Real estate: Cape York cattle property Bramwell Station hits the market

A well-known Cape York cattle station with a popular tourist park has hit the market at a time when record prices are being paid for Far North pastoral holdings.

Australia's northernmost cattle property, the spectacular 131,900ha Bramwell Station, is on the market. . Picture: supplied.

A NEW tourist market hungry for wilderness experiences will drive demand for Cape York, says agent Andrew Adcock, who is charged with marketing Australia’s northernmost pastoral property.

Bramwell Station, 240km south of the tip of Cape York, has a popular tourist park and roadhouse and vast eco-tourism potential with much diverse land of high conservation value on its 131,900ha.

While record cattle prices, low interest rates and great seasonal conditions are resulting in stellar prices for cattle properties, Mr Adcock believes it is the potential growth of a unique visitor experience at the spectacular property that will drive demand.

Bramwell Station was first taken up in the 1930s as a pastoral lease and has had only three owners. Picture: supplied.

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“There’s renewed interest from Australians – the new traveller,” Mr Adcock said.

“That is what we are seeing, people who would normally travel overseas spending a lot more money touring Australia.

“We are not just seeing the ‘grey nomads’ who are concerned about every penny they spend, we’re seeing people who are prepared to spend to get out there in an environment that is pristine.

“You can maintain the environment and still have cash flow from the other enterprises,” he said.

“There are lot of rural families operating looking for other income beside just the cattle income – and the roadhouse is an essential service, it all welds together on a magnificent property.”

Positioned as the last stop before the tip of Cape York at the start of the famous Old Telegraph Line four-wheel-drive track, Bramwell is being offered by Wendy Kozicka and Vince Bowyer.

Ms Kozika said she had lived there for 20 years.

The couple has bought another property, the 90,000ha Strathleven Station 350km north west of Mareeba.

“It is Australia’s most northern cattle station, really the only privately held pastoral lease left in the district,” Ms Kozika said.

“The roadhouse is subleased by Ken Godfrey, he runs it extremely well, and he wants to stay.”

East coast heath country eco-tourism route: Australia's northernmost cattle property, the spectacular 131,900ha Bramwell Station, is on the market. Picture: supplied.

The roadhouse is about 12km north of the Bramwell homestead and is the last fuel stop before the Jardine River Crossing.

Mr Godfrey has introduced live entertainment and a fresh food buffet.

“It runs to the Great Barrier Reef and two thirds of the property has been held for conservation by us, we have an eco-tourism track which we’ve kept limited,” Ms Kozika said.

“I love the wet season here, it is a jewel place, and everyone likes to stop at the start of the old Telegraph track.

“This is two secure long-term rolling pastoral leases in a tightly held district – hopefully whoever buys it will love it like we have. It’s just a beautiful place,” she said.

The tourist park has 28 accommodation rooms, a licenced camp kitchen-style bar and restaurant, open camping and a caravan park area with guest amenities and laundry facilities.

Bramwell’s carbon credit scheme can generate more than of $150,000 a year in income.

Palm springs on the eastern eco-tourism route at Bramwell Station. Picture: supplied.

Earlier this year, the 438,000ha Miranda Downs Station in the Gulf of Carpentaria was sold by Stanbroke Pastoral Company for a reported $180m to a central Queensland family.

The median price per hectare of Queensland farmland increased by 11.8 per cent in 2020.

Bramwell Station will be auctioned online on August 11.

Originally published as Real estate: Cape York cattle property Bramwell Station hits the market