NSW Riverina cotton farm hits the market for $65m

A Dutch investor is selling a 5814ha broadacre cropping property and pistachio orchard, plus a water portfolio of more than 12,000ML.

A high-net worth Dutch investor is selling a 5814ha cotton and cropping farm, plus pistachio orchard, in the NSW Riverina.

More than 5800ha of sprawling farmland on the Hay Plains in the NSW western Riverina region has hit the market alongside a substantial volume of water entitlements in a top-dollar listing.

A private Dutch high-net worth investor is selling the 5814ha Noongaburra property, offering first-class broadacre cropping and a horticultural orchard, located on the northern side of the Murrumbidgee River, 12km west of Hay, NSW.

Acquired by the vendor a decade ago, the property is now home to 3054ha developed for irrigation, 325ha of dryland cropping and a 181ha pistachio orchard.

The Noongaburra water portfolio is significant, comprising a total in excess of 12,000ML.

The portfolio offers 1026ML General Security Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water, 2546ML Supplementary Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water, 1358.5ML Zone 1A High Reliability VIC Goulburn Regulated Water, 140ML Zone 6 High Reliability VIC Murray Regulated Water, 4,310.1ML Low Reliability VIC Goulburn 1A Regulated, 2456ML Low Reliability VIC Murray Zone 6 Regulated Water and 1222ML Low Reliability VIC Goulburn 1B Regulated Water.

Inclusive of water entitlements, Noongaburra is expected to field offers worth $65m.

The asset could also be carved up with the broadacre cropping portion, plus its water rights, sold separately, tipped to be worth $40m.

The pistachio orchard spans 181ha developed to the Sirora variety.

HAY, NSW
NOONGABURRA
Property: cropping, horticulture
Size: 5814ha
Sale: expressions of interest closing April 10 at noon
Price: $65m, as a whole
Agent: LAWD Agribusiness and Elders Real Estate Deniliquin
Contact: Danny Thomas, 0439 349 977, and Erica Semmens, 0419 714 039 and Matt Horne 0409 355 733

At Noongaburra there is 3054ha developed for irrigation and 325ha of dryland cropping.

LAWD senior director Danny Thomas, director Erica Semmens and Elders Real Estate Deniliquin agent Matt Horne are handling the sale of the Noongaburra assets.

“Noongaburra is a unique opportunity to acquire an institutional scale irrigated mixed farming opportunity and pistachio orchard with secure access to a substantial volume of water entitlements, underpinned by significant irrigation infrastructure and on-farm water storage,” Mr Thomas said.

“Substantial water storages underpin the cropping operation with a combined storage capacity of 5511ML, supported by high-flow channel systems. The water storage adjacent to the hub of operations, provides supplementary storage of 180ML which is utilised during wet seasons, providing opportunity for further horticultural development.”

Across the broadacre portion of the property high yielding crops including cotton, corn, wheat, barley, canola and chickpeas have been grown.

The pistachio orchard has been extensively developed to the Sirora variety, to two rootstocks planted annually between 2018 and 2024 to 3.75 x 6m spacings, or 444 trees per hectare.

Irrigation at Noongaburra is supported by a pumping capacity of 260ML per day for surface water via five pumps, as well as a bore capacity of 10ML per day.

Existing structural improvements and operational infrastructure includes machinery shedding, workshop, office, silo storage about 5100 tonnes combined capacity, grain bunker storage at 12,100t, an 80t weighbridge, sundry shedding and three residences including a manager’s residence.