Property

Two new sites in Queensland have been identified as land-based marine aquaculture development areas (ADAs), leaving new space for the industry to grow. “My vision is to make Queensland the aquaculture capital of the world,” said Mark Furner, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities. The two new sites comprise 1,974-hectares for future aquaculture development in the Hinchinbrook Shire.

ASX-listed NRW Holdings Ltd has been appointed to deliver mining giant Rio Tinto’s first fully-owned solar farm, as the mining group moves on its promise to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The 34-MW solar photovoltaic project, is to be built at Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Liina Flynn. Before he headed up North Coast Community Housing, John McKenna spent his childhood growing up in public housing. ... With 3000 families currently on the region’s wait list for social housing, John was proud to announce that a new social and affordable housing development project will be built this year on Callistemon St in Casino.

Global investment giant AXA IM has acquired around 24,000-hectares of Australian woodland, as well as an associated forestry management business, Green Triangle Forest Products (GTFP) estate, marking one of the largest investments into Australian forestry in more than a decade.

The Queensland Government will forcibly acquire Martha’s Farm on the southern Gold Coast, after talks broke down with the current landowners. Also known as Martha’s Vineyard, the government plans to transform it into one of the largest eco-parklands in Australia ... The acquisition continues the trend of state governments acquiring land for nature reserves.

Blue-ribbon grazing property Knockdown Park has sold for $6.25 million to a family with grazing interests in the area.

Geoff Helisma. Birrigan Gargle Local Aboriginal Land Council say the Birrigan Iluka Beach’ subdivision is another step towards achieving the land council’s ‘vision’, “to empower our members to become socially and economically self-sufficient through improved health, housing, education programs and employment opportunities”.

Packhorse Pastoral Co has forked out $30 million to acquire large-scale Roma district property Stuarts Creek and cattle, in one of the Maranoa region’s largest single grazing asset transactions, as it embarks on a five-year mission to grow the cattle and carbon fund to $1.5 billion.

Shenhua Watermark Coal has moved to sell off its Liverpool Plains landholdings with expectations of $120 million after the New South Wales government paid the company to give up its mining licence. They comprise three aggregations, Breeza, Tambar Springs and Barraba, covering a combined 16,570 hectares in the north west’s Gunnedah region.

One of the only licensed freshwater aquaculture properties in North Queensland has entered the market and is expecting offers in excess of $4 million. The 80-hectare Ausgold Aquaculture property, that sits 45km outside of Townsville, is a supplier for major fish markets, restaurants and supermarkets across the countries east coast.

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF) has launched an equity raising, as the group bets on macadamias, cattle and water in central Queensland. Rural Funds Group is looking to raise $100 million, at an issue price of $2.47, through a fully underwritten 1-for-8.4 accelerated non-renounceable entitlement offer.

Australia's northernmost pastoral property, Bramwell Station, has been put up for sale amid heightened demand for domestic travel and some of the best seasonal and market conditions seen in living memory. Located 240 kilometres south of the tip of Cape York, Bramwell Station spans 131,900 hectares and is the last stop before the tip of Cape York and at the start of the famous Old Telegraph Line four-wheel-drive track.

Gabrielle Duykers. After almost 20 years behind the bar, Jack Jennings and Rhonda Brown say they are excited to get their weekends back, as they rejoice in the successful sale of the Bushman’s Arms Hotel ... Upon reflection of his time in the industry, Mr Jennings said pubs had been unfairly given a “bad rap” in recent years. “I think people forget the good that pubs do for the community,” he said. “Over the years we’ve sponsored nearly every sporting group going around and even the sporting groups from out of town. Pubs are a centre of a community, they’re fantastic for the communication of people, and in really small towns when the pub dies, the town dies.”

Wendy Kozicka believes the state government could buy Cape York’s most northern cattle station for conservation. The owner of Bramwell Station said it wouldn’t surprise her if the Queensland government made an offer to buy the property before it goes up for auction on August 11.

Shortly after its recent merger with Centuria Capital Group and the sale of the Vitalharvest Freehold Trust, Primewest has launched a new wholesale unlisted agricultural fund that will be seeded with a $53.9 million almond farm in the Riverina region, offered as part of the Western Rosella farming portfolio.

One of the sunshine state’s largest agribusiness properties, Croydon Station, spanning nearly 60,000 hectares, has been sold for a speculated figure of around $80 million in the sector’s latest blockbuster deal ... “We fielded around 40 enquiries from buyers, which resulted in 10 inspections and seven tenders, which is very significant in this price bracket,” Pat O’Driscoll said.