A dozen reasons why rural property is a top investment in 2023

Most property analysts and agents expect the demise of La Nina may lead to an increase of properties in the market this year.

Many farmers who have been considering selling their land stayed put to cash in on the rich run of good seasons.

A squeeze on finance through rising interest rates, increased input costs and pressure on commodity prices is expected to lead to an increase in activity.

Today we look around the country to highlight some of the best rural properties on the market and setting the tone for 2023.

Most experts expect the record run of high farmland prices will continue but everyone is watching these early sales closely.

Brett Blundy and Jane and Scotty Armstrong's Northern Territory cattle station Beetaloo has hit the market with price expectations of $300 million-plus.

Offered with about 72,000 branded cattle, the 1.05 million hectare (2.6m acre) property on the Barkly Tableland is being sold on a walk in, walk out basis through an expressions of interest campaign through Colliers Agribusiness.

Beetaloo is noted for its exceptional water developments, which include more than 3000km of 75mm poly pipe connecting more than 64 bores and 600 water points.

There is plenty of ongoing focus on premium cattle country in northern Australia with four very attractive properties in the highly prized brigalow belt hitting the market.

El Rocco is a productive 2012ha (4972 acre) Central Queensland property is estimated to carry 1000 backgrounders.

Located in the renowned Roundstone district about 44km west from Moura, the property boasts a combination of productive red and brown scrub soils with sections of lighter forest soils.

The gently undulating landscape is predominantly brigalow, blackbutt and associated scrub country, broken by scattered areas of poplar box, bloodwood and ironbark.

With the exception of creek lines and shade camps, all areas have been cleared and well established to improved pastures, including Rhodes grass, green panic, Biloela and Gayndah buffel, bissett blue grass and seca stylo.

The Adams family's stand out 1637ha (4044 acre) freehold Wandoan property Alice has an estimated carrying capacity of 900 backgrounders.

Located 41km west of Wandoan, the property consists of undulating developed scrub soil country, which has been improved with buffel, bambatsi and Gatton panic.

Alice will be auctioned by Ray White Rural in Brisbane on March 10, with Bruce Douglas and David Felsch from Ray White Rural are handling the marketing.

Premium Central Highlands property Glendarriwell offers a significant area of farming country in addition to a sizeable cattle breeding operation.

Offered by the Prewett family, the 3893ha (9620 acre) freehold property located 34km south west of Emerald is predominantly open to semi-open black soil downs country running into areas of mixed brigalow scrub and superior flats on Anakie Creek.

The property includes about 1942ha of black soil cultivation and 475ha of mixed brigalow country developed with buffel grass.

Improvements include an impressive five bedroom, three bathroom homestead, a second three bedroom home, sheds, and grain storage.

Glendarriwell will be auctioned by RBV Rural in Emerald on March 31.

Rydan is 6979ha (17,245 acres) of reliable breeder country located near Rubyvale, about 75km north west of Emerald.

Held by the Crozier family for more than 100 years, the property is described as very well suited as a stand-alone enterprise turning off weaners/feeders or as a calf factory to a backgrounding or a fattening operation.

Rydan is estimated to carry 1100 breeders, taking away the progeny as weaners.

The team at RBV Rural in Emerald are handling the sale of by and Rydan, March 10.

Also creating plenty of interest is the Carson family's versatile 18,180 hectare (44,924 acre) Balonne region property portfolio comprises of Ooraine, Somerset and Hooloovale near Dirranbandi.

To be sold through an expressions of interest process by Chris Holgar, Geoff Warriner and Clayton Smith, JLL Agribusiness, the portfolio has been progressively acquired and developed during the past 48 years by the Carson family.

The country is runs as two distinct hubs. Hooloovale is 6145ha (15,185 acres) of irrigation and grazing, while Ooraine and Somerset are 12,035ha (29,739 acres) of dryland farming and grazing.

There are 471ha of irrigation areas of Hooloovale, which is underpinned by three storage cells with a combined capacity of 9811 megalitres.

Highly productive Northern Tablelands property Emu Creek is expected sell to in the mid-$30 million price range.

Offered by Mark and Angie Berry, the prized 3026ha (7477 acre) property near Walcha has been very well developed as a cattle breeding and fattening operation, with a 25,000 dry sheep equivalents (about 3125 cattle equivalents) carrying capacity.

Currently stocked with a mixture of late spring calving cows, replacement heifers and Dorper ewes lambing on a nine-month cycle.

The property also features a meticulously maintained 1908 homestead set in a magnificent 2ha garden that has been over the past six generations, continually improved.

Col Medway and Tim Corcoran from LAWD are the handling the expressions of interest sales process for Emu Creek.

If coastal living is more your speed the impressively developed 202ha (500 acre) property Coopawilli is just a stone's throw from the beaches of the Coffs Coast.

Located on Bucca Creek 15km from Coffs Harbour, the well designed, gently undulating property runs 250 high quality Angus cows on its mostly open grasslands plus 28ha of pristine rainforest.

In addition to two homes and numerous sheds, the impeccably engineered working infrastructure includes a set of 300 head capacity steel cattle yards that have a covered work area with a crush, scales, RFID reader. There is also a separate set of undercover calf yards.

Contact Bruce Birch or Andrew Starr from Ray White Rural NSW.

A Mid North family is selling up to shift their farm focus to the South East.

After four generations on this land, the family is taking two of its Robertstown properties to auction on March 9 at the Robertstown Peace Hall as part of a new strategy to buy a property in the south east.

Wilkschs and Moseys farms take in 1046ha (2584 acres).

Robertstown saw some stellar auction results last year for this tightly held country and this auction is expected to continue the trend.

Also, a big chunk of prime cropping country on the Eyre Peninsula is up for grabs with the offer of three farms taking in a 6186ha (15,286 acres).

Three EP farms have been listed for sale by Adelaide-based receivers and managers Heard Phillips Lieberenz.

The expressions of interest sale is being handled by CBRE.

TDC Livestock and Property is going to kickstart its 2023 sales with a ripper offering in Western Victoria.

Buyers are invited to visit Wando Bridge near Casterton for this February 10 sale.

Majors Creek on Warrock Road (479ha, 1183 acres) is a well-established and much improved property in a very secure location.

Majors Creek is attractive grazing land 26km north of Casterton and 75km west of Hamilton - less than an hour from the SA border.

Agents PPHS also has another auction later this month near the border with Runaroo's 362 hectares (895 acres).

Located in the Wimmera, but just 42km south east of Naracoorte, the auction will be held at the Penola RSL on February 24.

Western Australia's Christmas Creek in the Kimberley region turns off about 4000 sale cattle each year.

The 139,929ha (345,77 acre) station has good stands of Mitchell grass and other natives on the expansive black soil flood plains. The lighter soils are well populated with buffel grass, while the southern portion of the property has large areas of soft spinifex.

Christmas Creek is being offered by Lawson Klopper, who has owned the property since 1989. He says the buyer can expect to muster more than 10,000 head of stock and have around 4000 sale cattle.

The breeding herd is predominantly high content Brahman with a 70 per cent plus calving considered the norm.

Improvements include the homestead complex and three sets of substantial cattle yards all with coolers and holding paddocks.

If you're in the market for a slice of the northern Western Australia contact Greg Smith at Elders.

A stunning island with 200 years of history has pulled "huge" national and international interest in its first week on the market.

Accessible via private barge, Ram Island is a 10-minute trip from Pontypool on the state's East Coast.

It is only accessible by private barge.

Ram Island is for sale from Jenkins and Co. Property.

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