August 14, 2023

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

Three years after acquiring the historic Welltown Station in Queensland for AUD31 million, the Cameron family has placed the property on the market after undertaking a course of development that resulted in an institutional-grade farming asset. 

Located 10 kilometers west of Toobeah and 68 kilometers west of Goondiwindi in southern Queensland, Welltown totaled 9,540 hectares (23,574 acres) when they acquired it in March 2020. The following year, the family acquired the adjacent property – Eastwood (1,302 hectares) – adding it to the holding and bringing its total acreage to 10,842 hectares (26,791 acres). 

Dating back to 1856, Welltown was once a highly regarded Merino stud. The property comprises deep back floodplain soils with good water retention traits and crop production records. Of the total acreage, 8,879 hectares are dedicated to dryland farming; 5,471 hectares are currently planted in winter crops with another 3,408 hectares left fallow for summer planting; and another 1,963 hectares for grazing and support. 

The “Welltown” aggregation is steeped in history being one of the original holdings west of Goondiwindi,” stated Nutrien Harcourts, which is brokering the sale. “In the past three years, the property has undergone a major development program being converted to an institutional-grade farming asset. In 2021 the adjoining property Eastwood was added to “Welltown” giving more scale to the farming area.”

Today, Welltown’s operations and grain complex include five 2,250 flat-bottom aerated silos, two 11,000-ton bunker storage pads, six 60-ton fertilizer silos, two 132-ton seed silos, and two 70-ton seed silos with auto aeration. 

There is also a new machinery shed, a five-bay workshop, a hay-storage shed, an aircraft hangar with gravel airstrip, a weighbridge and testing stand, worker accommodation, an 1870s homestead, two new three-bedroom homes, and various outbuildings. 

Over the three years that the Camerons have owned Welltown, the family has established an extensive water recirculation system for spraying via a piped bore scheme, and have developed gravel road access to all facilities.

“The properties have been extremely well set up with efficiencies front of mind,” said Harcourts. “Recent development consists of a new grain complex with all-weather access, new staff accommodation, new piped bore water scheme with strategically positioned spray points, combined with freshly developed deep black floodplain soils that are conducive to water retention and crop production.”

Andrew Jakins with Nutrien Harcourts is managing the campaign for Welltown, and will be accepting expressions of interest until September 7. 

~ Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor in chief with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, as well as HighQuest Group’s Unconventional Ag. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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