Totalling 9921 hectares or 24,516 acres, two southern Riverina grazing properties with a very handy chunk of irrigated cropping land are on the market with a likely price tag of more than $17 million.
The adjoining Rhyola and Inverness properties 65 kilometres north-west of Deniliquin, NSW, will be auctioned on July 14.
Offering the price guidance, Elders Riverina agent Matt Horne said the aggregation was a large scale, low input, high-yielding breeding and fattening operation.
In the last two years, it ran 500 cows and calves plus 3500 ewes and lambs.
Some breeding heifers aside, the calves were sold at 400-500kg, mostly to feedlots.
The vendors have been selling down stock and Mr Horne said purchasers could be given the opportunity to move livestock onto the holding prior to settlement.
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The livestock enterprise has been well supported by home-grown feed, thanks to Rhyola's 160ha of laser-levelled flood irrigation land fed by Billabong Creek that supplements the district's 367-millimetre average rainfall.
Mr Horne said although the irrigation area mostly grew pasture, grazing cereals and fodder, it would also be suitable for summer crops like cotton, corn, tomatoes, sorghum, and millet, or winter cash crops, including wheat, barley and canola.
Last September, 100ha of lucerne was sown on Inverness, which Mr Horne said would be a valuable feed source.
"The ability to produce hay or silage for use in deficient seasons adds security to the overall operation," the agent said.
The versatility of the aggregation stemmed from its soils, too. Lighter country to the south including undulating sandy loam rises provide early feed options, while the ability of the creek country to hold moisture is valuable later in the season.
The aggregation offers practical infrastructure, too.
Rhyola has a three-bedroom home, two cottages, four-stand shearing shed with steel yards, shearers' quarters, shedding and a large set of steel cattle yards with drafting and loading facilities.
Inverness also has a three-bedroom home, additional guest or staff accommodation, workshop or garage, machinery sheds and steel cattle yards.
The infrastructure on Inverness is supported by a solar-into-battery power supply with hardwired generator back-up.
Mr Horne said the aggregation has been sustainably managed to balance high productivity with sound environmental management.
Clumps of native trees, creek lines and water courses created excellent refuges for birds and native wildlife as well as ample shelter for livestock.
Marian Macdonald
Writing for farmers in the Stock & Land, The Land, Queensland Country Life, Stock Journal and FarmWeekly, farming in Gippsland.
Writing for farmers in the Stock & Land, The Land, Queensland Country Life, Stock Journal and FarmWeekly, farming in Gippsland.
