Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC), a firm associated with British billionaire Guy Hands, has acquired Vermelha Station in Australia’s Northern Territory, further expanding its significant pastoral landholdings. This latest purchase positions CPC in close contention with Australian Agricultural Company (AACo) for the title of Australia’s largest corporate landholder.

Acquisition of Vermelha Station

Vermelha Station, located in the Sturt Plateau region of the Northern Territory, spans approximately 203,900 hectares (503,848 acres). Situated about 490 kilometers south of Darwin and 180 kilometers from Katherine, near the township of Larrimah, the property was reportedly sold for over $47 million. The station was previously owned by the Vietnamese-based An Vien Pastoral Holding and Agriculture, which had purchased it for $18 million in 2016.

The acquisition includes substantial infrastructure and resources. Vermelha Station is equipped with 23 bores, including one capable of pumping irrigation water at 60 liters per second. It currently features 45 hectares (111 acres) under pivot irrigation and an additional 60 hectares (148 acres) of cleared land. The property also comes with a clearing permit for 3,660 hectares (9,044 acres) and holds a groundwater extraction license for 2,956 megaliters, granted in 2019. At the time of sale, Vermelha Station was understood to carry around 15,000 predominantly Brahman cattle.

Consolidated Pastoral Company’s Growing Empire

This purchase is part of a broader strategy by Guy Hands’ Consolidated Pastoral Company to increase its footprint in Australian agriculture. CPC has been actively acquiring large pastoral properties across the country.

Land Holdings and Competition

Before the Vermelha Station acquisition, CPC’s total land ownership in Australia stood at approximately 6,525,638 hectares. This figure places it neck-and-neck with AACo, which manages around 6.5 million hectares. The competition for the largest corporate landholder status is a significant dynamic in Australia’s agricultural sector.

CPC’s Operational Focus

Consolidated Pastoral Company’s operations are primarily focused on two key areas:

• Live Export: Facilitating the export of cattle to international markets.
• Breeding: Producing high-quality composite cattle for its backgrounding operations in Queensland.

CPC’s extensive network includes numerous cattle stations and backgrounding properties across the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and Queensland. The company also maintains corporate ties with two feedlots in Indonesia, underscoring its international reach.

Recent Acquisitions and Strategic Moves

The acquisition of Vermelha Station follows other significant investments by CPC. Late last year, the company purchased the Beetaloo aggregation, a vast property covering one million hectares near Elliott in the Northern Territory, for over $300 million. This aggregation includes Beetaloo Station and OT Downs.

In Western Australia, CPC has notably acquired several large sheep stations on the Nullarbor Plains, including Madura Plains and Rawlinna, which together encompass over 1.7 million hectares. Another Nullarbor sheep station, Arubiddy, is reportedly under offer to CPC, pending government approval.

Australian Agricultural Company (AACo)

Australian Agricultural Company, CPC’s main rival for land ownership, is one of Australia’s oldest continuously operating companies. AACo is a major integrated cattle and beef producer with a substantial portfolio of assets, including 19 owned cattle stations, three leased stations, two owned feedlots, two owned farms, and one leased farm, primarily located in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Other Major Landholders

Beyond CPC and AACo, other significant private landowners operate in Australia. Crown Point Pastoral, owned by Viv Oldfield and Donny Costello, manages over nine million hectares of cattle country across northern and central Australia, representing the largest private landholding in the country.

CPC’s Overall Capacity

According to its public statements, Consolidated Pastoral Company manages a vast agricultural enterprise. Across its more than 6 million hectares of land, the company is capable of caring for over 400,000 head of cattle, 50,000 goats, and 150,000 sheep. Additionally, CPC is involved in the production of a diverse range of crops.

Conclusion

The acquisition of Vermelha Station by Consolidated Pastoral Company highlights the ongoing consolidation and expansion within Australia’s corporate agricultural sector. With significant investments in both cattle and sheep properties, CPC continues to strengthen its position as a leading landholder, intensifying the competition for dominance in the Australian pastoral landscape.