MOURA property Wilga Vale has sold for above pre-sale expectations, cracking a stunning $11 million at a Hourn & Bishop Qld auction this week.
The 2028 hectare (5012 acre) property was bought by Jim Gorman trading as Seamark Pty Ltd. Mr Gorman is a neighbour to Wilga Vale and has a significant investment in the beef industry.
The sale price is equal to about $5424/ha ($2195/acre).
The sale price is equal to about $5424/ha ($2195/acre).
Four of the nine parties registered to bid were active at the auction, including another neighbour.
Fronting Bindaree Road, the property's homestead is located less than five minutes drive from Moura township.
Owners Ken and Claudia Stephenson moved to Wilga Vale in 1988, having bought the property from the estate of Ken's late uncle Charles Stephenson, who had selected the property in a land ballot in 1938. In the mid-1990s a half share of a neighbouring property was added.
The property has a useful mix of soil types, supporting a variety of pasture grasses: predominantly buffel grass and a mixture of native grasses, seca stylo, and green panic in the more sheltered areas. Established leucaena and butterfly pea enhance productivity of Wilga Vale.
Paddocks along the Dawson River and Back Creek are naturally watered from the watercourses.
There are six dams and a reticulated system watering the balance of the property. There is also an option to pump water from the river.
The steel cattle yards include a covered main crush and calf branding area. Two coolers are serviced by laneways to most paddocks.
Wilga Vale has a well maintained four-bedroom, two-bathroom weatherboard home in an attractive rural settling. There are also two sheds with concrete floors.
The Stephensons intend to move to Northern NSW to be closer to their family.
The marketing of Wilga Vale was handling by Gary Bishop and Gary Hourn from Hourn & Bishop Qld.