Keilira Station stays in McBride family ownership

A.J. & P.A. McBride Ltd has confirmed it was the successful purchaser of Keilira Station (3345 hectares, 8266 acres), a well known sheep and cattle station east of Kingston in the state's south-east.

Keilira Station had been offered for sale by a McBride family member.

"Keilira Station was purchased in 2024 after being held by the wider McBride family for over 60 years," the company announced.

"The property is familiar to the company as it is located between our Nepowie and Ashmore properties in the Avenue Range."

Keilira Station is 34km east of Kingston and has undertaken a range of infrastructure developments and pasture renovations over the years to drive efficiencies and increase production in its famous sheep and cattle enterprise.

Colliers and Elders were joint selling agents.

In a statement this week, A.J. & P.A. McBride Ltd said: "We are thrilled to announce the exciting news that AJ & PA McBride has acquired Keilira Station."

The company said Keilira was the "perfect addition, as we continue our family's journey as premier woolgrowers and take a step forward in reaching our annual production goal of 10,000 bales of wool".

The company said in addition to wool, Keilira would continue with its prime lamb and beef cattle enterprises.

Colliers' Tim Altschwager said the sale of Keilira and its circa 28,000 DSE carrying capacity had presented an unparalleled opportunity for discerning buyers to acquire a renowned grazing property with a proven history of producing high-quality livestock.

Agents said the property comprises more than 2000ha or around 60 per cent of heavy grazing flats which present an opportunity for a cropping conversion plus more than 1200ha or around 40pc of undulating hills grazing country.

Albert James McBride and his son Philip Albert Martin McBride formed AJ & PA McBride Ltd just over a century ago.

During the past 40 years, the company has focused on adding to existing properties with tracts of land being purchased adjoining all properties.

The McBride company famously bought the sprawling 47,677ha Telopea Downs on the Victoria/SA border in 2018 for around $70 million.

The expansive Keilira property occupies a strategic position between the Riddoch and Princes highways.

The district has a long-term average annual rainfall of around 540mm.

The flats country benefits from two drainage channels which form part of the South East Drainage Network and help to shift excessive water off the low-lying areas.

Grant Schubert from Elders said the Keilira district was highly under rated from an agricultural production perspective.

"The district is extremely tightly held and the broader market rarely gets an opportunity to take a good look at this country, especially properties of this scale," Mr Schubert said.

Keilira Station is said to have a good internal laneway network and fencing has been significantly replaced following bushfires in 2019.

The property has three dwellings for the owners and staff, a 12-person shearers' quarters, six-stand shearing shed with yards, well-designed cattle yards, and extensive machinery and hay shedding.

Agents again pointed to the cropping potential of the station's productive flats and reliable rainfall.

Keilira has 900 megalitres of holding and taking water entitlements.

Agents said negotiations are well advanced for the possible location of wind turbines on the station which could offer a diversified income stream in the future.

Colliers agent Jesse Manuel said the station's sale was a significant event for the South Australian rural property market.

He said the sale was sure to attract the attention of both private and corporate livestock producers as well as buyers attracted to the significant cropping potential of the property.