AgTech Startups

Gunn Agri Partners is a FARM management company, which has purchased three cattle stations in southern Queensland for $11 million. The Sydney-based Gunn Agri Partners, headed by Macquarie Group's former chief operating officer in Brazil, Alan Hoppe, acquires 36,000 hectares near Roma in the Maranoa region.

The portfolio comprises Ballaroo with 11,463 hectares, Fairview with 11,393 hectares and Ekari Park with 13,239 hectares. Deals including Chinese Hailiang Group's purchase of Hollymount Station near St George, BRW Rich Lister Tom Strachan's purchase of Lighthouse Station and Australian Country Choice's purchase of Opal Creek feedlot, so the transaction caps off a strong year in the southern Queensland cattle property market. The Ballaroo portfolio has a combined carrying capacity of 6000 head of cattle.

The portfolio's potential, due to its quality land and soil types and location, was pivotal to the deal, said CBRE Agribusiness' Chris Holgar and Geoff Warriner, who negotiated the sale on behalf of Ekari Park Pty Ltd.

Mr Holgar said, "Strategically positioned in close proximity to Roma - Australia's cattle capital - this portfolio presented a unique opportunity to acquire a premium rural landholding of scale."

The chance to establish a strategic footprint in the red-meat supply chain of such scale in a single transaction was a "key selling factor" drawing significant interest from local, interstate and offshore investors, said Mr Warriner.

A range of innovations across marketing, pricing and credit in the cattle, crops and wool industries are established by the pioneering Sir William.