary East, Tipperary West, Litchfield and Douglas West (in partnership with Booloomani Pty Ltd) NT – 386,001 hectares.

Aerial view of Tipperary Station, a cattle property in NT owned by Australia's richest lawyer and Melbourne silk Allan Myers QC.

TIM & EMILY EDMUNDS-HALE RIVER HOLDINGS

Former owners of Northern Territory stations Ambalindum and Numery.

• Napperby Station, Alice Springs NT – 550,000 hectares. Purchased in 2017 for $20 million.

• Narwietooma, Derwent and Glen Helen, Alice Springs NT – 550,000 hectares. Adjoins Napperby. Purchased in 2020.

GRANT FARRIS

Founder of Darwin’s Broadsword Marine contracting business.

• Bullo River Station, Timber Creek NT. 162,700 hectares. Purchased in 2015 for $10 million.

GIBSON GRAZING

Owned by cattle producers and lot feeders Mick and Declan Gibson from Dalby in Queensland. Reportedly run 73,000 cattle across more than two million hectares in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

• Manners Creek Station, Alice Springs NT. 687,900 hectares. Purchased in 2016.

GOREY FAMILY

• Yambah Station, Alice Springs NT – 231,000 hectares. Offered for sale in 2019 but later withdrawn.

MALCOLM HARRIS-CLEVELAND AGRICULTURE

Member of the well-known Harris family. Was part of a five-member syndicate that made a last-minute bid for S Kidman and Co in 2016.

• Benmara Station, Elliott NT – 450,000 hectares. Purchased in 2016 for about $12 million.

• Ucharonidge Station, Elliott NT – 245,550 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for $28.5 million.

TONY & JULIE HARROWER

Large-scale Northern Territory cattle producers.

• Dorisvale Station NT.

• Old Mt Bundey, Darwin NT – 380,000 hectares. Purchased in 2016 for $4.5 million.

HENBURY UNIT TRUST PTY LTD

Owned Ashley and Neville Anderson, Ted and Sheri Fogarty and David Rohan.

• Henbury Station, Alice Springs NT. 527,300 hectares. Formerly owned by RM Williams Agricultural Holdings.

HEYTESBURY CATTLE COMPANY

Owned by the Holmes a Court family, the Heytesbury Cattle Company holds 2.45 million hectares across the Northern Territory and the eastern Kimberley in Western Australia. Its portfolio includes the iconic Victoria River Downs Station.

• Birrindudu Station, Katherine NT – 673,000 hectares.

• Humbert River Station, Victoria River QLD – 108,000 hectares. Purchased in 2016.

• Moolooloo, Victoria River NT – 203,600 hectares.

• Mt Sanford NT – 249,700 hectares.

• Pigeon Hole NT – 180,000 hectares.

• Victoria River Downs, Victoria River NT – 282,400 hectares.

KEITH HOLZWART

Well-known North Territory cattleman.

• Avago Station, Daly Waters NT – 157,800 hectares. Listed for sale in 2019 but later withdrawn.

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.

• Killarney Station, Katherine NT – 541,400 hectares. Purchased in 2014.

LANGENHOVEN FAMILY-RALLEN AUSTRALIA

Sydney-based South African family with a growing pastoral presence in Northern Australia.

• Big River Station, Roper Valley NT – 70,800 hectares. Purchased in 2018 for $5.5 million.

• Forrest Hill Station, NT – 54,000 hectares. Purchased with Tanumbirini in 2020 for about $70 million.

• Kalala Station, Daly Waters NT – 376,000 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for $58 million.

• Mt McMinn Station, Roper Valley NT – 81,000 hectares. Purchased in 2018 for $7.5 million.

• Tanumbirini Station, NT – 500,000 hectares. Purchased with Forrest Hill in 2020 for about $70 million.

MCCORMACK FAMILY

Mt Skinner Station, Alice Springs NT – 303,605 hectares.

ANGUS & KIMBERLEY MCKAY

• Idracowra Station, Alice Springs NT – 462,800 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for $10.1 million.

• Umbearra Station, Alice Springs NT.

MCMILLAN PASTORAL COMPANY

Well-known north Australian cattle producers

• Calvert Hills, Borroloola NT – 481,000 hectares. Purchased in 2013 for $15 million.

NAPIER PASTORAL COMPANY

Owned by Greg and Sharon Vickers from Keith in South Australia.

• Delmore Downs, Alice Springs NT.

• Delny, Alice Springs NT.

• Pine Hill Station, Alice Springs NT – 270,000 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for about $12 million.

NORTH AUSTRALIAN PASTORAL COMPANY

The purchase of the 135,000-hectare Mantuan Downs Station in central Queensland earlier this year has taken the North Australian Pastoral Company’s investments in farmland to more than six million hectares worth about $650 million.

• Alexandria Station, Camooweal NT – 1,641,416 hectares.

• Mittiebah Station, Camooweal NT – 695,500 hectares.

NORTH STAR PASTORAL

Privately owned company operating over almost 750,000 hectares.

• Hodgson River Station, Katherine NT. 111,000 hectares. Purchased in 2016 for more than $6.5 million.

• Limbunya, Katherine NT – 520,000 hectares.

• Maryfield Station, Katherine NT – 140,000 hectares. Purchased in 2013.

• Wubalawun Station, Mataranka NT.

PASPALEY PASTORAL

Pearling company Paspaley’s rural arm. Run prime lambs, cattle, Merinos and run one of the oldest Poll Hereford studs in Australia.

• Dry River Station, Katherine NT – 65,000 hectares.

• Melaleuca Station, Darwin NT – 45,000 hectares.

PASSCHENDAELE CATTLE COMPANY

Run by Matthew Braitling, established by William and Doreen Braitling in 1932.

• Mount Doreen Station, Papunya NT. 733,700 hectares. Offered for sale in 2012 but later withdrawn from market.

PSP INVESTMENTS (CANADA)

Manages the superannuation funds of the Canadian public sector and armed forces in addition to the 30,000 member-strong Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The biggest investor in Australian agriculture with more than $3 billion in assets through direct investment and joint ventures.

– HEWITT CATTLE AUSTRALIA

Backer of the Hewitt family business, which is run across 868,896 hectares in Queensland, the Northern Territory and NSW. Also a shareholder in the Arcadian Organic and Natural Beef business.

• Ambalindum, Alice Springs NT – 331,000 hectares.

• Numery, Alice Springs NT – 202,200 hectares.

Gina Rinehart owns a lot of land in the NT. Picture: Supplied

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.

– HANCOCK PROSPECTING

• Aroona Station, Katherine NT – 150,000 hectares.

• Inverway and Riveren Station, Victoria River NT – 550,000 hectares.

• Phoenix Park Feedlot, Katherine NT – 3443 hectares.

• Willeroo Station, Katherine NT – 171,000 hectares.

– 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.

• Brunchilly Station, Tennant Creek NT – 457,200 hectares.

• Helen Springs Station, Tennant Creek NT – 570,000 hectares.

SANDOVER PASTORAL COMPANY

Operated by Stewart and Anna Weir running 25,000 cattle on 1.2 million hectares.

• Ammaroo Station, Sandover NT.

• Derry Downs Station, Sandover NT.

• Dneiper Station, Sandover NT. Purchased in 2016.

• Old MacDonald Station, Sandover NT.

SARAWALK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (MALAYSIA)

• Carmor Plains, Point Stuart NT – 41,500 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for $20 million-plus.

RUSSELL SAVAGE & FAMILY

• Suplejack Downs, Alice Springs NT – 381,700 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for $21 million.

SCOTT CATTLE COMPANY

Run by former Meat and Livestock Australia director George Scott. Owns several properties.

• McDonald Downs NT – 207,000 hectares. Purchased for $8.6 million.

SEVERIN FAMILY

• Curtin Springs Station, Alice Springs NT. 416,400 hectares. Purchased in 1956.

PETER SHERWIN

Once one of Australia’s largest private landholders. Former owner of Victoria River Downs, Alroy Downs and Walhallow stations.

• Broadmere, Borroloola NT – 259,000 hectares. Purchased in 2017 for $7 million.

WESTERN GRAZING COMPANY-GAMBAMORA INDUSTRIES PTY LTD

Owned by the Oxenford family, Western Grazing started as a family-run dairy business before turning to large-scale beef production in the 1990s. Today it operates across almost two million hectares in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

• Wave Hill Station, Victoria River NT – 1,200,000 hectares.