Showpiece cotton farm attracts overseas and corporate interest

Families are having a look at this cotton showpiece, as are corporates and even international buyers have declared their interest ahead of the sale next month.

The Duddy family's 12,168ha Queensland property is adjacent the Macintyre River, on the NSW border, 20km west of Goondiwindi.

Cotton is South Callandoon's main irrigated crop, and the property has an impressive on-farm water-storage capacity of 17,400 megalitres covering 377 hectares.

This is prime cotton country, the more well known Cubbie Station, the biggest cotton grower in Australia, is a few hundred kilometres to the west.

The Duddy family have built up what was then a cattle property when purchased by Bill, Brian and Julie Duddy in 1982 into a major cotton growing concern through strategic planning.

Cotton was first planted in 1988.

The border property includes 14 freehold titles with significant irrigation, dryland cropping and grazing country.

A total of 1772ha is developed for irrigation.

Agents Nutrien Harcourts have described the Duddy family as one of Australia's leading cotton growing families who built up on-farm water storage to average 10 megalitres per hectare, depending on seasonal conditions.

Cotton Seed Distributors 2019-20 weather data further highlights the suitability of cotton production in the region, with the Goondiwindi Day Degrees relating to an average of 160 - 170 days growing season for the cotton crop.

The family decision to sell South Callandoon is all part of a five year succession plan.

The property has been under the stewardship of James Duddy who will relocate to a central Queensland irrigation farm the family bought last year.

The Duddy family bought the Plath family's 12,800ha "Dooruna" in central Queensland near Clermont at auction for $27 million last September.

Dooruna has a licenced 12,500 megalitre dam, a similar water storage to South Callandoon, and the not surprising potential to grow cotton.

Brian and Julie Duddy have retired to Goondiwindi.

Nutrien Harcourts agent Andrew Jakins is representing the property and says there is strong demand for blue chip country like South Callandoon.

"The scale of the property, highly productive land and superior water entitlements of South Callandoon are sure to attract many interested buyers," Mr Jakins said.

He described South Callandoon as a 2020 property, designed for modern cotton growing.

Gone are the labour-intensive siphons to be replaced by bankless irrigation and lateral move irrigators.

Crops can be watered by two people, instead of the team of eight which may have been necessary with the older irrigation infrastructure.

"South Callandoon has the complete structural improvements for a property of this size, to not only create efficiencies in the way to manage the property but also to assist with any seasonal challenges."

The main homestead and office is on the banks of the Callandoon Creek and also features three family sized residences, staff quarters, machinery sheds, workshop, 10,000 tonne grain complex with weighbridge and cattle yards.

There is an aircraft hanger and an all-weather airstrip on the property.

Mr Jakins said the Goondiwindi region's climate is ideal for the mixture of both summer and winter yielding crops, making this property easy for conversion from existing grazing land to dryland cultivation for further expansion of irrigation farming.

The property is carrying 719 head of commercial cattle across its grazing country of heavy Mitchell grass and lighter Buffel grass.

Mr Jakins said South Callandoon is a quality offering presenting an ideal addition for industry participants or the opportunity to acquire a viable standalone enterprise.

"This is a dream turnkey operation with scale and opportunity for future development, suitable for those looking to break into the area or for those who are already on the valley and wanting to acquire the advantages of this quality asset and the water entitlements included," he said.

South Callandoon is offered for sale by expression of interest which closes Thursday, March 18 at 1pm.

No suggested price range for the property has been listed.

For further information contact Andrew Jakins, Nutrients Harcourts, 0427 374 441.

Start the day with all the big news in agriculture! Sign up below to receive our daily Farmonline newsletter.