Longreach Pastoral College sells for $12.4m, but... Consortium misses

By Fiona Gowers

The state government will split the 17,511-hectare Longreach Pastoral College between three separate tenderers for a combined sale price of $12.4 million, with the high-profile bid from AAM Investment Group (AAM) missing out.

The former Queensland Agriculture Training Colleges (QATC) property at Longreach had trained agricultural leaders for more than 50 years before being closed in 2019.

The state government approached Longreach Regional Council about a sale in 2021 before last year launching a tender process.

AAM lodged a tender on behalf of a consortium of Australian agribusinesses for the full 17,511 hectares of land, which includes Rosebank Station, the college site, modern classroom facilities and agricultural infrastructure.

The consortium included Australian Country Choice, Cleveland Ag, Consolidated Pastoral Company, the Curr family, Georgina Pastoral, Hewitt Cattle Australia, McDonald Holdings, Mort & Co and the North Australian Pastoral Company.

Its proposal included a “commitment to explore all options to ensure the college facilities and associated assets … became a trusted source of knowledge sharing and education services to the northern Australian farm sector and one that enriched local communities”.

Longreach is the last one of five Queensland agricultural colleges the government has closed.

Currently, it has no plans to open a new training college, instead splitting the land into three configurations:

1) All land south of the Landsborough Highway (campus and grazing land).

2) Grazing land north of the Landsborough Highway.

3) Improved farming land adjacent to the Thomson River.

A Department of Agriculture and Fisheries spokesperson said the combined sale price of $12.4 million exceeded independent market valuations.

They said 17 tenders were received, with “a number“ failing to conform with requirements.

“The buyers and prices paid for the individual parcels of land remain commercial-inconfidence until expected settlement in late May,” the spokesperson said.

“The Queensland Government made a commitment that the tender process would consider both the price offered and the proposed community benefit for Longreach and the wider region.

“The exact nature of the proposed com- munity benefits is still subject to commercialin-confidence requirements until settlement, however the Government expects the successful bidders will deliver on the commitments to the community that they have made through the tender process, including increased jobs and economic activity through tourism, horticulture, education and training, and livestock production activities.”

AAM was the most outspoken of the 17 tenderers and expressed its “deep disappointment“ at missing out.

Through a statement, AAM managing director and CEO, Garry Edwards said the Queensland government’s decision was an “opportunity lost”.

“In preparation of the tender options direct consultation was undertaken with a broad demographic of stakeholders to ensure what was being proposed would meet the needs of industry and the local community,“ he said.

“Additionally, (more than) 3300 individuals and organisations signed a letter of support of our proposal showing the importance of this opportunity.

“While we respect the government’s right to make this decision as the owner of the asset, it is tremendously disappointing that no one assessing the tenders reached out or engaged in a single discussion or meeting relating to the consortium’s multiple concepts for highly effective and beneficial ways the site could be utilised.

“I personally think it was incredibly poor judgement they could not find the time to meet and hold any form of discussion when this is such an important issue for the agricultural industry and regional Queensland.”

AAM representatives held community consultation sessions in Longreach and widespread discussions with parties keen to be involved in the project.

Mr Edwards said the workforce needs of agriculture were evolving as industry became more focused on precision management and understanding and communicating sustainability outcomes and regenerative agriculture.

“This was a generationally significant opportunity for the Queensland government to meet the growing requirements to support career development, research and the future prosperity of our industry, as well as improving the economic resilience of regional communities,“ he said.

“It is my sincere hope that the successful tender applicants will be motivated to deliver such positive results for regional Queensland and we wish them all the best in delivering outcomes with greater community benefit than those proposed by this consortium.”