THE Carson family's 18,180 hectare (44,924 acre) Balonne region property portfolio is on the market, to be sold through an expressions of interest process by JLL Agribusiness.
Progressively acquired and developed during the past 48 years by the Carson family, the portfolio on the lower Balonne floodplain near Dirranbandi comprises of Ooraine, Somerset and Hooloovale.
The country is runs as two distinct hubs.
Hooloovale is 6145ha (15,185 acres) of irrigation and grazing, while Ooraine and Somerset are 12,035ha (29,739 acres) of dryland farming and grazing.
There are 471ha of irrigation areas of Hooloovale, which is underpinned by three storage cells with a combined capacity of 9811 megalitres.
Hooloovale has been primarily used to grow cotton in addition to pulses and winter cereals.
The recently upgraded pumping infrastructure has a lift capacity of about 635ML/day.
Hooloovale's grazing areas are protected from flood events by a 4km levee bank. The levee bank can also be opened to enable beneficial flooding of pastures.
Ooraine and Somerset are used for both farming and grazing.
The 1295ha of cultivation on Somerset has been used for winter cereals, producing yields of 3.7 tonnes/ha for the past three years (2020-22). An estimated 1000ha of the black soil Coolibah plain country is also available to develop.
Ooraine, Somerset and Hooloovale have been developed for both sheep and cattle and have an estimated carrying capacity of 15,500 dry sheep equivalents.
Water on the well fenced properties is provided by two artesian bores and there are both cattle and sheep yards in addition to shearing sheds and yards nearby.
Ooraine Pastoral Company was formed in 1975 with the purchase of Ooraine, Dirranbandi, from the Estate of Guy Elliott. The Elliott family had owned the property since the end of the First World War and ran an Angus stud as well as Merino sheep.
In 1979 the operation acquired Hooloovale from Randal and Blyth Lampard, whose family had owned the property on the Culgoa River for 60 years.
Some 471ha of the 4450ha of flooded country has been developed for irrigation along the Culgoa River. The property has 9811ML of on-farm storage plus a surge area to service of irrigation. Hooloovale provides significant scope for expansion from both a dryland farming and irrigation perspective.
Somerset, which joins Ooraine, was bought from Michael Hill, St George, in 1988.
The property has 1295ha of dryland farming to complement the grazing areas.
Ooraine, Somerset and Hooloovale are being sold through an expressions of interest process closing on March 16.
Contact Chris Holgar, 0411 177 167, Geoff Warriner, 0408 687 880, and Clayton Smith, 0428 878 523, JLL Agribusiness.
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