Bonnie Doon Wagyu’s Roger Shore sells Mohyu Wagyu

A WA-based wagyu producer has purchased a highly-regarded North East Victorian aggregation and its wagyu breeding herd.

1570 Moyhu-Meadow Creek Rd, Meadow Creek, Vic 3678

After about a year of ownership, Bonnie Doon Wagyu’s Roger Shore has sold the 847ha North East Victorian Moyhu Wagyu aggregation in a deal with a Western Australian Wagyu producer.

Stone Axe Pastoral Company has secured the properties, including all four individual parcels of land in a walk-in walkout deal for an undisclosed price.

This included Stone Axe Pastoral purchasing the remaining renowned Moyhu Wagyu breeding herd and an extensive list of plant and equipment.

When the Moyhu Wagyu aggregation was listed for tender last year it was originally offered bare of livestock.

Prior to Mr Shore purchasing the aggregation in late 2021 for $12 million-plus, Emeritus Professor Bob Officer had owned the property and the Moyhu Wagyu name for more than 25 years.

Links between Moyhu Wagyu and Stone Axe Pastoral date back to 2015 when the WA producers purchased Moyhu Full Blood Wagyu heifers.

Conjunctional selling agents James Brown of Ray White Rural Albury and Andrew Starr and Bruce Birch from Ray White Rural and Livestock NSW negotiated the deal.

“Strong synergies exist between the purchaser and the vendor and their combined expertise in the Wagyu industry and this mutual interest in the continued success of the Moyhu operation gave favour to the deal being accepted,” Mr Birch said.

Located at 1570 Moyhu-Meadow Creek Rd, Meadow Creek, Moyhu Wagyu comprises four individual holdings.

“Management of the property and the impressive wagyu herd will remain largely unchanged and will be incorporated into the high-end wagyu product that Stone Axe Pastoral have built a reputation for providing.”

Stone Axe Pastoral Company is a Wagyu venture between cattleman Matthew Walker and investment bank Moelis.

Stone Axe Pastoral began operating in Victoria’s High Country in 2019 after they entered into a lease agreement with Rural Funds Management who purchased the Cobungra Station, located near Omeo for $35 million.

Stone Axe Pastoral also purchased Cobungra’s Fullblood Wagyu and commercial EU accredited beef herd.

Based out of Western Australia, Stone Axe have also expanded to the eastern states in recent years purchasing the 784ha Alfreda at Ebor NSW, located 88km northeast of Armidale, in 2018.

They also acquired the 2145.36ha Glen Alvie, also located at Ebor NSW, in June 2017.

ROC Partners also made an equity investment into Stone Axe in 2017.

The Moyhu Wagyu aggregation, located 42km south of Wangaratta in Victoria’s King Valley, comprises four holdings, the 243ha Leatarn, 372ha Handcocks, 176ha Sampsons and 56ha Bartons.

As a whole the property has carried 650 full-blood Wagyu breeding cows which have grazed a mix of rye grass, phalaris and clover with some native grass pastures.