Who owns South Australia’s farms: The full list

Outback families and overseas billionaires are going toe-to-toe in a fight for South Australian farmland. Search our interactive table to see who owns farms in your region.

Australia’s richest woman has been knocked off her perch as the nation’s biggest landholder.

The Weekly Times’ annual investigation into who owns Australia’s farms shows significant investor movement over the past 12 months amid insatiable demand for rural property spurred by low interest rates, a dramatic turnaround in seasonal conditions and strong farmgate returns.

Two mates from Central Australia – Viv Oldfield and Donny Costello of Crown Point Pastoral Company – have snatched the coveted No. 1 landholder position from Ms Rinehart after purchasing 3.2 million hectares from her Hancock Agriculture and S Kidman and Co businesses in a landmark four-station deal.

It has taken Crown Point’s holdings to more than 7.2 million hectares – greater than the size of Ireland.

Crown Point’s South Australian portfolio covers almost five million hectares and includes the 1.65 million-hectare Clifton Hills Station, the 1.36-million hectare Innamincka Station and the 1.1-million hectare Macuma Station.

Other major South Australian players include AJ&PA McBride, which operates across about 1.3 million hectares of the state, and Jumbuck Pastoral Company which has a footprint of about 2.5 million hectares.

From a value perspective, major players include the Hong Kong Stock Exchange-listed CK Life Sciences, which has significant vineyard assets in South Australia’s Barossa, Padthaway, Coonawarra and Riverland regions. CK Life Science’s Australian land and water portfolio is said to be worth more than $1 billion.

WHO OWNS SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S FARMS — THE FULL LIST

AJ&PA McBRIDE

Based in South Australia, the sixth-generation AJ&PA McBride and Co operates across 1.3 million hectares running 375,000 sheep and employing 90 staff. The company is now owned by 102 McBride family shareholders with a strong focus on wool.

• Ashmore, Kingston SE SA – 7354 hectares. Purchased in 1937.

• Braemar Station, Burra SA – 131,210 hectares. Purchased in 1907.

• Brooklyn, Lucindale SA – 3839 hectares. Purchased in 1952.

• Bleasdale Winery, Langhorne Creek SA. Purchased in 2013 as a diversification strategy.

• Konetta Station, Millicent SA – 7380 hectares. Purchased in 1974.

• Nepowie, Naracoorte SA – 5848 hectares. Purchased in 1955.

• North Well, Kingoonya SA – 381,400 hectares. Purchased in the 1980s.

• Teetulpa, Yunta SA – 84,414 hectares. Purchased in 1905.

• Wilgena Station, Tarcoola SA – 507,300 hectares. Purchased in 1924.

• Yudnapinna Station, Port Augusta SA – 224,000 hectares. Purchased in 2016.

Source: mcbride.com.au

AUSTON CORPORATION (CANADA)

Australian arm of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board which was established in 1991 and administers pensions for 183,000 teachers. Owns almond, apple and avocado farms in South Australia and Victoria.

• Aroona Farms, Lyrup SA – 2600 hectares.

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL EQUITY

Owned by Australian businessman and former Seven Network boss Kerry Stokes. In 2020 sold a 7821-hectare aggregation on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island for about $25 million.

• Balquhidder Station, Parawa SA – 3000 hectares. Purchased in 2007 for $30 million.

• Mt Scrub, Fleurieu Peninsula SA – 660 hectares. Purchased in 2009 for about $5 million.

BILLA KALINA PASTORAL COMPANY

Owned by Colin Greenfield and family.

• Billa Kalina, Woomera SA – 500,000 hectares. Runs 4000 Shorthorn breeding cows.

BPC MAYLANDS

Owned by renowned Australian businessman Robert Champion de Crespigny.

• Maylands, Parawa SA – 1500 hectares. Purchased from Vicinity Centres chief executive Grant Kelley in 2020 for about $20 million.

• Myponga Portfolio, Myponga SA.

• Salt Creek Farm, Salt Creek SA — 1526 hectares.

BROOK PASTORAL COMPANY

Organic beef pioneers David and Nell Brook and their family run about 3.5 million hectares in southern Queensland and South Australia, including:

• Alton Downs, via Birdsville SA.

• Cordillo Downs, Innamincka SA.

• Murnpeowie Station, Marree SA.

Pastoralist David Brook outside the famous Birdsville Hotel, which he once owned.

CAPARRA PTY LTD

Headed up by the family of the late Tom Brinkworth. Operates over one million hectares of land spread across 100 properties, including:

• Banff Station, Salt Creek SA.

• Cortina Station, Kingston SA.

• Didicoolum Station, Kingston SA.

• Frome Downs, Yunta SA. 607,899 hectares. Purchased in 2010 for $3.8 million.

• Ninga Ninga Station, Kingston SA.

• SFM Australasia aggregation, Padthaway SA. Six properties from the receivers of the failed timber company in 2010, and reverted back to grazing.

• Watervalley Station, Kingston SA.

CC COOPER & CO

Based in Jamestown, South Australia and run by Leith and Averil Cooper and their sons Seth and Tom. Mixed cropping and livestock business with properties in South Australia, Western Australia and western NSW, including:

• Narrung Aggregation, Narrung SA – 5500 hectares.

• Jamestown Aggregation, Jamestown SA.

CK LIFE SCIENCES (CHINA)

Hong Kong-listed company, backed by Hong Kong’s richest person Li Ka-shing. Australia’s second-largest vineyard owner. Also has citrus and grape growing properties in Victoria’s Sunraysia region as well as grain, cotton, mango and berry investments.

• Bussorah Vineyard, Padthaway SA – 165 hectares of vines.

• Dalmeny Vineyard, Padthaway SA – 213 hectares of vines.

• Jubilee Vineyard, Riverland SA – 216 hectares of vines.

• Katnook Vineyard, Coonawarra SA – 165 hectares of vines.

• Miamba Vineyard, Lyndoch SA – 131 hectares of vines.

• Qualco East Vineyard, Riverland SA – 171 hectares of vines.

• Qualco West Vineyard, Riverland SA – 415 hectares of vines.

• Station and Kirkgate vineyards, Coonawarra SA – 256 hectares of vines.

Source: ck-lifesciences.com

CROWN POINT PASTORAL COMPANY

Australia’s biggest landholders. Run by northern cattle producers Viv Oldfield and Donny Costello. Operation is spread over more than 7.2 million hectares.

• Clifton Hills Station, Birdsville Track SA – 1,650,000 hectares.

• Crown Point Station, Birdsville Track SA – 209,000 hectares.

• Innamincka Station, Leigh Creek SA — 1,360,000 hectares.

• Macumba Station, Oodnadatta SA — 1,100,000 hectares.

• Pandie Pandie Station, Birdsville Track SA – 662,500 hectares.

Viv Oldfield is co-owner of Crown Point Pastoral Company — Australia’s biggest landholder.

EVELYN DOWNS PASTORAL COMPANY

• Evelyn Downs, Coober Pedy SA — 234,500 hectares.

FIERA COMOX (CANADA)

Canadian private equity investment firm that has billions worth of agriculture and forestry assets across the world. Areas of global investment include apples and cherries, almond, cotton and grain, maple syrup, row crops and dairy.

• Boorala, Frances SA — 1980 hectares.

• Manton, Frances SA — 841 hectares.

FIRST STATE SUPER

Superannuation group established in 1992 for NSW public sector employees and their families. Currently manages about $89 billion on behalf of 770,000 members.

• Amaroo, Paringa SA – 1700 hectares of almonds. Purchased from Select Harvests in 2015.

GARY OVERTON

South Australian grazier.

• Mulka Station, Marree SA. 560,000 hectares.

GEORGE AND SOPHIE MILLINGTON

• Cappedee, Hallett SA – 2040 hectares. Purchased in 2010.

• Collinsville Station, Burra SA – 56,090 hectares. Purchased in 2014.

• Kadlunga, Mintaro SA – 3923 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for about $22 million.

GROWTH FARMS

Privately-owned investment management company which was founded in 1999 by a small group of Australian farmers. Operate a 10-year Australian Agricultural Lease Fund.

• Cygnet Park Farms, Kangaroo Island SA – 7821 hectares. Purchased in 2019 for about $25 million.

J&F FENNELL

Central Australian pastoralists.

• Wintinna, Coober Pedy SA – 372,500 hectares.

JUMBUCK PASTORAL COMPANY

Founded by the MacLachlan family in 1888, it is now one of Australia’s biggest sheep and cattle producers with 12 stations spanning 6.2 million hectares.

• Bulgunnia, Coober Pedy SA – 309,600 hectares.

• Commonwealth Hill, Coober Pedy SA – 1,000,000 hectares.

• McCoys Well, Yunta SA – 58,680 hectares.

• Mobella, Coober Pedy SA – 413,200 hectares.

• Mt Victor, Yunta SA – 199,914 hectares.

• Mulgathing, Coober Pedy SA – 530,700 hectares.

Source: jumbuck.com.au

LITCHFIELD PASTORAL

South Australia organic livestock producers farming across 600,000 hectares.

• Mount Lyndhurst Station, Leigh Creek SA – 348,900 hectares. Purchased in 2016 for more than $7 million.

• Mundowdna Station, Leigh Creek SA.

• Wilpoorinna Station, Leigh Creek SA.

MACQUARIE AGRICULTURE

• Wiltoo, Cummins SA – 4400 hectares. Purchased in October 2018 (Viridis Ag).

• Vitalharvest Freehold Trust, NSW, SA and TAS. Purchased in 2021 for $357 million.

MUTOOROO PASTORAL COMPANY

Established in 1968, Mutooroo Pastoral Company covers about 2.1 million hectares in South Australia’s northeast. It consists of five main station and is owned and operated by the Morgan and Wells families.

• Muttooroo Station, via Broken Hill SA – 250,300 hectares.

• Mulyungarie Station, Cockburn SA – 336,600 hectares.

• Lilydale and Manunda Stations, Yunta SA – 161,100 hectares.

Source: mutooroopastoralcompany.com.au

NANGWARRY PASTORAL COMPANY

• Nangwarry Station, Nangwarry SA.

NAPIER PASTORAL COMPANY

Owned by Greg and Sharon Vickers from Keith in South Australia.

PAUL & JO SMITH

• Tieyon Station, Kulgera SA – 652,730 hectares.

PRINCESS ROYAL

The Rowe family own a mix of South Australian station country and farming land. Sold the 255,000-hectare Wertaloona Station in the Flinders Ranges in 2020 for $10.6 million.

• Burra Creek Wines, Burra SA.

• Mackerode Station, Burra SA.

• Princess Royal Station and feedlot, Burra SA. Purchased in 2002.

• Wooltana Station, Blinman SA.

Source: princessroyal.com.au

ROBERTSON CHOWILLA PTY LTD

Run by the Robertson family.

• Chowilla Station, Renmark SA – 123,000 hectares.

RURAL FUNDS GROUP

The ASX-listed Rural Funds Group has large-scale investments in almonds, beef, cotton, macadamias and vineyards across NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria with $1.3 billion in assets under management.

• Dohnt vineyard, Coonawarra SA – 30 hectares of vines.

• Geier vineyard, Barossa Valley SA – 243 hectares of vines.

• Hahn vineyard, Barossa Valley SA – 49 hectares of vines.

• Kleinig vineyard, Barossa Valley SA – 206 hectares of vines.

• Mundy vineyard, Adelaide Hills SA – 26 hectares of vines.

• Murphy vineyard, Adelaide Hills SA – 30 hectares of vines.

SALTBUSH AG PTY LTD (HANDBURY GROUP)

Headed up by Paddy Handbury, son of the late Geoff and Helen Handbury. Sold Collinsville Merino stud and property in 2014.

• Arcoona Station, Woomera SA – 343,000 hectares. Purchased in 2008.

• Booborowie Aggregation, Booborowie SA.

• Swinging Shovel, Lucindale SA.

SELECT HARVESTS

Operates more than 9000 hectares of almond orchards in Victorian Mallee, the South Australian Riverland and NSW Riverina. Paid $129 million for the 1566 hectare Piangil almond plantation in October 2020.

• Loxton/Paringa orchards SA – 637 hectares.

Source: selectharvests.com.au

SWISS AUSTRALIA FARM HOLDINGS

Operates farms in NSW, South Australia and Queensland.

• Glenstrae, Willalooka SA – 5876 hectares.

• Naweena, Padthaway SA – 7433 hectares.

TODMORDEN CATTLE COMPANY

• Glengarry, Snowtown SA — 446 hectares.

• Hillview, Snowtown SA — 428 hectares.

• Todmorden Station, Oodadatta SA – 716,860 hectares.

• Walaki, Lochiel SA — 269 hectares.

WELLBOURN HILL PASTORAL COMPANY

• Wellbourn Hill, Marla SA – 338,700 hectares.

WILLIAMS CATTLE COMPANY

Owned by South Australia’s Williams family, Williams Cattle Company’s 4.65 million hectares include what is considered the world’s largest cattle station, Anna Creek, which it bought from S Kidman and Co in 2016. Owns seven pastoral properties in the north of South Australia as well as grazing and cropping land in the Flinders Ranges.

• Anna Creek Station, Coober Pedy SA – 1.57 million hectares. Purchased from S Kidman & Co in 2016.

• Arckaringa Station, Coober Pedy SA – 274,500 hectares. Purchased in 1989.

• Connibar/Carieton, Carieton SA – 11,400 hectares.

• Hamilton Station, Coober Pedy SA – 701,000 hectares.

• Mt Barry Station, Coober Pedy SA – 492,000 hectares.

• Mt Sarah Station, Coober Pedy SA – 224,800 hectares.

• Nilpanna Station, Coober Pedy SA – 565,800 hectares.

• The Peake Station, Coober Pedy SA – 813,000 hectares. Outstation to Anna Creek, purchased in 2016.

Source: williamscattlecompany.com.au

YADLAMALKA PASTORAL

Owned by South Australian pastoralist Andrew Doman.

• Beltana Station, Flinders Ranges SA – 154,100 hectares. Purchased in 2017 for $8.4 million.

• Yadlamalka Station, Flinders Ranges SA.

• This list was compiled from industry sources, websites and media reports. The Weekly Times, publisher of AgJournal, accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of this list. For more information, email [e-mail]