Locking up land is not the answer, NFF said
With Australian biodiversity under significant threat, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) is urging the federal government to look to investment and collaboration with farmers. The call from the NFF comes after the recent release of the State of the Environment Report which revealed biodiversity across the country is experiencing a massive decline and currently remains under threat of further deterioration.
Harvest Hotels continues to grow with record pub deal
Harvest Hotels has picked up Wagga Wagga’s popular Victoria Hotel for $29 million in a record regional Australia pub transaction. It breaks the record set in the same town just a month ago, by a consortium including pub baron Arthur Laundy buying the Thomas Blamey Tavern for $27 million.
Receivers selling Murray River Organics portfolio
ASX-listed organic dried fruit producer Murray River Organics has put its remaining seven horticulture properties up for sale, two months after going into receivership. More than $15 million is expected for the aggregation in Mildura.
High Country grazing property expected to attract strong interest
A Bonnie Doon large-scale grazing property has hit the market, offering potential buyers various potential outcomes at the Gateway to Victoria’s High Country.
Scheme helps farmers break into rural property market
The federal government will help new farmers looking to purchase or establish their own farm by guaranteeing 40% of their commercial loan, as rising land values and access to capital become the main barrier to ownership. Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud unveiled the new pilot and will trial an 18-month $75 million Future Farmer Guarantee Scheme by securing an eligible new farmer’s commercial loan up to a maximum value of $1 million. The scheme is expected to open 1 January 2023.
Murphy family offloads Singleton pub
The Imperial Hotel in Singleton has sold to a private hotel investor for circa $18.5 million, as market demand for regional NSW pubs pushes on. Sitting around 70km out from Newcastle, in the Upper Hunter region of NSW, the large format Imperial Hotel occupies a ~3,00sqm land parcel, boasts a 31m Hotel Licence, 23 GMES and brings in an average weekly revenue of $105,000.
Wheatbelt farmers diversify with carbon farming
INPEX, ANZ and Qantas have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the possibility of carbon farming and renewable biofuels projects in WA’s Wheatbelt. The Western Australian government is currently backing several carbon farming and regenerative agriculture projects across the state, with the hopes of helping the agriculture sector adapt farming systems to an environment facing the climate crisis, while boosting the future viability of such businesses.
Regional NSW transitioning to clean energy
The NSW government has announced a draft declaration of the South-West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), supporting greater investment in solar, wind and storage projects. The recently published draft would see a fifth formal REZ established in an effort to replace the state’s dependence on coal, this time across NSW’s regional towns of Balranald, Buronga and Hay.
Macquarie wrap up Australia’s largest cotton station
Australia's largest irrigated cotton property, Cubbie Station, is back in local hands after Chinese textile giant Shandong Ruyi sold its remaining stake to co-owner Macquarie Asset Management. Cubbie Station is responsible for around 10% of the country’s cotton output and is now entirely held by the Sydney-based company.
Cattle station sets district record
Southern Queensland cattle country has been snapped up by neighbouring owners for a district record price of about $9.5 million. The West family from Silver Valley are the new owners of the 2,023 Tamarang property, about 50 kilometres south east from Roma and within the Maranoa region.
