Mark and Roy Makari are expanding their presence in Sydney’s South West with a second major proposal for Leppington, this time envisioning a 900-dwelling mixed-use development just 850 metres from their previously lodged tower trio on Fifth Avenue.

The latest application seeks approval for a multi-building project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/230-rickard-road-leppington-nsw-2179">230 Rickard Road, Leppington</a>. The proposal seeks to establish a new focal point for the precinct through a high-density, transit-oriented development supported by diverse land uses.

According to the Scoping Report prepared for the Department of Planning, the scheme includes around 900 apartments across multiple towers, including 135 dwellings designated for affordable housing. A mix of market and subsidised apartments will be supported by ground-level activation through retail and office space, a childcare centre, and a hotel, forming a comprehensive urban precinct.

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The Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/studiosc-0">Studio SC</a> notes that the project “intends to deliver a high-quality, high-density built form that supports the vision for the Leppington Town Centre, integrating mixed-use outcomes and public domain upgrades.” The development is expected to be delivered in stages, although a precise timeline is yet to be confirmed.

The project will be assessed through a future State Significant Development Application, with the Scoping Report indicating the team will seek design excellence via a competitive process or through an expert design review panel. Early massing diagrams suggest a series of mid- to high-rise buildings framing a central landscaped spine, with emphasis on pedestrian permeability and public space.

The planning documentation flags a strong sustainability agenda, stating that the development will “respond to the urban heat island effect, incorporate water sensitive urban design, and prioritise active transport”.

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The proposal follows in the footsteps of the Makaris’ nearby Fifth Avenue site, where they’ve submitted plans for three towers comprising nearly 500 apartments, with 10 per cent dedicated to affordable housing. That project features commercial podiums, a childcare centre, and a new public park that would occupy more than a third of the site.

Both developments are situated within walking distance of Leppington Train Station and fall under strategic precinct plans promoting higher density housing. The town centre is undergoing substantial transformation, driven by state government planning reforms aimed at fast-tracking housing delivery.

Together, the two projects represent a combined ambition of nearly 1,400 new homes across just under two kilometres of central Leppington.

Staff Writer

First look: 900-home mixed-use precinct planned for Leppington

Leading Australian integrated property development group, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a>, has released the signature penthouses crowning its landmark AURA by Aqualand precinct at 168 Walker Street in North Sydney, unveiling Il Magnate and La Divina as the largest and most luxurious penthouses in the suburb.

With prices anticipated to commence from $15 million, and each accompanied by a new Porsche Carrera 911 valued at over $500K, the residences mark the culmination of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/aura-by-aqualand-north-sydney-168-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">AURA by Aqualand</a>’s decade-long journey and the beginning of its final sales chapter. 
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Their release follows more than $850 million in record-breaking residential sales and the building’s completion and occupation.

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The Richards Stanisich-designed 284 sqm Il Magnate and 224 sqm La Divina penthouses, collectively known as The Icons of AURA, are conceived as grand luxury homes rather than apartments, with expansive proportions, elevated materiality and curated identities that reflect their status as one-off residences.&nbsp;

Il Magnate features a grande master suite, complete with substantial walk-in dressing area and ensuite, three other bedrooms, second ensuite and another bathroom, powder room, open plan kitchen, scullery, substantial dining area and generous living room divided by a feature fireplace, and a multifunction wintergarden, which is ideal for a study and adjoining office breakout space. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, the La Divina residence offers the same amenities, sans the powder room, on a slightly smaller alternate floor plan configuration.

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Each occupies half of AURA by Aqualand’s topmost 28th level, comes with four secure car spaces and pairs sweeping Sydney Harbour panoramas with large-scale living spaces, refined detailing and a level of craftsmanship and amenity rarely offered in the North Shore market.&nbsp;

Penthouse residents will also receive Etymon’s ‘Black Key’ private concierge and lifestyle management service, an invitation only offering providing the ultimate in bespoke personalisation, including a range of everyday discrete services, from dinner party management, grocery deliveries, pet feeding or plants watered, dinners, snacks and coffee deliveries, event ticket sourcing, right up to organising travel visas and international airfares. Rarely seen in Australian properties, the service provides residents the benefits of living in a world-class luxury hotel-style home, akin to The Ritz, or the Waldorf Astoria.

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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/richards-stanisich">Richards Stanisich</a>’s Director, Kirsten Stanisich, said the studio set out to craft residences that feel profoundly considered, contemporary and deeply connected to their setting.

“From the outset, we approached these penthouses with the sensibility of a grand Parisian residence - generous in scale, elegant in proportion and designed to feel more like a handcrafted home than an apartment," Stanisich said.

“Their elevated position and sweeping harbour outlook informed every decision, creating a rare connection between urban sophistication and natural calm. We shaped each space with expressive materiality, sculptural forms and bespoke detailing that invite touch and interaction.&nbsp;

“The result is a pair of residences defined by volume, light and an inherent softness - refined, flexible and deeply personal. These penthouses are unlike anything else in North Sydney, offering a sanctuary of true luxury framed by some of the city’s most remarkable views.”

For Aqualand’s Head of Sales &amp; Marketing, Alex Adams, the collaboration with Porsche underscores the shared ethos behind the residences.

“Aqualand’s collaboration with Porsche underpins both brand’s sharing an obsession with craftsmanship, design excellence, and enduring value," Adams said.

“Our penthouses are created for those who appreciate the finer details and expect the extraordinary at every touchpoint. Including a Porsche simply extends that experience beyond the residence - it’s a continuation of the lifestyle our buyers already live.”&nbsp;

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Aqualand’s Managing Director, Jin Lin, said the penthouses represent both the pinnacle of AURA by Aqualand and an important design benchmark for the company’s future pipeline.&nbsp;

“These stunning penthouses reflect the purest expression of Aqualand’s design ambition," Lin said.

“The unparalleled design intent makes them not only the glistening crown of AURA by Aqualand, but the crown of North Sydney itself. They’re essentially a thank you gift to a burgeoning community that deserves this level of quality and architectural consideration.&nbsp;

“We’re leveraging the unrivalled standard set here as the foundation for what comes next, including our upcoming Anderson Street, Chatswood; 15 Blue Street, North Sydney and Central Barangaroo projects. Purchasers of these penthouses will essentially be living inside the blueprint of Aqualand’s future.

“These landmark residences demonstrate how far North Sydney has evolved and the strength of demand for highly curated, bespoke luxury homes. They’re more than penthouses, they’re legacy residences.&nbsp;

“With AURA by Aqualand now a thriving new precinct with residents well and truly settled, and our in-house world-class lifestyle amenity activated, Il Magnate and La Divina represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure an extraordinary piece of North Sydney’s future.”

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Joel Robinson

Aqualand launches North Sydney penthouses with free Porsche Carrera 911

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/bokarina-qld-4575">Bokarina</a> Beach has quietly evolved into one of the Sunshine Coast’s most complete coastal lifestyle precincts, defined not just by proximity to the ocean, but by how residential living, local retail and everyday amenity are stitched together.&nbsp;

Gardner Vaughan Group’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bask-bokarina-38-bokarina-boulevard-bokarina-qld-4575">Bask Bokarina</a> now represents the final residential chapter in that transformation.

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Over recent years, the Bokarina Beach precinct has taken shape as a walkable, community-oriented neighbourhood, anchored by beachfront access, Lake Kawana to the west, and a growing mix of cafés, specialty retail and public open space.&nbsp;

With Zinc Bokarina already delivered next door by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gardner-vaughan-group">Gardner Vaughan Group</a> (GVG), Bask is the last opportunity to buy a brand new apartment within the precinct, effectively rounding out a fully formed coastal village.

GVG has positioned Bask to strengthen that lifestyle framework. Nine ground-floor retail spaces are planned beneath the residences, extending Bokarina Boulevard’s existing activity and reinforcing the area’s everyday convenience, from casual dining and coffee to local services, within a short walk of the beach.

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The residential component comprises 135 apartments across two buildings, Mydas and Caretta, with a clear shift toward larger three- and four-bedroom layouts and penthouses. That mix reflects a maturing buyer profile in Bokarina, where demand is increasingly led by owner-occupiers and active downsizers seeking space, permanence, and connection to place rather than short-term coastal accommodation.

Design and amenity have followed the same logic. Residents will have access to a heated plunge pool, gym, private dining room with a full kitchen, landscaped communal gardens with barbecues and a firepit, and a shared herb and vegetable garden, facilities intended to support daily use rather than resort-style turnover. Pet-friendly features, including a dog wash bay, acknowledge both buyer expectations and the area’s dog-friendly beach, located around 250 metres from the site.

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“Bokarina has become one of the Sunshine Coast’s most desirable beachside communities, and Bask represents the very last chance to buy new in this location,” GVG Director Sam Gardner said.&nbsp;

“Our focus has been to create spacious, functional apartments that meet the needs of locals who want to downsize without compromise, as well as those seeking a full-time coastal retreat.”

Positioned between the Pacific Ocean and Lake Kawana, Bask apartments have been oriented to capture outlooks toward the water or the Glass House Mountains, reinforcing the project’s connection to its natural surroundings. With parks, beachfront paths, hospitals, retail and public transport already in place, Bask arrives at a point where the broader precinct is no longer emerging, but established.

Construction is expected to complete in Q3 this year, with apartments ready to move into this Spring.

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Bask to complete Bokarina’s Sunshine Coast lifestyle precinct as final apartments are released

Property development giant <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/avid-property-group">AVID Property Group</a> is approaching completion, and sell-out, of its Surry Hills apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-rathbone-23-47-flinders-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">The Rathbone</a>.

The Flinders St project has sold well over half of its 32 apartments, which will sit above two retail spaces.

Now hitting the market are the final 14 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, which start from $1.15 million. AVID is targeting a mid-2026 completion.

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AVID General Manager New South Wales Danny Boubli said as more apartments are introduced to increase housing options in inner-city areas, homebuyers are searching for a &nbsp;sense of belonging in addition to location, convenience and value.&nbsp;

“There are very few opportunities for new developments in Surry Hills, and since acquiring the site, we’ve even seen one early purchaser merge two apartments plans together, reflecting the demand for a spacious, premium offering in a prime location,” Boubli said.&nbsp;

“Demand has been strong since we launched to market – we don’t see these final apartments staying on the market for long.”&nbsp;

Architectural firm Studio SC has designed the building which pays homage to the former 1900s Rathbone Terraces that once sat on the 990 sqm island site.

Boubil said the team has made every effort to create "truly liveable apartments", through&nbsp;functional floor plans, security, storage, and the inclusion of quality fittings.

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Sustainable design has also been implemented throughout the development, with natural light flooding each apartment, ventilation throughout, extensive landscaping and where possible, materials with a high level of recycled content and low volatile organic compound paints have been used. &nbsp;

Apartments range in size from 57 sqm for the one-bedrooms to the large-scale 165 sqm three-beds which are priced at $2,575,000.

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AVID launches final apartments at The Rathbone, Surry Hills

A wave of investment, renewal and precinct growth continues to shape the northern edge of Macquarie Park, where daily life is supported by a rare combination of university activity, corporate employment, major retail, and expansive green corridors. It’s this convergence of amenity and connectivity underpins the setting for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a>, which has now topped out and is tracking toward completion in mid-2026.

Within this pocket of the precinct, residents move easily between the area’s key anchors. Macquarie Centre, home to more than 360 retailers, fresh food offerings, dining and entertainment, sits at the heart of local convenience and functions as a major transport interchange. The Metro, T1 rail line and extensive bus network place much of Sydney within quick reach, while surrounding arterial links support direct access to neighbouring districts.

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Green space remains a defining feature of the immediate environment. Lane Cove National Park stretches along the northern boundary of the precinct, offering bushland trails, cycling routes and quiet riverfront pockets. Shrimptons Creek and the campus grounds of Macquarie University extend these recreational networks, softening the urban setting and creating a daily connection to nature that informs the project’s architectural response.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> have shaped La Vera around these contrasts. The building’s northern elevation adopts an organic, curvilinear form that mirrors the natural topography of the national park. Three sculpted forms soften the tower’s profile and encourage a stronger transition between indoor living areas, balconies and the broader landscape.

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Cox Director Felipe Miranda says the building’s outlook played a central role in the design process.

“The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park… The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies,” Felipe Miranda of Cox Architecture said.

Toward the city-facing side, the design shifts to a more urban expression. A gridded facade and extensive glazing capture CBD views, creating a dual strategy that blends ecological outlooks with metropolitan orientation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=5827]

La Vera delivers 169 residences across one- to four-bedroom layouts, reflecting the needs of young families, downsizers, first-home buyers and investors seeking long-term certainty within a high-amenity location. From the project, residents can walk to Macquarie University, Macquarie Hospital and nearby corporate offices, reach national park trails within minutes, and enjoy retail and dining without relying on a car.

The project is delivered by Urban Property Group, a 4.5-star iCIRT-rated developer-builder with more than three decades of experience. The company has become a leader in adopting 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), first introduced on its Parq Bexley development and now embedded into its pipeline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=223727]

La Vera is the first development in Macquarie Park approved to offer this 10-year LDI policy, adding another layer of protection for purchasers and reinforcing the transparency of the construction process.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias says this assurance has become increasingly important for buyers navigating the off-the-plan market.

“Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been… Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share,” Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said.

Urban Property Group's in-house construction team is forecasting a mid-2026 completion, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/home789">HOME789</a> appointed as the project marketer.

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La Vera delivers a nature-connected address within Macquarie Park’s core

Rural

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Eastern Australian irrigators now appear to be more willing to bear the increased risks and costs of farming in more remote locations if the trade-off is simply a far more secure water supply, according to the recent Herron Todd White (HTW) rural report.
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The property valuation firm suggests the irrigation land market is picking up over in the East Kimberly (Ord River Irrigation Area or ORIA) with building confidence that GM cotton may be the next mainstay crop of the ORIA, particularly into the 7700-hectare State Two (Goomig) expansion area. 
HTW notes that the ORIA sale has significantly superior water security compared to the Queensland sale properties. 
"After three farm sales in the original 15,100-hectare Stage 1 area during 2018 which showed between $10,500 to $11,000 per 'green' hectare (inclusive 17ML/ha pa surface water allocation) there has been another transaction, late in 2019, that confirms such value levels and also confirms the growing belief by farmers from the south-east that cash flow can be underpinned by having irrigation country in the ORIA given its secure water supply.
"At this stage, the details of the transaction remain confidential, but like two of the three buyers in 2018, this buyer is also from down south and was chasing a large, secure supply of irrigation water.
"In the same theme, the Mirriwoong Gajerrong Corporation (MG Corp) who are the second largest landholder in Stage 2 of the ORIA, in its pursuit of commercial agriculture ventures on their land, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with cotton giant Cubbie Farming.
"The organisations will work together to investigate the feasibility of cotton by growing trials on around 290 hectares of leased land in the Goomig area. The first crops will be sown by February (2020) and once harvested, later in the year, will be sent to Cubbie’s Dirranbandi-based gin in Queensland 3500km away.
"If trials are successful MG and Cubbie will consider making a joint application to the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility to secure federal funding to build a cotton gin in Kununurra."
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An industry commissioned feasibility study early in 2019 considered whether a gin, which could cost in excess of $30 million to build, would be financially viable in northern Australia. 
Cubbie Farming report that “diversification” was the impetus for the MOU which has been under negotiation for the last twelve months following an expression of interest process in 2018.
"The drought and low to nil allocations and no reservoir supplies back at Dirranbandi, have reportedly encouraged Cubby to search for diversification opportunities.
"This agreement is further evidence that eastern Australian irrigators (particularly cotton growers) now appear to be more willing to bear the increased risks and costs of farming in more remote locations if the trade-off is simply a far more secure water supply.
"At present, many of these farmers currently have expensive, high quality irrigation assets back in eastern Australia that have nil water available and therefore have significantly reduced cash flow. Cubby Farming would have considered the known cost of transporting raw cotton from Kununurra to Dirranbandie for ginning, however they have committed to this MOU in order to potentially develop more irrigation country in the ORIA to sure up production.
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"Cubby will also have been aware of the debate on water reform in the ORIA which has been ongoing now between the Ord Irrigation Cooperative (OIC) and W.A. Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) now for nearly four years. 
"What is potentially at stake here is a thirty per cent reduction in the OICs water entitlement. I note that each irrigator in the ORIA has a shareholding (which equates to their annual entitlement) in Water Services Provider: OIC who control water allocation in the valley. The OIC holds a single, large, surface water licence (SWL) by virtue of the Water Services Licensing Act, subsequently water licences and renewals are at the discretion of the DWER. 
"The SWL is for 335 gigalitre per annum which is ultimately sourced from Lake Argyle, Australia’s largest dam (twenty times the volume of Sydney Harbour). The OIC currently distributes its allocation to irrigators through entitlements that equate to 17ML per hectare of their developed farm area. 
"However, the OIC’s licence is currently only in place due to a standing injunction which is preventing DWER from enforcing their 2015 decision (at the time of OIC’s last licence renewal) to reduce the SWL by around 30 per cent back to 246.3 gigalitres per annum."
The OIC objected to the department’s decision and won the injunction to maintain the previous allocation whilst the matter was dealt with under the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) process.
In its decision to order the 30 per cent reduction, DWER claimed that since gaining its first water licence, at most, the OIC had used only 60 per cent of its entitlement, down to as little as 42 per cent in some years and that under the SAT process, experts from DWER and the Department of Agriculture had worked together with two independent experts to calculate current and future crop requirements and that the new 246.3 gigalitres would be more than ample.
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HTW's  discussions on this matter with the OIC, indicated that there was a possibility that the 30 per cent reduction could be imposed if the 2015 decision to enforce the reduction is upheld in the final SAT hearing scheduled for March 2020. 
"This is therefore likely to have the flow-on impact of reducing entitlements to irrigators. However, the most recent negotiations between OIC and DWER at the SAT hearing in Kununurra in December 2019 were reportedly promising from an OIC/entitlement holder’s perspective. 
"The case put forward by the OIC is based on a mounting argument that DWER are operating outside logic or good government with a ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ mentality which is inconsistent with the National Water Initiative (to which WA is a signatory) and also that the current 335GL allocation gave irrigators the necessary flexibility they need to overcome their remote location and the tyrannies of distance by achieving economies of scale given their current ability (with 17ML/ha pa) to interchange between a variety of crops with different water demands depending on market prices. This is the single greatest advantage that farmers in the ORIA have.
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The value that buyers of irrigation land in the ORIA appear to be placing on high security water combined with comparatively high allocation rates compared to the rest of Australia. 
"The dollar per irrigable hectare rate for properties in the ORIA tends to be toward the lower end of sale rates in Queensland due mainly to the higher underlying land values in the Queensland locations, but this is countered to a large extent, by the value the market is currently placing on the much larger and more secure annual water entitlement in the ORIA (subject to the SAT outcome of course!)."
For instance, if the added value of the water entitlement only is analysed on the basis of a $/hectare rate as well as a ML/hectare basis, then the Queensland sales compared to the ORIA sales show (approximately):
◗ Sale 1 (2018, Central Queensland) $7000/ha (water value only) for a 7ML/ha pa entitlement
◗ Sale 2 (2018, Central Queensland) $11,000/ha (water value only) for a 6ML/ha pa entitlement
◗ Sale 3 (2018, Southern Queensland) $13,300/ha (water value only) for a 11ML/ha pa entitlement
◗ Sale 4, 5 &amp; 6 (2019, ORIA, Kununurra, WA) $7,000/ha (water value only) for 17 to 19.4L/ha pa entitlements.
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Kimberley's irrigation land market picks up in 2020: HTW rural

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The general outlook for the 2020 rural market in far North Queensland is best described as cautious optimism, according to recent Herron Todd White (HTW) rural report. 
The property valuation firm suggests, on the coastal horticulture front, sugar commodity prices are forecast to rise throughout 2020 as a consequence of a supply shortfall in Asia. 
Valuers said, "raw-sugar futures rose 1.13 per cent to 14.32 cents a pound in New York on Tuesday, extending their advance in 2020 to 6.7 per cent. Sugar prices have outstripped other soft-commodity markets so far this year, and have recovered 33 per cent since falling to a trough of 10.76 cents a pound in September."
"Adverse weather conditions for sugar farmers in India and Thailand - the world's largest and fourth largest producers respectively last year - have lifted prices in recent months."
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Alternative use industries for coastal horticulture lands may reduce reliance on the traditional industries of sugar cane and bananas, HTW reports. 
The recent purchase of a large sugar cane farm near Mourilyan, south of Innisfail, by International Biomass Solutions (IBS) may signal the start of a viable alternative use for coastal sugar cane farms. 
The purchase is being used as a test plot for the growing of high protein grasses as a cheaper, alternative protein source.
IBS is engaged in the development, growing and processing of various biomass plant varieties in different parts of the world. With the use of innovative technologies of its partners, the company aims to contribute to energy and industry transformation with the ultimate objective of sustainably reducing carbon dioxide output and increasing farmers' income. 
IBS works on biomass projects independently or in close cooperation with growers, cooperatives, local or national governments and industrial stakeholders. 
The ongoing success of quarantine measures for the banana fungal disease Panama Tropical Race 4 is likely to give greater confidence to the banana industry and growers, particularly in the Tully Valley. 
Despite the threat of the disease spreading, it has been well contained to a few small outbreaks on two farms. 
Banana farm sales were limited in 2019, however the success of quarantine measure is likely to lead to more farm transactions in 2020. 
Main photo: <a href="https://www.scienceimage.csiro.au/tag/fruits/i/3712/rural-scene-in-far-north-queensland-melon-crop-in-foreground-banana-plantation-behind-with-pine-forest-and-rainforest-in-the-background-15-kms-north-of-cardwell-qld-/" target="_blank">Rural scene in far North Queensland/ Willem van Aken, 4 August 1998</a>.
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Far North Queensland rural market seen with cautious optimism in 2020: HTW rural

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The overriding issue in 2020 in the horticultural sector in Mildura will continue to be the availability of irrigation water, according to the recent Herron Todd White (HTW) rural report. 
The property valuation firm suggests that there will be a widening gap between the balance sheets of irrigators who hold significant water entitlements and those who do not. 
The report was issued in early February before the heavy rains across some of NSW.
"Catchment dam levels have been gradually lowering since the start of 2017 and substantial rainfall is required to replenish supply", HTW reports.
Most irrigators have been able to provide for reduced allocations in the current water year through a combination of carry over and leasing water. 
However, the cost of doing this for another year will be tough for most producers. There is also uncertainty surround whether there will be enough available water to keep all the crops fully irrigated. 
The volume of water required to irrigate permanent horticulture crops in the region is 550 Gigalitres (GL) per annum, according to data from the Murray Darling Basin Authority.
"Of this, around 180 GL will hopefully once again be available from New South Wales Murray High Security Water Licences.
"The remaining 370 GL will need to be found primarily from Victorian allocations and so an allocation in the 2020/21 year of at least 35 per cent for Victoria Murray Zone 7 Water Shares will be required to meet this need. 
"The final picture will depend on the ability to transfer water between the Murrumbidgee, Goulburn and Murray River systems, with the restrictions on inter-valley trade during the past six months exacerbating the current shortage of water in the region."
The HTW rural report anticipates that some producers will inevitably elect to dry off their less profitable crops in 2020, such as white wine grapes, Valencia organs and dried vine fruits and also bring forward the decision to clear order, less productive plantings of other crops. 
HTW also expects a deferral of further expansion plans. 
This will have an impact on contractors, nurseries and irrigation design and supply businesses which all have enjoyed a period of strong activity during the past four years. 
The dried fruits industry will be vulnerable in the event of a reduced area of plantings.
In Mildura, there are currently three dried fruit processors, and the industry will be conscious of the production forecasts for 2021 to see whether there will be sufficient water to keep three processors going. 
Consequently, it appears that values of all horticultural property will plateau as growers take a wait and see approach. However, HTW doesn't expect to see a significant decline in values during 2020. 
The report suggests that commodity prices for many of the region's crops will remain high, which makes leasing water at current levels of over $800 per megalith economically feasible for some.
"Farmers tend to retire at a time of their choosing" so it is expected that "people will try to ride out the current drought rather than seen at a time of reduced demand. 
Unfortunately, the smaller, less efficient growers, particularly those who rely entirely on leasing water, will be vulnerable should dry conditions continue throughout 2020. 
"There are a number of reviews currently occurring into water trade and river management and while everyone hopes that this will result in improved transparency in water ownership and the trading platform, it is unlikely that we will see recommendations that will contribute to any significant reduction in the cost of leasing water."
"The cost will again be entirely governed by the supply of water, in particular whether New South Wales Murray and Murrumbidgee General Security Water Licences receive any allocation." 
Dryland farming success will also be dependent on rainfall leading up to the optimal sowing period in April and May.
"Producers were able to tap into stored soil moisture to grow a crop in 2019, however soils are bone dry at present." 
"Values of farming properties in the Mallee region have been increasing in recent years, however we expect that buyers will be cautious until the season improves."
Dryland farmers in the Mallee realise that they rarely benefit from years of both high yields and high grain prices and that a good season will inevitably coincide with an easing in grain prices.
Meat prices are expected to remain high for several years.
HTW reports that livestock producers in the Western Division are all optimistic about the future of their industry despite feed stays critically short, or even non-existent on some properties.
"All evidence suggests property values will remain firm in Mildura, in part due to an expectation that only limited number of properties will be offered for sale until the drought breaks."
 
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Water availability remains core issue in Mildura in 2020: HTW rural 

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Lismore will experience uncertainty in expected production this year for most rural industries, according to the recent Herron Todd White (HTW) rural report.
The property valuation firm suggests that the weather and subsequent farm production levels are foremost in the minds of farmers at the start of this year. 
The report was issued in early February before the heavy rains across some of NSW.
"Anecdotal reports indicate that there may be a reduced macadamia crop," HTW reports.
"Parts of the sugar industry did not complete 2019 planting and ration crops in some areas have struggled in the dry conditions, the summer crop planting of soya beans has been restricted with the planting window to close in the next few weeks."
"Pasture conditions for beef and fairy farmers are challenging in the dry conditions."
"There has been a slight upswing in world sugar prices, but a long way to go," HTW suggests. 
"Lower production levels and lower farm incomes may limit farm purchase activity." 
"The exception being farms that have rural lifestyle attributes to attract more cashed up purchasers from urban areas."  
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Lismore expected to see lower production levels in 2020: HTW rural

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Though patchy, Tamworth has seen a positive start to 2020, according to the latest Herron Todd White (HTW) rural report.
The property valuation firm suggests, with large areas of New South Wales still affected by the ongoing severe drought, follow up rain and a return to average seasonal conditions was required before a more optimistic outlook can be taken. 
The report was issued in early February before the heavy rains across some of NSW.
"There remains reasonable demand for rural land in New South Wales, particularly from existing land-holders looking to expand and we expect this to continue throughout 2020."
"Values appear to be holding, however it is expected that if the drought shows signs of breaking and there is return to normal seasonal conditions, there may be an influx of listings which has the potential to create an oversupply which may in turn lead to a softening in values over the next 12 months."
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Tamworth values expected to soften in 2020: HTW rural

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Administrators Gayle Dickerson, Tim Mableson and Ryan Eagle of KPMG have appointed Colliers International to sell the business and assets of McWilliam’s Wines Group.
The expressions of interest campaign will close March 31.
The assets and business of McWilliam’s Wines Group are being sold as a going concern or separately, including recapitalisation or a sale of the business/assets via a Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA).
It is being marketed as an opportunity to acquire a 142-year-old, privately-owned Australian family business as well as a large amount of stock and significant property.
“We anticipate wide-ranging interest from major wine industry participants, private equity investors, high net worth individuals and buyers looking for restructure opportunities,” Tim Altschwager said.
The assets include the Hanwood winery (pictured), one of the largest wineries in Australia.
The standalone premium wine operating facility, located in the Riverina region of NSW, has a circa 42,000 tonnes (per annum) operational processing capacity – both commercial (40,000 tonnes) and premium (2,000 tonnes), with opportunities for scale.
Mount Pleasant, a premium award-winning winery in the Hunter Valley region of NSW with a circa 800 tonne (per annum) operational processing capacity is also included.
McWilliam’s Wines Group’s ranges include the McWilliam's, McW and Mount Pleasant brands, as well as sole Australian distribution rights for Champagne Taittinger, Henkell.
The company is a Top 10 Australian wine producer by revenue, generating circa. 1.3m 9LE volume and $97 million gross sales per annum and has an operational capacity to crush up to 43,000 tonnes (per annum).
McWilliam’s recorded FY19 gross sales of $97million and 9LE sales volume of 1.3m (comprising 1.2m domestic and 0.1m international).
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McWilliam’s Wines Group’s portfolio of wineries and vineyards listed

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A rare opportunity to secure a slice of the Barossa Valley wine region is garnering interest locally and overseas.
Colliers International’s Tim Altschwager, Nick Dean and Nick Goode have been appointed to sell Owens Own Vineyard, located in Marananga around 70 kilometres north-east of the Adelaide CBD.
Situated among the world’s oldest Shiraz vineyards, dating back to the 1840’s, Owens Own Vineyard has supplied fruit for Penfolds Grange in previous years.
Mr Goode said the property’s scale would attract a multitude of buyers.
“The property has a total area of of approximately 29 hectares across three contiguous Certificates of Title and a total planted area of approximately 22 hectares, including Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mataro,” Mr Goode added.
Shedding is substantial and includes a workshop with office and chemical laboraty capabilities with approximately 1,800 sqm undercover.
Irrigation is sourced through Barassa Infastructure Limited.
Offer close Friday 16 August.
"We expect this vineyard will be hotly contested,” Mr Goode concluded.
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Colliers International to sell Barossa Valley viticulture enterprise

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The Kingsdale Winery, which offers a combination and lifestyle and income with potential for further development, has been listed for sale at $2.2 million.
The Goulburn property has been offered for the first time since its establishment in 2002 by Helen Cheetham from Tronn Alstergren Real Estate.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-nsw-goulburn-7872710" target="_blank">Located at 745 Crookwell Rd</a>, there are 3ha of vines planted on a grazing block of 37ha.
Its grape varieties include Shiraz, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chardonnay.
The wines are vintaged in a purpose-built winery with a capacity of 25 tonne and the wines consistently win medals at wine shows.
The house features four bedrooms, cellar door, and 10kw of solar panel. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/7/16/goulburn%202.jpg" alt="">
Other highlights include a set of cattle yards, rainwater tanks, and dams. 
The wines are sold at the better restaurants in Goulburn. 
There is potential to increase sales by marketing further afield.
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Goulburn winery listed for $2.2 million

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A rural and farming property in Southern Australia's Comaum, located off of A66, has been listed for sale.
The property undertakes wine grape production. The property at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-commercial+farming-sa-coonawarra-502860790" target="_blank">Old Comaum Road, Coonawarra</a> is 20 hectares.
It has 13 hectares of vineyards.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/7/6/Comaum%202.png" alt="">
The property has been listed through Nick Goode and Tim Altschwager at Colliers International.
It comes with structural improvements, underground water entitlements and frost fans.
There is a GSA with Dorrien Estate expiring June 2019.
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Coonawarra winery Comaum listed for sale

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The family members of Australia's sixth largest wine company, McWilliams Wines, are being asked to provide $15 million in a rights issue to bolster the company's weak balance sheet.
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McWilliams chief executive Jeff McWilliam said raising equity was a practical route because banks were still wary of the wine industry.
"I think their confidence in the wine industry is not there yet," he told the Australian Financial Review.
"We've had to become less reliant on debt funding".
<a href="https://cdn.mcwilliams.com.au/mcwilliams-wines-au/2018/05/15075950/McWilliams-Wine-Group-Ltd-Prospectus-14-May-18.pdf" target="_blank">Its recently lodged June 1 prospectus</a> for a 5-for-7 non-renounceable entitlement offer at 42¢ per share shows that McWilliams generated revenue of $100.7 million in 2016-17 but made a loss of $22.6 million before tax.
McWilliam’s is one of the pioneering wine entities within Australia which has been perfecting the winemaking craft since 1877, when founder Samuel McWilliam first planted vines on the banks of the Murray River in New South Wales.
With over 140 years of history, six consecutive generations of the McWilliam family have strived to be at the forefront of Australian wine innovation.
The Mount Pleasant winery was named Winery of the Year in the James Halliday Wine Companion 2017, and its 2011 Maurice O’Shea Shiraz was named Shiraz of the Year in the 2015 edition.
McWilliam’s is also the exclusive Australian distributor for Champagne Taittinger, Henkell, and Mionetto prosecco.
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The company continues to operate Hanwood Estate, as well as produce premium wines under the McWilliam’s and Mount Pleasant brands.
McWilliam’s also holds a 30% shareholding in MRWP, which is Margaret River’s largest contract processing facility and now controls Evans &amp; Tate.
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At the date of this Prospectus, McWilliam’s is 100% family-owned.
At the earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) level, the loss was $14.3 million. Revenue in 2015-16 was $107.9 million, with an EBITDA loss of $167,000.
Revenue for the first half of 2017-18 was $48.8 million, while EBITDA was $5.63 million.
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<div id="article-inline-ad">Jeff McWilliam will shortly step down from the CEO role handing over to the former Parmalat executive David Pitt.</div>
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<div>The company had shifted its bottling line and packaging operations out of Sydney to the Riverina area. </div>
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The company was also working closely with corporate advisers Pendulum on a cost-cutting program to strip out $10 million of costs.
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The prospectus also outlines that $1.675 million of the proceeds will go towards the repayment of a loan to E&amp;J Gallo, the privately-owned United States wine giant, which held a small stake in McWilliams until late 2014.
Mr McWilliam said the company had been trying to lift itself out of the lower price point brackets and be less reliant on lower-priced commercial wine. "We've been trying to move away from sub-10 dollars to between 10 to 15 dollars," he said.
McWilliams Wines had been selling some of its products into China for 20 years.
Its exports to mainland China and Hong Kong represent about eight per cent of the company's total annual sales of $100 million.
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