Article by Tallis Miles courtesy of The Weekly Times.
With some of Australia’s biggest properties changing hands in the past year, we list 180 of the nation’s largest – and reveal who owns them.
More than 15 of Australia’s biggest farms and stations have changed hands in high-profile deals in the past 18 months, as influential farming families and investor-backed corporate buyers trade some huge parcels of land.
Most notably the MacLachlans, one of the country’s oldest and most powerful farming families and the nation’s third-largest landowner via Jumbuck Pastoral, has sold Australia’s biggest sheep station and divided its family empire.
The sprawling Rawlinna Station was bought by Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, via his ASX-listed Fortescue Metals Group’s Fortescue Future Industries last year, while fourth-generation managing directors Jock and Callum MacLachlan departed the family company, taking ownership of several stations each.
Jumbuck Pastoral’s 5.2 million-hectare portfolio was divided between Hugh MacLachlan and his children, with Callum taking control of the Killarney, Wave Hill and Springfield stations, and Jock managing the Meda and McCoys Well properties.
Elsewhere, in Western Australia a 2.9 million-hectare portfolio including seven East Kimberley cattle stations changed hands for more than $300 million as Hong Kong-Australian billionaire Hui Wing Mau sold the portfolio to Canada’s mega-superfund Alberta Investment Management Corporation and Sydney-based partner New Agriculture.
A handful of new players have also entered the frame including Wealthcheck, which purchased the 670,000ha Limbunya and Maryfield Stations at Katherine and the 450,000ha Benmara Station at Elliot.
In addition Dale Appleton and family have massively expanded their Appleton Cattle Company, acquiring the Durrie, Glengyle and Naryilco properties – totalling almost two million hectares – from Gina Rinehart’s S Kidman and Co last year.
However, it is Northern Territory mates and pastoralists, Viv Oldfield and Donny Costello, who hold the title as Australia’s largest private landholders.
Their portfolio spans more than nine million hectares – larger than Tasmania and more than twice the size of Switzerland – via their Crown Point Pastoral Company.
Oldfield and Costello’s most recent purchase of 730,000-hectare Mount Doreen, northwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, from the Braitling family, was worth a reported $34.7 million.
AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST FARMS AND THEIR OWNERS
- ANNA CREEK STATION AND THE PEAKE, COOBER PEDY SA – 2,367,700 HECTARES
Williams Cattle Company - CLIFTON HILLS, SA – 1,650,000 HECTARES
Crown Point Pastoral Company - ALEXANDRIA STATION, CAMOOWEAL NT – 1,641,416 HECTARES
North Australian Pastoral Company - LAKE NASH STATION, BARKLY TABLELAND NT – 1,600,000 HECTARES
Hughes Pastoral - DAVENPORT DOWNS, WINTON QLD – 1,510,000 HECTARES
Paraway Pastoral-Macquarie Ag - INNAMINCKA STATION, LEIGH CREEK SA – 1,355,000 HECTARES
Crown Point Pastoral Company - HOME VALLEY, WA – 1,316,400 HECTARES
Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation - MARION DOWNS STATION, BOULIA QLD – 1,287,000 HECTARES
North Australian Pastoral Company - WAVE HILL STATION, VICTORIA RIVER NT – 1,250,000 HECTARES
Callum MacLachlan - BRUNETTE DOWNS STATION, TENNANT CREEK NT – 1,221,200 HECTARES
Australian Agricultural Company - DE GREY STATION, PORT HEDLAND WA – 1,214,100 HECTARES
Bettini Bros - QUINYAMBIE STATION, BROKEN HILL NSW – 1,206,500 HECTARES
Mutooroo Pastoral Company - NARWIETOOMA AGGREGATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 1,100,000 HECTARES
Hewitt Cattle Australia-PSP Investments (Canada) - MACUMBA STATION, OODNADATTA SA – 1,100,000 HECTARES
Crown Point Pastoral Company - ANDADO STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 1,085,000 HECTARES
Crown Point Pastoral Company - NEWCASTLE WATERS STATION, NEWCASTLE WATERS NT – 1,033,101 HECTARES
Consolidated Pastoral Company - HEADINGLY STATION, MT ISA QLD – 1,003,200 HECTARES
Australian Agricultural Company - TANBAR STATION, WINDORAH QLD – 1,021,904 HECTARES
Paraway Pastoral-Macquarie Ag - RAWLINNA STATION, RAWLINNA WA – 1,011,714 HECTARES
Sold to Andrew “Twiggy” Forest’s Fortescue Metals Group via Fortescue Future Industries by Jumbuck Pastoral - MT FREELING STATION, LYNDHURST SA – 1,002,000 HECTARES
- COMMONWEALTH HILL, COOBER PEDY SA – 1,000,000 HECTARES
Jumbuck Pastoral - WALHALLOW-CRESSWELL DOWNS, TENNANT CREEK NT – 1,003,400 HECTARES
Listed for sale by Brett Blundy Retail Capital in 2021 and 2022. - BARKLY DOWNS, CAMOOWEAL QLD – 942,500 HECTARES
Australian Country Choice - ANTHONY LAGOON/EVA DOWNS, TENNANT CREEK NT – 934,900 HECTARES
Australian Agricultural Company - STRATHMORE, CROYDON QLD 931,000 HECTARES
Scott Harris - DURHAM DOWNS STATION, EROMANGA QLD – 891,000 HECTARES
S Kidman and Co - ADRIA DOWNS, BIRDSVILLE QLD – 870,000 HECTARES
Brook Proprietors - AVON AND AUSTRAL DOWNS, CAMOOWEAL QLD – 863,100 HECTARES
Australian Agricultural Company - NOCKATUNGA STATION, THARGOMINDAH QLD – 852,000 HECTARES
Harris family’s Cleveland Agriculture - YOUGAWALLA, KIMBERLEY WA – 843,800 HECTARES
Sold to Alberta Investment Management Corporation (Canada) and its investment partner New Agriculture by Hui Wing Mau (Hong Kong) - FLORA VALLEY, KIMBERLEY WA – 824,400 HECTARES
Heytesbury Cattle Company - RUBY PLAINS AND STURT CREEK STATIONS, HALLS CREEK WA – 796,000 HECTARES
Crown Point Pastoral Company - CORDILLO DOWNS, BIRDSVILLE QLD – 780,000 HECTARES
Brook Pastoral Company - DUNBAR STATION, MARAMIE QLD – 777,000 HECTARES
McDonald Holdings - NARYILCO STATION, TIBOOBURRA QLD – 751,000 HECTARES
Sold to the Appleton Cattle Company (Dale Appleton and family) by S Kidman and Co - MOUNT DOREEN STATION, PAPUNYA NT – 733,700 HECTARES
Sold to Crown Point Pastoral Company by Passchendaele Cattle Company (Braitling family) - NAPPA MERRIE STATION, THARGOMINDAH QLD – 720,000 HECTARES
Morella Agriculture - TODMORDEN STATION, OODNADATTA SA – 716,860 HECTARES
Todmorden Cattle Company - MADURA PLAINS, NULLARBOR PLAIN WA – 708,200 HECTARES
CC Cooper and Co - BEETALOO STATION AND OT DOWNS, ELLIOT NT – 707,800 HECTARES
Listed for sale by Brett Blundy Retail Capital and partners Jane and Scotty Armstrong - WOLLOGORANG-WENTWORTH, GULF OF CARPENTARIA QLD – 705,198 HECTARES
McMillan Pastoral Company - HAMILTON STATION, COOBER PEDY SA – 701,000 HECTARES
Williams Cattle Company - KEEROONGOOLOO AND YEPPERA, COOPER CREEK QLD – 700,000 HECTARES
Hughes Pastoral - MITTIEBAH STATION, CAMOOWEAL NT – 695,500 HECTARES
North Australian Pastoral Co - GLENORMISTON STATION, BOULIA QLD – 692,000 HECTARES
North Australian Pastoral Co - MANNERS CREEK STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 687,900 HECTARES
Gibson Grazing - ROCKLANDS, CAMOOWEAL QLD – 677,964 HECTARES
Paraway Pastoral-Macquarie Ag - BIRRINDUDU STATION, KATHERINE NT – 673,000 HECTARES
Heytesbury Cattle Company - BALLADONIA AGGREGATION, NORSEMAN WA – 671,277 HECTARES
Murchison River Pastoral Company - LIMBUNYA AND MARYFIELD STATIONS, KATHERINE NT – 670,000 HECTARES
Sold to Wealthcheck by North Star Pastoral - PANDIE PANDIE, BIRDSVILLE TRACK SA – 662,500 HECTARES
Crown Point Pastoral Company - DURRIE STATION, BIRDSVILLE QLD – 660,000 HECTARES
Sold to the Appleton Cattle Company (Dale Appleton and family) by S Kidman and Co - TIEYON STATION, KULGERA SA – 652,730 HECTARES
Paul and Jo Smith - BALFOUR DOWNS, ROY HILL WA – 639,500 HECTARES
Sold to Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest and Nicola Forrest’s Harvest Road by TBG Agri Holdings (China) - COORABULKA STATION, BOULIA QLD – 637,000 HECTARES
North Australian Pastoral Co - MORNEY PLAINS STATION, WINDORAH QLD – 623,000 HECTARES
S Kidman and Co - DOONGAN/THEDA STATIONS, KIMBERLEY WA – 610,000 HECTARES
Dunkeld Pastoral Company - FROME DOWNS, YUNTA SA. 607,899 HECTARES
Brinkworth family - WROTHAM PARK STATION, CAIRNS QLD – 596,880 HECTARES
Consolidated Pastoral Company - HELEN SPRINGS STATION, TENNANT CREEK NT – 570,000 HECTARES
S Kidman and Co - NILPANNA STATION, COOBER PEDY SA – 565,800 HECTARES
Williams Cattle Company - MULKA STATION, MARREE SA – 560,000 HECTARES
Gary Overton - TANUMBIRINI STATION, NT – 559,370 HECTARES
Rallen Australia – Langenhoven family - GLENGYLE STATION, BIRDSVILLE QLD – 550,000 HECTARES
Sold to the Appleton Cattle Company (Dale Appleton and family) by S Kidman and Co - INVERWAY AND RIVEREN STATION, VICTORIA RIVER NT – 550,000 HECTARES
Sold to Hughes Pastoral Company by Hancock Prospecting/Gina Rinehart - NAPPERBY STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 550,000 HECTARES
Sold to Hewitt Cattle Australia-PSP Investments (Canada) by Tim and Emily Edmunds. Now forms part of the 1.1 million-hectare Narwietooma aggregation - CLUNY STATION, BEDOURIE QLD – 546,000 HECTARES
Arrabury Pastoral Company - KILLARNEY STATION, KATHERINE NT – 541,400 HECTARES
Callum MacLachlan - MULGATHING, COOBER PEDY – 530,700 HECTARES
Jumbuck Pastoral - HENBURY STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 527,300 HECTARES
Henbury Unit Trust - MT WILLOUGHBY STATION, COOBER PEDY SA – 507,500 HECTARES
Tjirilya Aboriginal Corporation (managed by the Lennon family) - WILGENA, TARCOOLA SA – 507,300 HECTARES
AJ & PA McBride Pty Ltd - MEDA STATION, DERBY WA – 505,857 HECTARES
Jock MacLachlan - BILLA KALINA, WOOMERA SA – 500,000 HECTARES
Greenfield family - CANOBIE STATION, CLONCURRY QLD – 492,100 HECTARES
Australian Agricultural Co - MT BARRY STATION, COOBER PEDY SA – 492,000 HECTARES
Williams Cattle Company - NANUTARRA/UAROO, ONSLOW WA – 490,000 HECTARES
Minderoo Group/Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest - SOUTH GALWAY STATION, WINDORAH QLD – 487,600 HECTARES
Australian Agricultural Co - MONTEJINNI STATION, VICTORIA RIVER NT – 485,623 HECTARES
Australian Agricultural Co - ABINGDON DOWNS, GEORGETOWN QLD – 484,000 HECTARES
Gunn Agri Partners - CALVERT HILLS, BORROLOOLA NT – 481,000 HECTARES
McMillan Pastoral Company - CARLTON HILL STATION, KUNUNURRA WA – 475,745 HECTARES
Shanghai Zhongfu (China) - MOUNT MARGARET AND BERELLEM, EROMANGA QLD – 470,504 HECTARES
Usher Pastoral Company - IDRACOWRA STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 462,800 HECTARES
Angus and Kimberley McKay - BRUNCHILLY STATION, TENNANT CREEK NT – 457,200 HECTARES
Sold to Harris family (Cleveland Agriculture) by S Kidman and Co - BENMARA STATION, ELLIOT NT – 450,000 HECTARES
Sold to Wealthcheck by Harris family (Cleveland Agriculture) - MURRUNJI STATION, KATHERINE NT – 447,500 HECTARES
Bunderra Cattle Company - DUNGOWAN STATION, KATHERINE NT – 445,400 HECTARES
Consolidated Pastoral Company - MIRANDA DOWNS STATION, NORMANTON QLD – 438,000 HECTARES
Hughes Pastoral Company - ROXBOROUGH DOWNS AND MUDGEREBAR STATION, BOULIA QLD – 423,494 HECTARES
McMillan Pastoral Company - ARRABURY STATION, BETOOTA QLD. 418,000 HECTARES
Arrabury Pastoral Company - CURTIN SPRINGS STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 416,400 HECTARES
Severin family - AUVERGNE STATION, KATHERINE NT – 414,200 HECTARES
Clean Agriculture and International Tourism (Vietnam) - MOBELLA, COOBER PEDY SA – 413,200 HECTARES
Jumbuck Pastoral - AILERON, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 408,000 HECTARES
Listed for sale by the Caason Group - ESMERALDA STATION, RICHMOND QLD – 406,000 HECTARES
Gunn Agri Partners - DRYSDALE RIVER STATION, KUNUNURRA WA – 404,686 HECTARES
Sunlight Holdings - BANJAWARN STATION, LAVERTON WA – 404,000 HECTARES
- MOOLA BULLA, KIMBERLEYS WA – 402,000 HECTARES
Consolidated Australian Pastoral Holdings (China) - ALROY DOWNS STATION, TENNANT CREEK NT. 400,000 HECTARES
Sterling Buntine/Baldy Bay - FOSSIL DOWNS STATION, FITZROY CROSSING WA – 400,000 HECTARES
Hancock Prospecting/Gina Rinehart - NAPIER DOWNS STATION, DERBY WA – 400,000 HECTARES
Kerry Stokes - TIPPERARY GROUP, NT – 386,001 HECTARES
Dunkeld Pastoral Company - MULGA DOWNS STATION, PILBARA WA – 384,451 HECTARES
Hancock Prospecting/Gina Rinehart - SUPLEJACK STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 381,700 HECTARES
Savage family - NORTH WELL, KINGOONYA SA – 381,400 HECTARES
AJ & PA McBride - OLD MT BUNDEY, DARWIN NT – 380,000 HECTARES
Tony and Julie Harrower - MANBULLOO STATION, KATHERINE NT – 379,130 HECTARES
Buratovich family (Argentina) - LAMBINA STATION, MARLA SA – 378,100 HECTARES
AW & K Fennell - KALALA STATION, DALY WATERS NT – 376,000 HECTARES
Rallen Australia – Langenhoven family - MONKIRA STATION, WINDORAH QLD – 373,000 HECTARES
North Australian Pastoral Co - WINTINNA, COOBER PEDY SA – 372,500 HECTARES
J & F Fennell - GOGO STATION, FITZROY CROSSING WA – 370,000 HECTARES
Harris family (Cleveland Agriculture) - MOUNT LYNDHURST STATION, LEIGH CREEK SA – 348,900 HECTARES
Peter Litchfield and family - MUNGABROOM STATION, ELLIOT NT – 346,900 HECTARES
Listed for sale by Brett Blundy Retail Capital and partners Jane and Scotty Armstrong - ARCOONA STATION, WOOMERA SA – 343,000 HECTARES
Handbury Group - MILLUNGERA STATION, JULIA CREEK QLD – 342,000 HECTARES
Australian Country Choice/Acton Land and Cattle - WELBOURN HILL, MARLA SA – 338,700 HECTARES
Sampson family - MT LEONARD STATION, BETOOTA QLD – 337,000 HECTARES
Arrabury Pastoral Company - MULYUNGARIE STATION, COCKBURN SA – 336,600 HECTARES
Mutooroo Pastoral Company - KIANA STATION, LARRIMAH NT – 331,800 HECTARES
Darcy family - AMBALINDUM, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 331,000 HECTARES
Hewitt Cattle Australia-PSP Investments (Canada) - MARYVALE STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 324,000 HECTARES
Crown Point Pastoral Company - AMUNGEE AMUNGEE, ELLIOT NT – 316,900 HECTARES
Brett Blundy Retail Capital - BULGUNNIA, COOBER PEDY SA – 309,600 HECTARES
Jumbuck Pastoral - MILLY MILLY STATION, MURCHISON WA – 308,641 HECTARES
Milly Milly Pastoral - MT SKINNER STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 303,605 HECTARES
McCormack family - DELAMERE STATION, VICTORIA RIVER NT – 300,300 HECTARES
Australian Agricultural Co - MAGOWRA STATION, NORMANTON QLD – 294,000 HECTARES
Western Grazing Company - LEGUNE STATION, KUNUNURRA NT – 285,270 HECTARES
AAM Investment Group - VICTORIA RIVER DOWNS, VICTORIA RIVER NT – 282,400 HECTARES
Heytesbury Cattle Company - CAMFIELD STATION, VICTORIA RIVER NT – 279,000 HECTARES
Australian Agricultural Co - ROEBUCK PLAINS STATION, BROOME WA – 276,000 HECTARES
Indigenous Land Corporation - ARCKARINGA STATION, COOBER PEDY SA – 275,000 HECTARES
Williams Cattle Company - BULKA, KIMBERLEY WA – 273,163 HECTARES
Sold to Alberta Investment Management Corporation (Canada) and its investment partner New Agriculture by Hui Wing Mau (Hong Kong) - MINILYA STATION, CORAL BAY WA – 273,000 HECTARES
Minderoo Group/Twiggy Forrest - PINE HILL STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 270,000 HECTARES
Greg Vickers - GREGORY DOWNS STATION, MT ISA QLD – 266,425 HECTARES
Paraway Pastoral-Macquarie Ag - EPENARRA STATION, BARKLY TABLELANDS NT – 265,600 HECTARES
Bass Cattle Company - LIVERINGA STATION, LOOMA WA – 265,000 HECTARES
Hancock Prospecting/Gina Rinehart - OBAN STATION, MT ISA QLD – 261,000 HECTARES
Western Grazing Company - MT AMHURST STATION, FITZROY CROSSING WA – 260,000 HECTARES
Consolidated Australian Pastoral Holdings (China) - BROADMERE, BORROLOOLA NT – 259,000 HECTARES
Sold to Anh Tuan Do (Vietnam) by the estate of late Peter Sherwin - WERTALOONA STATION, BLINMAN SA – 257,000 HECTARES
- BLINA STATION, FITZROY CROSSING WA – 254,648 HECTARES
Jumbuck Pastoral - WONDOOLA STATION, NORMANTON QLD – 252,500 HECTARES
Australian Agricultural Co - MUTTOOROO STATION, VIA BROKEN HILL SA – 250,300 HECTARES
Mutooroo Pastoral Company - TOLARNO STATION, MENINDEE NSW – 250,000 HECTARES
Robert McBride - EILDON PARK, WINTON QLD – 249,800 HECTARES
Chris Skelton - MT SANFORD NT – 249,700 HECTARES
Heytesbury Cattle Company - ISIS DOWNS STATION, ISISFORD QLD – 246,057 HECTARES
Consolidated Pastoral Company - NEWRY STATION, NT – 246,700 HECTARES
Clean Agriculture and International Tourism (Vietnam) - UCHARONIDGE STATION, TENNANT CREEK NT – 245,550 HECTARES
Cleveland Agriculture - MINDEROO STATION, ONSLOW WA – 240,000 HECTARES
Minderoo Group/Twiggy Forrest - BABBILOORA STATION, AUGATHELLA QLD – 237,325 HECTARES
Australian Country Choice - EVELYN DOWNS, COOBER PEDY SA – 234,500 HECTARES
Caroline Thomas & John Knight - MAY DOWNS, MT ISA QLD – 234,000 HECTARES
Lord Cattle - NARCISSUS, BOULIA QLD – 232,000 HECTARES
Todd McCormack - YAMBAH STATION, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 231,000 HECTARES
Sold to Dan and Sally Muenster by the Gorey family - KIRKIMBIE STATION, VICTORIA RIVER NT – 230,400 HECTARES
Consolidated Pastoral Company - BRICK HOUSE STATION, CARNARVON WA – 225,000 HECTARES
Minderoo Group/Twiggy Forrest - MT SARAH STATION, COOBER PEDY SA – 224,800 HECTARES
Williams Cattle Company - YUDNAPINNA, PORT AUGUSTA SA – 224,000 HECTARES
AJ & PA McBride - JUBILEE DOWNS, FITZROY CROSSING – 221,408 HECTARES
Minderoo Group/Twiggy Forrest - NARNDEE STATION, PAYNES FIND WA – 223,101 HECTARES
Robert and Julie Broadhurst - BOOLBIE AND ARCHERVALE, WINTON QLD – 219,676 HECTARES
Grummitt and Reddan families - CLARAVILLE STATION, CROYDON QLD – 217,000 HECTARES
Curr family - MARGARET RIVER, KIMBERLEY WA – 214,483 HECTARES
Sold to Alberta Investment Management Corporation (Canada) and its investment partner New Agriculture by Hui Wing Mau (Hong Kong) - CLONAGH STATION, CLONCURRY QLD – 214,270 HECTARES
Paraway Pastoral-Macquarie Ag - ARMRAYNALD STATION, BURKETOWN QLD – 214,090 HECTARES
Paraway Pastoral-Macquarie Ag - COOLULLAH STATION, CLONCURRY QLD – 214,000 HECTARES
North Australian Pastoral Co - BELLEVUE AGGREGATION, CHILLAGOE QLD – 211,664 HECTARES
American interests - CROWN POINT STATION, SA – 209,000 HECTARES
Crown Point Pastoral Company - MCDONALD DOWNS NT – 207,000 HECTARES
Scott Cattle Company - BEEFWOOD PARK STATION, FITZROY CROSSING WA – 206,000 HECTARES
Consolidated Australian Pastoral Holdings (China) - MOOLOOLOO, VICTORIA RIVER NT – 203,600 HECTARES
Heytesbury Cattle Company - NERRIMA STATION, LOOMA WA – 203,142 HECTARES
Emanuel family, Western Australia - NUMERY, ALICE SPRINGS NT – 202,200 HECTARES
Hewitt Cattle Australia-PSP Investments - AMBURLA STATION, ALICE SPRINGS – 202,000 HECTARES
Amburla Nominees - MT ELIZABETH STATION, FITZROY CROSSING WA – 200,000 HECTARES
Shanghai Zenith (China) - PARDOO STATION, PORT HEDLAND WA – 200,000 HECTARES
Pardoo Beef Corporation (Singapore) - VERMELHA STATION NT – 200,000 HECTARES
An Vien Pastoral Holding and Ag (Vietnam)
