Stony Batter, Arabanoo farms and Red Island Beef for sale

For the first time in 150 years, blue-ribbon northern NSW farmland is up for public sale.

A collection of prized northern NSW farmland has hit the market in a once-in-150-year sale.

LAWD and McCulloch Agencies have listed the 3200ha Stony Batter Aggregation for sale, with an expected price tag tipped to exceed $20m.

The aggregation comprises the Stony Batter and Arabanoo properties and incorporates the Red Island Beef business.

Red Island Beef is a premium Black Angus breeder located in the New England region of NSW.

The aggregation includes 1695ha Stony Batter farm, at Bundarra, and 1509ha Arabanoo, at Bingara.

Stony Batter. Pictures: Supplied

The listing also marks the first time the Stony Batter property has been offered for public sale in 150 years.

McCulloch Agencies agent Daniel McCulloch said the listing was a very exciting development in the Australian rural property market.

“This listing is one out of the box,” he said.

“The farm runs as a breeding operation and a trading operation, so it is a huge opportunity.

“The Red Island Beef brand is renowned across Australia and this listing is a chance to own not only property, but also a business too.”

Mr McCulloch said he expected interest to come from local buyers as well as those from further afield, and had received dozens of inquiries since the aggregation was listed.

“The market will determine the price of the sale, but we are expecting offers to come in and exceed $20m,” he said.

The vendor, a Sydney-based business man, purchased Stony Batter North in 2007 and later purchased Stony Batter in 2014 from the Cooper Family in a private deal.

Stony Batter.

The Arabanoo property was purchased in 2020 by the vendor.

The deal is also being marketed as an opportunity to gain an immediate foothold in the Australian beef industry with an operational scale of 25,000 DSE and access to 1000 pregnancy tested in-calf Angus females, equipment and the RIB brand.

Agents are also forecasting a 12-month projected cash flow of $1.9m for the aggregation.

The Stony Batter and Arabanoo properties are steeped in history after being founded in the 19th century.

Stony Batter was established in about 1834 by Mr Richard Wiseman and is home to the Stony Batter Homestead which was built on the banks of the Gwydir River about 1880.

Arabanoo was registered to The Estate of The Late George Hall in 1840.

The sale process for the Stony Batter Aggregation will be conducted in two stages.

Stage one will seek non-binding offers by Thursday March 10 at 4pm AEDT.

Following evaluation, the vendor may accept an offer and select a party to go to contract, or short-listed parties will be invited to participate in stage two.