<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Rural Listings

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MH Premium Farms has sold the Glaisnock mixed-farming enterprise.
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The billionaire hedge fund manager Sir Michael Hintze sold Glaisnock to a local family farming group at auction.
Glaisnock currently grows wheat and canola in rotation and also supports sheep, cattle and fodder enterprises.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Selling agents said the land rate of $8933 per hectare achieved for Glaisnock was a district record, beating the district record by close to $350 per hectare.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
Glaisnock had previously been owned by David and Lynette Whitechurch.
Sir Michael, the director of his own hedge fund, CQS Management, paid about $3.5 million for Glaisnock in 2008.
Three parties competed for Glaisnock at its auction earlier this month.
It includes an extensive reticulated water system for livestock, spraying and domestic purposes as well as a homestead and cottage.
</div>
Located 26 kilometres from Young, it is in an area described as "blue-ribbon mixed-farming land".
Of the total landholding, 947 hectare (96%) is arable, while the remaining area is comprised of 20 hectares of grazing land and 16 hectares of support land.
<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/2018/10/24/Farma.jpg" alt="">
 
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Billionaire Sir Michael Hintze sells blue-ribbon Glaisnock farm for $8.8 million

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MH Premium Farms has listed the Glaisnock mixed-farming enterprise, with the property to go under the hammer next month.
The offering is a 982 hectare landholding within the south-west slopes region of New South Wales.
Located 26 kilometres from Young and in proximity to Cootamundra, Temora and Harden, it is in an area described as "blue-ribbon mixed-farming land".
MH Premium Farms, owned by Sir Michael Hintze, current production model focuses on wheat and canola in rotation, while legume pastures support sheep, cattle and fodder enterprises.
Of the total landholding, 947 hectare (96%) is arable, while the remaining area is comprised of 20 hectares of grazing land and 16 hectares of support land.
<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/2018/10/24/Farma.jpg" alt="">
CBRE’s Col Medway, Richie Inglis and Ian Robertson have been appointed to negotiate the sale of property, which is situated at 125 Glaisnock Road, Berthong.
Medway noted the property’s location, fertile soil characteristics and existing infrastructure meant it was well suited to a range of cropping enterprises and pastural improvements. 
MH Premium Farms’ Chief Executive Officer, Ed Dunn, said MHPF have owned Glaisnock for 10 years.
"It has been a great contributor to our portfolio," Dunn said.
"Our long-term manager of Glaisnock will be moving closer to Wagga to take up a senior role in our organisation.
"This has initiated the sale of the property with the funds to be reinvested in other opportunities."
Glaisnock is being offered for November 15 auction.
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Billionaire Sir Michael Hintze lists blue-ribbon Glaisnock farm

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In Mildura there have been few recent substantial sales to report on, however there are a number of large properties currently being marketed according to the latest report from Herron Todd White (HTW).
The valuation firm stated that the result of these will have to be closely watched to see the mood of buyers and whether any of the recent Federal government changes affecting foreign buyers have had any effect.
The Adveq Almond portfolio, which comprises 12,000 hectares of almond trees, originally developed by Timbercorp under a Managed Investment Scheme structure between 2001 and 2007, is being offered for sale.
"The scale of this portfolio is impressive and we expect that a number of institutional buyers will show interest," stated the report.
The agent’s comments suggest the current owners are hopeful of achieving a sale price above $300 million.
A second 'property of note' is a 1,200 hectare horticultural greenfield site at Trentham Cliffs, just to the east of Mildura.
The report noted that, this land is well suited to a variety of tree crops and is expected to receive strong interest, given the shrinking supply of available development land.
The substantial increase in rural values throughout north western Victoria over the past two to three years has seen unwelcome repercussions on council rating valuations, with many farmers reporting their local government rates have increased by up to 40% in recent years.
The fact that farm land values have appreciated to a much higher degree than all other property types is, however, hard to dispute.
The report concluded that farming lobby groups are currently working hard to change the mechanism for how rates are set.
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Supply aplenty in Mildura's rural market: HTW

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Archerfield Farm, the Hawkesbury River enterprise of entrepreneur CM Murphy, renowned for taking INXS from a Sydney pub band to the international stage, has an official $5 million asking price.
The marketing is now being conducted by the family.
Murphy bought the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-nsw-richmond+lowlands-7950970" target="_blank">Richmond Lowlands farm</a>, which dates to the 1820s, about 13 years ago. It is currently set up under Murphy's guidance as a polo horse breeding venture.
<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/2017/11/27/Arch2.jpg">
He recently acquired Joe Curran's broodmares including the stallion, Hermitage, adding to Chris’s branded bloodlines.
Some of Murphy's current crop are playing under Australia’s best polo players.
Set over 16 hectares, the Edwards Road property comes with a charming four-bedroom, 1930s three-bedroom home with wraparound balcony.
There’s also a four-bedroom Queenslander, plus horse barn with six stables and 12 fenced horse paddocks.
<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/2017/11/27/Arch3.jpg">
The grounds, with a 9 metre saltwater pool and cabana, come with a citrus orchard, fruit trees and an established rose garden.
Murphy, who grew up in Shellhabour, ran his late father’s theatrical booking agency with his mother in Wollongong before shifting his focus to rock music acts which included AC/DC, Marcia Hines, Cold Chisel, Skyhooks, Old 55 and The Angels.
Murphy, who first managed INXS from 1979 to 1995 and then returned in 2009, will retain his Ballina stud holding, Sugar Beach Station.
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

INXS band manager slaps asking price on Archerfield Farm

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One of Australia’s largest irrigation properties, Gundaline Station – located in the highly regarded Southern Riverina region of NSW – has been listed for sale.
Fronting the Murrumbidgee River in NSW, the 15,000 hectare rural property suited to growing a combination of irrigated cotton, cereals/oilseeds/legumes and permanent crops such as almonds was last sold in 2014 to an institutional investor consortium led by Southern Agricultural Resources.
Over the past three years, they have more than doubled the land area under irrigation, significantly expanded and improved the water storages and irrigation infrastructure, as well as upgrading the existing irrigation land. 
The property consists of more than 6,000 hectares of highly developed furrow irrigation (over 3,500 hectares of new development), with the balance comprising land suitable for development to permanent plantings and additional furrow irrigation, and grazing land. 
The holding benefits from significant water entitlements.
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Significant irrigation property Gundaline Station hits the market

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An irrigation and mixed use farm in South Australia's south east has gone on the market featuring one of the largest single underground water entitlements for irrigation.
Cooma Park, 175 south east of Adelaide at Coonalpyn, has an entitlement to over 6,000 mega litres of underground water for irrigation and existing olive, wine grape or pine nut trees.
The property has a usable 1,900ha of which 420ha is developed to olives, wine grapes and pine nuts and a further 1,300ha is available to be developed with approximately half already containing irrigation bores. It also features a main homestead, two management dwellings, staff quarters, office, implement/storage shedding and workshop as swell as irrigation sheds.
Colliers International’s Tim Altschwager said the undeveloped land is currently used for grazing, with pastures primarily comprising veldt, primrose and ryegrass which thrive in the Upper South East climate and soil types.
“Due to the underground water reserves throughout the various basins in the region, irrigation is also a major focus and is utilised for fodder, large scale potato and onion production in addition to a number of olive growers,” he said. 
The property is for sale by expressions of interest, closing Wednesday 22 June at 4pm.
 
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Mixed use farm with irrigation entitlement listed

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Crowd funding firm DomaCom has welcomed the announcement by Treasurer Scott Morrison that the proposed sale of the Kidman Station to a Chinese consortium is “not in the national interest”.
The Kidman Station comprises 16 pastoral properties including outstations and supporting properties in breeding, feedlot and cropping. It is spread across Queensland, the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia and is home to 185,000 cattle.
The Kidman land portfolio is the largest private land holding in Australia, with 1.3 per cent of Australia's total land area.
“Given the size and significance of the Kidman portfolio I am concerned that the acquisition of an 80 per cent interest in S. Kidman &amp; Co Limited by Dakang Australia Holdings Pty Ltd (Dakang) may be contrary to the national interest,” Morrison said last week in a media release.
DomaCom CEO Arthur Naoumidis said it was “pleasing” that the government had heeded public sentiment on the $370 million sale and had reached a “preliminary finding” to reject the bid by Dakang Australia Holdings. The company has until 3 May to respond.
Morrison had earlier rejected a bid by a related Chinese company, the Penxing Group.
Late last year, DomaCom launched a book-build to keep Kidman Station in Australian hands and has attracted pledges of more than $70 million from 5,000 retail investors.
“What the DomaCom campaign clearly demonstrated is that there is genuine public interest in keeping the iconic Kidman pastoral station in Australian hands, and that ‘mum and dad’ investors want to have a stake in this country’s agricultural heritage,” he said.
“Opinion polls have shown that ordinary Australians are deeply concerned about retaining our agricultural land, as well as the businesses that flow from them.”
Naoumidis says Morrison’s announcement could breathe fresh life into the DomaCom offer.
“Hopefully it will encourage more retail investors to come forward to invest in Kidman. Aside from the issue of keeping it in Australian hands, the investment reality is that under our proposal the land will be separated from the operating business, with the land expected to return about 8-9% to our investors.”
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