International inquiry is anticipated for one of the world’s largest sheep stations which has been listed for sale in Western Australia.
After nine years of ownership, CC Cooper and Co is divesting Madura Plains spanning 711,638ha, near the border of Western Australia and South Australia.
An aggregation of two pastoral leases (Madura and Moonera), it is offered with a 60,000 sheep flock — Canowie Poll Merino genetics — together with 3500 Boer cross goats plus kids.
History
The Madura lease was taken up in 1876 by G. Heinzmann to establish a station for breeding cavalry horses designed for the British Imperial Indian Army.
It boasts reliable underground bore water and abundant feed and played an important role during WWII when the station’s bore was crucial to army engineers constructing the Eyre Highway.
In the 1980s, Madura and Moonera were amalgamated by the Jumbuck Pastoral Company to create one of the world’s largest sheep stations.
During its ownership, Jumbuck Pastoral erected a 550km vermin proof boundary fence and installed additional water infrastructure, including windmills and bores.
When the aggregation changed hands in 2016, CC Cooper & Co developed the property further through a significant capital works program aimed at maximising the efficiency and productivity of the asset.
The centrepiece is a water infrastructure revitalisation program which has seen 1400km of interconnected pipelines installed, delivering reliable good quality water across the vast property.
The water delivery system includes solar powered pumping systems at critical points and remote monitoring via smartphone and Starlink-enabled connectivity, enabling management and monitoring of pumps and tanks from anywhere.
More than 1000km of fencing has been installed, subdividing very large paddocks to create 118 paddocks and 376km of internal laneways to optimize grazing management and rotation, and to reduce grazing pressure around water points.
Significant investments have also been made in animal handling infrastructure.
A 10,000 head feedlot and holding yards have been established in a central location and there are modern yards strategically located throughout.
Technology has been extensively adopted
Every ewe is tagged with electronic identification on the station, enabling detailed individual records and auto drafter functionality that can draft animals by paddock, performance, age, sex or shearing.
Managing director David ‘Seth’ Cooper said CC Cooper and Co set out to build a ‘best in class’ sheep station and now the vision has been achieved, it is the right time to deliver the finished product to a new custodian.
“The company has fully capitalised on the production potential and water supply of the vast landholding making it resilient through the cycles. In addition, it has invested to deliver operational efficiencies and maximise animal welfare and sustainability outcomes.”
Elders WA pastoral specialist Greg Smith said Madura Plains represents a new benchmark in the region.
“It is extremely unlikely that an asset of this scale and quality will be available for purchase again soon. The station has can run more than 60,000 head of sheep and at its peak in 2024, numbers exceeded 70,000.”
Mr Smith said the provision of reliable low salinity water to every paddock has unlocked the full productivity potential of the expansive saltbush and bluebush plains.
“Given the strategic advantages and efficiencies that can be achieved by operating an enterprise of this quality and at this scale, Elders anticipates receiving offers from large private and corporate investors within Australia and internationally.”
Elders Real Estate chief executive officer Tom Russo described the development of Madura Plains as truly extraordinary.
“It has unlocked the enormous production capacity of the asset and now represents a turnkey opportunity for an astute investor to reap the benefits.”
“The capital works program delivers productivity beyond compare and the efficiencies will significantly enhance the realisable margins in the business,” Mr Russo explained.
Madura Plains will be offered on a walk-in walk out-basis by way of a staged expression of interest process.
