Renowned SA cropping family to sell four NSW farms

A leading SA farming family are selling their interstate portfolio of 2550ha of cropping farmland located in Central West NSW.

Wheat and canola crops have been predominantly grown at the Elambone Aggregation, plus prime lamb production.

More than 2550ha of prime cropping farmland in Central West NSW have been listed for sale offered to the market by a prominent South Australian farming family.

The McCabe family are selling the 2551ha Elambone Aggregation, a portfolio accumulated across the last 15 years and comprising four properties about 20km southwest of Grenfell, NSW.

Led by leading South Australian grain grower, Adrian McCabe, the family acquired their first piece of the Elambone portfolio following a five-year search then added a further three parcels in the following decade.

Offered for sale as a whole, or individual assets, the Elambone Aggregation is made up of 658ha Elambone, 425ha Aroma and 494.9ha Craigieleigh, all adjoining, plus 973ha Tumble Downs.

Offers worth $12,355-plus a hectare are expected across the portfolio, meaning it could be worth more than $31.5m as a whole.

Nutrien Harcourts Forbes agent Ainslie Toole is handling the sale with expressions of interest closing March 27.

“Properties of this calibre are rarely offered for sale. The terms being offered are very attractive to progressive farming families looking to guarantee future expansion,” Ms Toole said.

Adrian McCabe in a healthy crop at his Salter Springs property in 2021. Picture Matt Turner

The Elambone Aggregation has been established by the McCabe family across the last 15 years.

“This would be regarded as a blue chip rural investment with high rainfall (620mm) and low risk with minimal frost & flood risk, yet high returns consistently over many years.

“With a price guide of $5000-plus an acre ($12,355-plus a hectare), this district represents excellent value compared to other districts with similar rainfall to the south. The Grenfell District is an area where savvy buyers will have plenty of opportunity to expand in the future.

“To further sweeten the deal the vendors have 2000ha fallowed and crop ready.”

The McCabe family are predominantly based an hour north of Adelaide at Hamley Bridge, but expanded interstate and have run their larger scale Elambone Aggregation remotely for more than 14 years.

The aggregation has produced wheat yields up to 6.5t a hectare, and averaged up to 5.5t a hectare while canola has yielded up to 3.8t a hectare and averaged up to 2.55t a hectare.

The aggregation is considered 80-85 per cent arable with the balance of 230ha well suited to prime lamb production running more than 12.35 dry sheep equivalent per hectare.