Queensland cattle and cropping farms fetch $45m at auction

An 855ha irrigated cropping gem plus a 4612ha cattle station have been snapped up through separate auctions with local buyers swooping in. See all the details.

Two Queensland farming properties have been sold under the hammer at separate auctions, fetching top bids worth $45m combined.

On Friday, the Clapham family sold its stellar 855ha irrigated cropping enterprise, Balmoral, located 22km southwest of Pittsworth in southern Queensland’s Darling Downs region.

Bidding for Balmoral began at $20m with multiple bidders lifting offers by $1m increments up to an ultimate bid of $25m in front of the crowd at the Burke & Wills Hotel in Toowoomba.

A pair of local Darling Downs farmers, Russell Kealy and Clemens Waetjen, were the successful purchase opertaing as a consortium, with plans to split parts of the property and its associated water.

Mr Waetjen operates as Yarramalong Farming Enterprises in Brookstead, while also has a farming enterprise in the Darling Downs region.

Russell and Jenny Clapham plus Damian and Renae Clapham listed Balmoral for sale in May this year where it was described as “the epitome of farming excellence”.

The Clapham family have sold the 855ha Balmoral for $25m under the hammer.

Irrigated sorghum crops at Balmoral, near Brookstead in southern Queensland.

Across the asset there is 556ha of lateral irrigation, 94ha of flood irrigation, and 46ha dryland cultivation which is used to produce a mix of corn, sorghum, cotton, chickpeas and wheat.

Balmoral features a 4710ML volumetric water allocation from the Condamine River and North Branch. There is also a 345ML groundwater allocation and five bores pumping 18.7ML per day plus a 2107ML storage.

Improvements include 2700 tonnes of grain storage, a fully automated grain dryer and 1908 sqm of machinery shedding including the 48x24m main shed plus a four-bedroom homestead.

Ray White Rural Qld agent Matt Cleary handled the sale of the Balmoral property.

Meanwhile, further north in the state’s Central Highlands region, O’Sullivan Grazing has sold its 4612 Lucie Station under the hammer for $20m.

On Tuesday a single bid from a nearby private landholder secured the property from vendors Barry and Leanne O’Sullivan, of Glenalpine.

Lucie Station has been sold by the O’Sullivan family after four years of ownership.

Owned by the O’Sullivans for four years, Lucie Station, located 25km north of Bluff, attracted notable interest including 30 inquiries and 13 inspections.

Pastures at Lucie Station included a mix of buffel, Rhodes and green panic grasses, native species and established legumes with brigalow, blackbutt, bauhinia, softwood, box and yellowwood timber.

Hourn & Bishop Qld agent Brad Hanson handled the sale of Lucie Station.