THIS week’s property review includes this wrap-up of interesting recent listings across the country, and a separate article of recent property sales of note.

• Blue ribbon livestock and fodder operation in NSW’s central-west
• 175 years ownership ending in NSW’s central-west
• Charters Towers grazing listed for $9m

The 1758ha Castle Hill Aggregation is located near Baldry, 44km from Parkes and 84km from Orange in the state’s central-west.

Blue ribbon livestock and fodder operation in NSW’s central-west

More than $18 million is anticipated for a premium livestock and cropping portfolio being offloaded by New South Wales stud Merino breeders, the Phillips family.

The 1758ha Castle Hill Aggregation (pictured above) is located near Baldry, 44km from Parkes and 84km from Orange in the state’s central-west.

The family aggregated the three holdings, 700ha Castle Hill, 408ha Mountain View and 649ha Fairy Mount, back in 2001.

Combined, the property is capable of running between 15,000 and 16,000DSE, however it is currently stocked with 4000 ewes and 250 cows.

Steve, Liz, Sam and Georgia Phillips operate a large-scale grazing enterprise across a number of holdings in the Harden, Yass, Monaro and Gundagai districts, including the highly regarded Yarrawonga Merino Stud.

They are now selling after recently purchasing the 893ha Argyle, situated near Galong, which is closer to the family’s home base at Harden.

Vendor Steve Phillips said Castle Hill was a standout operation.

“It boasts a reliable 650mm annual rainfall throughout the year and has strong red soils with around 80 to 90 percent arable. So, you can do pretty much anything with it.”

Mr Phillips said there was also potential to further increase productivity with greater fertiliser use or the development of grazing land to farming.

“A moderate elevation of 440m above sea level provides an excellent climatic base for winter crop and improved pasture production.”

During the past 22 years, the family has installed extensive fencing, renewed sheepyards and cropped wheat, oats and canola.

Water is supplied from several bores, supported by dams and the Rocky Ponds Creek.

An extensive Landcare tree planting program in the 1990s has enhanced the landscape and provides protection for livestock.

Today, the property has 300 tonnes of grain storage, two homes, two shearing sheds and sheep yards, cattle yards, bull sheds and hay and machinery storage facilities.

LAWD senior director Col Medway expects the variety of operational options offered by the aggregation will attract widespread interest.

“This is a blue-ribbon property in a very safe district with the potential to either expand the cropping area or maintain the current focus on livestock production with supplementary fodder crops,” he said.

“The aggregation also benefits from extensive road frontage providing opportunities for buyers to purchase the property in smaller parcels or as a whole.

The Phillips’ long-term manager is available to remain in place, providing the option for a seamless transition to new ownership.

Castle Hill is being offered for sale by expressions of interest closing on August 31.

175 years ownership ending in NSW’s central-west

A seventh-generation mixed farming and grazing enterprise in New South Wales’ central-west is being offered to the market for the first time in 175 years.

The 741ha Corroboree is a versatile year-round sheep, lamb, cattle and cropping operation being sold by Lachie MacSmith and his family.

The historic holding is located near Boree, in the tightly held Cudal district, 30km from Orange.

Corroboree once formed part of the original land claims by explorer, author, barrister, landowner and statesman, William Charles Wentworth (1790-1872), mariner and merchant Captain Thomas Raine (1793-1860) and the Boree Cabonne holdings on The Escort Way.

The introduction of the first Spanish Merino can also be traced back to the property.

Elders agent Richard Gemmell said Corroboree is currently operating intensive sheep production together with improved pastures and crop rotation.

“The property delivers a whole of farm approach of increased carrying capacity, faster turnoff, better pasture retention and best practice land management.”

“There is an inherent emphasis on livestock performance and feed efficiency to deliver optimal target weights and market optimisation,” he said.

With an average rainfall of 625mm spread evenly throughout the year, the gently undulating property has deep red chocolate basalts and grey loams.

Corroboree is lightly timbered with white box with good stands of shade and shelter. It is well fenced with secure water delivered to every paddock.

The property is rated to run 6410 dry sheep equivalents or 8.651 stock units per hectare.

Around 85 percent is arable and currently growing 94ha of barley, 94ha of wheat and 330ha of improved pastures.

Corroboree is watered by two bores, two wells and a 384ML irrigation bore licence.

Fit for purpose infrastructure includes a state-of-the-art automated 800 head sheep feedlot, a four-stand shearing shed, containment for 3800 sheep, weaning yards for 1000 head, cattle yards, numerous sheds and 500t of grain storage.

Expressions of interest for Corroboree close on September 1.

Charters Towers grazing listed for $9m

Blue ribbon Charters Towers grazing country on the Burdekin River has listed for $9 million.

Comprising 1632ha Oakey Creek (leasehold), 1092ha Brindle Hill (leasehold) and the 1109ha Chipley (freehold), the holding is located near Dotswood, 40km north-east of Charters Towers and 135km south-west of Townsville.

The 3834ha of productive goldfields country features 6.5km of highly sought after Burdekin River frontage.

It is being offered for sale by the Lavery family after more than three generations of ownership.

Originally, Oakey Creek, Brindle Hill and Chipley formed part of the historic Springvale Station and were operated as a single paddock.

The gently undulating country comprises mostly good goldfields country with both black and red soil types and loamy alluvials running along the creeks.

Good rain is reflected in an abundance of grass running up to 1200 adult equivalents plus followers (in an average season).

Oakey Creek, Brindle Hill and Chipley are well watered by a well and five dams.

Matthew Geaney from Ray White Geaney Kirkwood said the properties are well located – close to meatworks and live export facilities at Townsville, Reid River and Charters Towers, in addition to the saleyards at Charters Towers.