A generationally significant opportunity to secure a parcel of premium farmland offering scale rarely available in Western Australia’s Great Southern Region has been presented to market with the offering of 8,554-hectare Cherylton Farms by Expression of Interest.

Located 17 linear kilometres from Frankland River and 23 linear kilometres from Kojonup, in an area renowned for the quality of its agricultural commodities and reliable rainfall, Cherylton Farms consists of two non-contiguous landholdings with extensive land class development and capital improvement made over the past 14 years of ownership. The property is expected to appeal to both local and international buyers active in the $90 million range, plus livestock, plant, machinery and sundries as a genuine walk-in, walk-out offering.

LAWD Director, Simon Wilkinson, said Cherylton Farms was a truly blue-chip asset in one of the most productive agricultural zones of Western Australia.

“Approximately 7,350 hectares of the property is considered effective, and the owners and managers of Cherylton Farms have optimised the profitability of each of these to make the holding consistently recognised as one of the highest benchmarked properties in this high rainfall zone,” Mr Wilkinson said.

“This really is a once-in-a-generation opportunity in an extremely sought-after and reliable area that also delivers rare scale and operational efficiency achieved through strategic development and precision management. The existing management team is in place and would like to continue this high level of performance.

“LAWD is privileged to be involved in the marketing of such a quality asset.”

A diversified opportunity enhanced by strategic improvement

Cherylton Farms’ existing operations include diversified cropping and livestock grazing, focused on the production of high-yielding crops including cereals (barley, oats and wheat) and oilseeds (canola), as well as Merino and composite flocks (32,000 head) and a prominent Angus herd (170 head).

Cropping has been optimised through the development of more than 200 paddocks to maximise efficiency, while the livestock enterprises are value-added by 1,000 hectares of grazing land sown to improved pasture species on a five-year rotation, as well as two sheep feedlots with a 6,000 head combined capacity and a 100-head cattle feedlot facility.

Significant water infrastructure has been developed across the property, including three strategically located water storages (25 megalitres each) and water tank storage providing an additional 1.5 megalitre capacity.

Other structural improvements include four shearing sheds – one being 17 stands – a comprehensive network of 10 sheep yards and one set of cattle yards, 30 silos, significant shedding including machinery, workshop, chemical and general-purpose shedding and a 2,000-tonne grain/fertiliser shed, while more than 300 kilometres of new fencing has been installed.

“There is an abundance of accommodation including the five-bedroom, three-bathroom owners’ residence and two five-bedroom, two-bathroom homes with tennis court and gardens, suitable as managers’ residences,” Mr Wilkinson said.

“Additionally, there are a further six occupied staff homes spread across the property as well as seasonal workers’ accommodation with two kitchens and a commercial area.”

Quality soils, outstanding location

Soil types vary across Cherylton Farms to include medium to heavy duplex, red granite loams and forest loamy gravels with sandy loams over clay in lower lying areas. Topography is undulating with slight to medium inclined hillslopes running down to river flats, with the highest point above average mean sea level of 345 metres. Soil health and amelioration has been an ongoing focus of the existing management team.

Nearby Kojonup provides excellent amenities and services, including retail, financial, medical, and primary and secondary education, as well as a variety of agricultural services, only 258 kilometres from Perth.

“Cherylton Farms is benefited by a Mediterranean climate, coupled with a 551 millimetre yearly average rainfall for the region, reinforcing it as an ideal location for low-risk cropping and livestock grazing purposes, amongst other agricultural pursuits,” Mr Wilkinson said.

An extraordinary property

Vendor, Julian Walter, who has enjoyed ownership of Cherylton Farms as part of a broader portfolio of businesses and agricultural assets, emphasised the quality of the property.

“We have made a number of strategic investments in the agriculture sector over the past few decades and, in recent years, have had many approaches from parties interested in securing some of our farmland assets due to their scale and high performance,” Mr Walter said.

“Over the past 14 years, we’ve invested significantly in developing Cherylton Farms to both ensure its ecological health and to truly maximise its efficiency and productivity.”

• Expressions of Interest close at 12pm (AWST), Thursday 1 December 2022.

For more information, contact LAWD Senior Director, Danny Thomas, +61 439 349 977, LAWD Director Simon Wilkinson on +61 456 758 341, or LAWD Director Erica Semmens +61 419 714 039.