$25m-plus price tag for major Goulburn Valley fruit farms

Five Victorian farming families are offering their fruit farms as one whopping 350ha aggregation. See the details.

Central Park Orchards and Marenny Vale Orchards listed for sale as part of $25m-plus Goulburn Valley Orchards Aggregation.

Five Victorian farming families are offering a whopping aggregation of horticultural assets in the state’s Goulburn Valley fruit bowl, selling a portfolio spanning a combined area of more than 350ha.

Included in the offering is the 62ha Central Park Orchards at Shepparton East, owned by Matt Rachele and his brothers Jason and Mark, while Jenny and Mark Morey, who own and operate the 93ha Marenny Vale Orchards at Nathalia and Bunbartha, are also selling.

Another three well-known orchard owners are also involved in the transaction, with the portfolio comprising a further 42ha in the Kyabram-Merrigum district and 117ha at Coomboona, north of Shepparton.

Under the Central Park Orchards brand, the Rachele family have been farming in the Goulburn Valley for more than 70 years, dating back to when Matt Rachele’s grandfather Sebastiano immigrant to Australia almost 100 years ago.

“He came out from Calabria Italy in 1925 and bought his first farm in the 1950s,” Matt said.

“They had 11 children and created a very successful fruit growing business. We are sorry to be selling the family business after three generations, but the time is right.”

Following in Sebastiano’s footsteps, Matt’s father Don took over the business, later stepping back for his three sons.

Five Victorian farming families are selling a 354ha aggregation of fruit farms.

GOULBURN VALLEY ORCHARD AGGREGATION

Property: horticulture

Size: 354ha

Sale: expressions of interest closing April 30 at 3pm

Price: $25-$27.5 million

Agent: Ray White Rural Victoria

Contact: Jason Hellyer, 0403 043 571

Across the portfolio fruit varieties grown destined for domestic and international markets include apples, pears, apricots, cherries and plums.

“We all have a high work ethic and proven successful businesses and branding, so it makes sense to band together and sell as a group,” Matt said.

“By joining with other well-known growers, we think it’s a great opportunity for corporate businesses or an agribusiness to purchase the lot. We all have a proven track record, and the Goulburn Valley is a perfect fruit growing area and has a very bright future.”

Central storage, packaging and a distribution hub located at Shepparton East feature in the infrastructure assets within the portfolio.

Additional infrastructure includes residential dwellings, significant shedding for orchard plant and equipment, undercover hardstands and numerous outbuildings.

All orchards are underpinned by both high and low security water entitlements with a combined total of 1811.51ML of tradeable water shares.

Ray White Rural Victoria selling agent Jason Hellyer said the portfolio formed one of Victoria’s most significant orchard aggregation offerings in many years.

“Across 354ha, the portfolio of orchards delivers in the vicinity of 28,150 bins of premium quality pome and stone fruit annually,” he said.

“The acquisition of this large scale Goulburn Valley orchard portfolio will elevate existing Australian growers to the next level and provide new entrants to the Australian market with a significant turnkey orchard footprint within one of Australia’s most prolific fruit and horticultural growing regions.”

The McLean family are selling their 9573ha Woorilla Aggregation, near Hillston NSW.

Meanwhile, more than 9500ha of sprawling northern NSW Riverina pastoral farmland has hit the market, listed for sale after being owned by one family for more than a century.

Ian and Linda McLean are selling their 9573ha Woorilla Aggregation, located 38km from Hillston, offering frontage to both the Lachlan River and the Merrowie Creek.

HILLSTON, NSW

WOORILLA AGGREGATION

Property: livestock

Size: 9573ha

Sale: online auction, April 30 at 10am

Price: $790-$939 a hectare ($320-$380 an acre) across three lots

Agent: Inglis Rural Property

Contact: Sam Triggs, 0410 683 891 and Liam Griffiths, 0427 474 900

Owned by the McLean family for more than 105 years, the aggregation comprises three parcels; the 4577ha Woorilla, 2904ha Tarrawonga and 2092ha Walkers.

In recent seasons the property has been subject to light stocking and conservative management resulting in strong native grass country stores.

Used for the grazing of sheep, goats, and cattle, the aggregation has an estimated carrying capacity of 3500-4000 Merino ewes and followers.

Grazing land in the district has reached $790-$939 a hectare ($320-$380 an acre) recently.