NSW producers purchase NT’s Douglas South for $15m
A NEW South Wales grazing family has made a move into the Northern Territory property market, purchasing Douglas South in the middle of a prime agricultural region for $15m.
John and Rae Boland from Emu Hill, near Inverell, recently settled on sale after it was put on the market by the Tony and Michelle Hayne, who will retain the adjoining Douglas Station.
The Hayne family divided the 55,570ha pastoral lease off Douglas Station, with the Douglas River providing a natural boundary. Douglas South is largely undeveloped with no homestead and was sold bare of livestock, plant and equipment – the property has a set of cattle yards.
The block is fully fenced with double bitumen frontage, providing wet season livestock market access, and can carry around 5000 head of mixed cattle.
Douglas South is situated in the middle of one of the NT’s frontier irrigated and dryland copping areas with hay, cotton and watermelons all grown in the area.
Selling agent Andrew Gray, from AG Land & Livestock, said the purchasers had previously lived in the NT and had been looking to buy back into the area for some time. He said most of his conversations with them had been about grazing.
“There might be a chance to clear some country and grow improved pastures there,” Mr Gray said.
“But there are a lot of different attractions to the block, it is a lot of land within two hours of Darwin, in the middle of an area that has been earmarked as an agricultural hub since the ‘80s. It is also further evidence of the strong market for grazing land in the Territory.”
Reliable high rainfall country
Benefitting from a 1200mm average annual wet season rainfall, Douglas South is watered by a series of bores, natural springs and waterholes. The pristine Douglas River traverses the eastern portion of the property.
Blain and Tippera soils overlay the Jinduckin and Tindal aquifers that are predicted to supply yields of up to 50lps (NT Government Daly Basin Aquifers).
In marketing the property, Mr Gray said it was a prime development opportunity.
“Subject to NT government regulations, the new owner can take Douglas South to the next stage of development as evidenced by the surrounding freehold properties.”