NSW station sold for more than $42 million

A renowned Aussie farmer has sold his Central West NSW cropping and livestock jewel for more than $42 million.

Ron Greentree has sold the Muttama Station, a cropping and livestock property west of Coonamble.

A NSW cropping and livestock jewel on the state’s central-western plains has changed hands after it was sold by its renowned owner.

Australian cropping stalwart Ron Greentree has sold the 12,500-hectare Muttama Station following several stints on the market dating back to 2017.

Property records show the Muttama Station, located 30km west of Coonamble at Quambone Road, was sold in late August in a deal worth $42.38 million.

It is understood a private Coonamble district farming family has acquired the station, adding the property to its existing agricultural interests in the region.

The sale of Muttama Station ends Mr Greentree’s ownership of farmland throughout NSW, having shifted his focus to developing irrigated cotton and corn as part of the Ord Valley agricultural expansion in Western Australia’s Kimberley region and cotton at Strathmore Station in Queensland’s Gulf Country.

Mr Greentree had owned Muttama Station, either individually or in partnership for almost 30 years after he and then business partner, Ken Harris, acquired the property in 1996 from the Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), who had previously run mainly livestock.

Mr Greentree had owned Muttama since 1996 after he and business partner Ken Harris bought the station in 1996.

In 2017 the pair listed Muttama Station for sale, before Mr Greentree acquired full ownership of the property in 2019, putting it back on the market with a fresh campaign in September 2020.

About 10,600 hectares of Muttama Station are considered arable, with the remaining country suitable for grazing.

Muttama Station includes a 5000-head capacity feedlot, extensive water infrastructure, 16 silos, two grain sheds, two cattle yards, a four-bedroom homestead and three cottages.

Moree Real Estate selling agents Alexander Bailey and Paul Kelly handled the sale but declined to comment on the transaction.

Ron Greentree on his farm at Rowena near Moree in 2002. Picture: File (Chris Pavlich).

Mr Greentree and Mr Harris, through Greentree Farming, established a formidable 47,500-hectare aggregation, Milton Downs and Boolcarrol, near Bellata in northwest NSW, acquiring it from the late John Kahlbetzer’s Twynam Pastoral in 2008 for a reported $75 million.

The pair then amicably split their partnership, carving off assets since 2014 including selling a 10,000ha portion to the US-based TIAA Westchester asset management group in 2016.

Mr Harris retained the Boolcarrol property, while in 2022 it was reported Mr Greentree sold more than 8200 hectares of Milton Downs to northwest NSW farmer Tim O’Brien for about $66 million.

In 2022 it was also reported the almost 11,000-hectare balance of Milton Downs was sold to a farming family in the region for more than $100 million.