The Weekly Times | 29 January 2026$60m farmland portfolio hits the market in SA
by Tallis Miles
Sydney-headquartered, nature-based global investment manager New Forests has listed a sprawling 5485ha portfolio of farmland for sale, in South Australia’s prized South East.
Offers worth $60m are expected for the Wattle Range Portfolio, which comprises three parcels of land known as the Northern Aggregation (2769ha), Central Aggregation (1451ha) and Southern Aggregation (1265ha), located within a 12km radius west of the Penola township.
As part of the transaction, existing blue gum forestry plantations in the Wattle Range Portfolio will be retained under leaseback arrangements with varying timelines for investor possession through to 2030.
This timing will allow New Forests to facilitate plantation harvests and undertake remediation works to ensure the land is fully cleared, ploughed and transitioned to agricultural use for the incoming buyer.
Once the remediation is complete, the portfolio will comprise approximately 4524ha (82 per cent) of productive agricultural land and 961ha (18 per cent) of native vegetation and support land.
LAWD Agribusiness is handling the sale of the portfolio, via an expressions of interest campaign closing March 12 at noon.
Lead agent for the sale Danny Thomas said the existing leases and planned remediation works made the Wattle Range Portfolio a remarkable institutional-scale opportunity.
“These arrangements ensure there is a de-risked transition to agricultural use, as well as offering long-term investment flexibility for prospective buyers,” Mr Thomas said.
“Whether the portfolio is divided and purchased separately, or acquired as a whole, investors will benefit from gaining a substantial foothold in this highly productive region.”
The topography of the three aggregations is predominantly flat to gently undulating and is underpinned by the Gambier limestone formation.
Additional water rights (subject to approvals) could be added to the portfolio, via the Lower Limestone Coast Prescribed Wells Area, which would support potential irrigation development.
The Wattle Range Portfolio has benefited from Forest Water Licences via an extensive unconfined aquifer, but these will not be directly available as part of the sale process.
As the name suggests, New Forests is best known for its vast forestry holdings — a $10.5bn portfolio spanning 1.4 million hectares.
In August 2022, the company broadened its scope with the creation of New Agriculture, a sister business established to manage its Australian farmland assets and build a global portfolio of agricultural investments.
