$90m-plus tipped for Timothy and Roger Commins’ powerhouse farming portfolio

Huge offers are expected for 2800ha of farmland and 14,000ML of water, owned by a pair of renowned farming brothers. See all the details.

An award-winning pair of NSW Riverina brothers are offering their irrigated cropping powerhouse portfolio for sale in one of the most notable rural properties listings so far this year.

Renowned cotton growers Timothy and Roger Commins, founders and directors of the Southern Cotton gin at Whitton, are selling their 2807ha institutional grade cropping farms, located in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation District, 3km from Whitton and 17km from Darlington Point.

Offers of more than $90 million are expected for the Commins Portfolio, which has hit the market as the brothers initiate family succession planning.

The Commins brothers formed their farming enterprise 35 years ago in 1989, building on their family’s agricultural legacy dating back to the 1940s.

Roger (left) and Tim Commins on-farm in 2008. Picture: File

The pair was among the first in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area to grow cotton, while also partnering with fellow growers Larry Walsh, John and Gerard Toscan and Scott and Anita Hogan to build Southern Cotton’s $20m gin at Whitton, opened in 2012 to cater for the expanding cotton production in the NSW Riverina.

In 2016 Timothy and Roger won Cotton Australia’s high achiever of the year award for their innovative farming techniques and their work establishing the Whitton gin.

The pair are also part of the syndicate that founded Voyager Craft Malt and the Whitton Malt House, which adjoins part of the Commins Portfolio.

LAWD senior director Danny Thomas and director Erica Semmens are managing the sale of

the Commins Portfolio, with expressions of interest closing March 14 at noon (AEDT).

“For two brothers to have amalgamated all these farms is pretty incredible,” Ms Semmens said.

“They have lived in the areas since they were young, even growing up on the station next door.

“But the assets have become too great and it is time to pass them on.

Roger and Tim Commins were crowned Cotton Australia's High Achiever of the Year in 2016.

“We are expecting institutional-grade interest, particularly from those looking to continue irrigated cropping, but also those who may be looking at horticultural developments and permanent plantings.”

The portfolio comprises four hubs within an 18km radius, including the Whitton Hub (1253ha), which has seven farms; Rusty’s, Tiralee, Avago, Yonda, Pano’s, Wilga and Brigalow.

More than 1000ha, or 80 per cent, of the Whitton Hub is developed to support bankless channel irrigation.

The Karwar Hub spans 1097ha of which 834ha (76 per cent) has been developed for bankless channel irrigation, while there is also the smaller Nardoo (274ha) and The Weir (183ha) hubs.

The Commins Portfolio has grown cotton crops across much of its 2807ha.

In recent seasons cotton, maize, winter cereals and seed canola has been cropped in rotation with a 744ha winter crop and 1645ha cropped during summer.

Historically 10-12 cotton bales have been produced per hectare, while maize yields have reached 17-18 tonnes, six to seven tonnes a hectare for wheat, four to five tonnes a hectare for barely and 2-2.5 tonnes of seed canola a hectare.

A formidable water portfolio also forms a major part of the offering with 14,112ML also for sale.

The Commins Portfolio is formed by four hubs near Whitton and Darlington Point in the NSW Murrumbidgee Irrigation District.

In total there is:

1975ML of high security Murrumbidgee regulated river water,

6635ML of general security Murrumbidgee regulated river water,

1605ML of Zone 1 Lower Murrumbidgee deep groundwater,

214ML of Zone 2 Lower Murrumbidgee groundwater,

2293ML of Zone 3 Lower Murrumbidgee groundwater,

300ML of Lower Murrumbidgee shallow groundwater and 1090ML of supplementary Murrumbidgee regulated river water.

Structural improvements of the Commins Portfolio include significant machinery shedding, hay shedding, a 4200 tonne-plus silo and grain storage complex and staff residences.