Meet the cattle farmers who bought into north Qld’s beef industry in 2023

Take a tour of the 10 largest cattle property buys of 2023 in north Queensland and see who dished out millions to own prime beef producing real estate. FULL LIST

Fergus Gregg

3 min read

March 20, 2024 - 3:41PM

Take a tour of the 10 largest cattle property buys of 2023 in north Queensland and see who dished out more than $190m in sales to have their slice of prime beef producing real estate.

We have researched and ranked the biggest sales of the past year from the Mackay Isaac Whitsundays region from least to most expensive.

Whether they are agricultural entrepreneurs making their first expansion or Central Queensland ‘beef barons’ building an empire. Here is how they spent their money and what they plan to do on the land.

10. $5 million: 903 Cluen Access Road, Dysart

The property at 903 Cluen Access Rd in Dysart was bought for more than $5 million.

The 1,179 hectares near Mt Walker is 38 km west of Dysart, and was bought by Kerry and Graham of the Garside family.

This buy came as a natural expansion, having been neighbours to the property for some time.

While the land will be used for cattle farming, parts of the property is already in use growing wheat and chickpeas.

Philip and Deborah Reid of Paringa Feedlot, Capella expand their cattle operation.

9. $7.5 million: 5270 Dysart Clermont Road, Dysart

The owners of the 5440a Paringa feedlot in Capella, Philip Reid and his wife Deborah have bought another 2,000 hectares of land on the Dysart Clermont Rd.

Paying just over $7.4 million, this purchase was intending to shore up the Reid’s supply of cattle, as the new property will be able to support between 500-550 head.

The land has also in the past, been used to grow grains, which the Reid’s may be interested in after receiving a $450,000 grant from the Coles Nurture Fund in 2021, to build milling and fermentation facilities at their feedlot.

8. $8.525 million: 24404 Peak Downs Highway, Victoria Plans

This small 400ha property was bought by the relatively unknown Pullen family.

Previously having been involved in maintaining rural properties on the Sarina-Marlborough Rd, this is the Pullen’s largest purchase and could mark the beginning of a new cattle dynasty.

Wagyu cattle on a Hamblin family property.

Darren Hamblin is famous for his rearing of wagyu cattle.

7. $10.6 million: 4107 May Downs Road, May Downs

The first bona fide “beef baron” on our list, award-winning wagyu farmer Darren Hamblin has added another property to his portfolio, this time on the May Downs.

Mr Hamblin bought this property of 2,780ha for $10.6 million in April last year to be used for cattle rearing alongside his properties in the Sarina Range, Koumala and Blue Mountain.

In September last year he also announced the construction of a feedlot on his Toowoomba property, indicating a desire to control the cattle life cycle from veal to beef.

The Olive family have sold their 3985ha Queensland cattle station to the MacGibbon family.

6. $14 million: 278 Olives Road St, Lawrence

The MacGibbon’s family, already a substantial Brahman cattle farming operation at Ametdale Station have bought another property to compound their already 10,000ha holding.

The property on Olives Rd was sold for $14 million and the sale marked the end of the Olive family’s 70 year stewardship of the land.

The almost 4,000ha property was offered on walk-in walkout terms with 1000 Brahman breeding stock included.

5. $16 million: 685 May Downs Road, Clarke Creek

Kirkwood Grazing company, owned and operated by Timothy Kirkwood bought 4,000 hectares of land on the May Downs Rd for more than $16 million.

Mr Kirkwood’s property extends beyond this boundary however, being held under different companies.

He and his wife Alison manage their beef from Disney Station in Clermont.

Expect to see them again before this lists end.

4. $18.5 million: 4510 Valkyrie Road, Valkyrie

John Ellrot made headlines in 2022 when lightning strikes killed nine of his cattle near his property in Rockhampton.

Perhaps fearing a repeat, Mr Ellrot has bought a new 4,077ha property in Valkyrie in late 2023.

The property, which he bought for $18.5 million will be a significant expansion to his holdings in Rockhampton, which already supports 2,200 Braford cattle.

3.$24.6 million: 1185 Calveston Road, Kilcummin

Another Central Queensland farming family, the Dennis’ have spent $24.6 million to buy 4,300ha near Clermont.

Owners almost 20,000ha of land on the Belyando River, the Dennis’ breed Santa Gertrudis cattle.

Having purchased the bulk of their land in 2016 for only $11.5 million, the Dennis’ purchase on of Allambie could be part of a move south, as the property also comes with a pre-built house, workshops and other facilities.

2. $42.5 million: 1840 Golden Mile Road, Dysart

In October 2023, the AK Cattle Company, owned and operated by Timothy Kirkwood’s wife Alison, forked out more than $42.5 million on 10,600ha of land near their pre-existing property at Disney station.

When added together with purchases made by Kirkwood Grazing, the total spent by the Kirkwoods on expanding their beef operation in 2023 was close to $60 million and increased their land holdings by over 16,000ha.

With two companies set up in addition to their operations at Disney Station, the beef baron House of Kirkwood is truly formidable.

Wentworth shares memes on their facebook.

1. $45 million: 633 Rugby Road, Moranbah

In 2023 a new company with the innocuous name of Rugby Run was established following the purchase of the 633 Rugby Road Property by Kelva Hughes.

This gargantuan 11,110ha property was sold to them for $45 million, but while it may be Rugby Run’s first cattle holding, the same cannot be said for the Hugh’s family.

The Hugh’s own Wentworth Station and operate the Wentworth Cattle Company which runs a number of North Queensland properties and produces Wagyu beef.

Rugby Run is capable of sustaining between 3000 and 3500 cattle and is also the site of Australia’s eight largest solar farm, holding some 247,000 solar panels.