A colossal contiguous sheep station in South Australia, an area larger than the Lebanon and Vanuatu combined, is poised to become Australia’s biggest ever pastoral property sale, with new data revealing a significant surge in foreign investment eyeing off Australian farmland.
The MacLachlan family, one of Australia’s most enduring farming dynasties, is making headlines as their Jumbuck Pastoral empire puts a staggering 1.29 million hectares on the market.
The aggregation, comprising Commonwealth Hill, Mobella, and Bulgunnia in the Glendambo region of South Australia’s Far North, is a powerhouse of wool and sheep meat production, capable of running over 83,300 sheep – and at 1,289,700ha in size, this is not just vast; it’s truly immense.
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To put it into perspective, it’s 12 times the size of Hong Kong and a remarkable 5.5 times the size of the Australian Capital Territory.
Globally, it’s bigger than 96 countries and dependencies.
Australia is staring down its largest sheep station deal on record, a contiguous 1.29 million‑hectare outback holding larger than Vanuatu and 5.5 times the ACT, primed to lure international buyers amid a rebound in foreign investment.
“It would be the biggest sheep station ever sold in Australia if it all sold one line,” Elders’ Real Estate chief executive Tom Russo told The Australian Financial Review.
While the price guide remains under wraps, industry insiders suggest the aggregation, inclusive of its substantial sheep flock, could easily fetch upwards of $40 million.
The sale comes at a prime time for the agricultural sector.
“Sheep prices are at near or, depending on what day you’re looking at, record prices. There’s an increasing demand for sheep meat for lamb, and there’s an increasing reliance globally on importing meat,” Russo said.
“It’s rare that you find an agricultural asset that has that dual income stream, which helps to de-risk it. And when both markets are flying, it’s a really good time to be in it.”
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The aggregation is an iconic powerhouse of wool and sheep meat production, having the prescribed capacity to carry over 83,300 sheep.
Crucially, this mega-offering is expected to ignite a bidding war among international investors, a trend strongly supported by recent figures.
RaboBank’s latest annual Australian Farmland Price Outlook reveals a significant rebound in foreign investment in Australian agricultural land for 2024/25.
Preliminary data indicates a substantial 34 per cent year-on-year increase in new foreign investment within the agricultural sector, with a total capital inflow reaching an impressive $7.1 billion.
Further insights from data tabled in federal parliament also shows foreign investors held registered interests in 50.262 million hectares of Australian agricultural land as of June 30, 2025.
The aggregation will be offered as a whole and in parts on a walk in walk out basis, including a significant merino sheep flock.
This represents 13 per cent of the nation’s total agricultural land and marks a gradual rise from 49.120 million hectares just a year prior, underscoring a sustained global appetite for Australian agricultural assets.
Queensland leads the charge with 17.067 million hectares under foreign ownership, followed by the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
South Australia, home to the Jumbuck aggregation, recorded 3.216 million hectares.
The precedent for significant foreign acquisitions is well-established.
Last year, the entire 30,000-hectare Kooba aggregation in New South Wales was snapped up by a major Canadian pension fund in a deal valued at $500 million, dramatically expanding its footprint in Australian agriculture.
Jumbuck Pastoral is one of the largest livestock production enterprises in Australia. Established in 1888, it is owned by the MacLachlan family and has vast pastoral land holdings throughout the country.
Similarly, Rawlinna Station, Australia’s largest sheep farm at over 1 million hectares, was acquired by UK-based Consolidated Pastoral Company for an estimated $20 million-plus.
Russo anticipates a diverse pool of bidders for the Jumbuck aggregation.
“Given the strategic advantages and efficiencies that can be achieved by operating an enterprise at this scale, we anticipate receiving offers from both large private and corporate investors within Australia and internationally,” he confirmed.
He also noted the flexible expression of interest process, which will accommodate bids on single stations or the entire aggregation, ensuring broad participation.
he aggregation has been held by Jumbuck since the 1940s and the sale is being undertaken as part of an orderly succession planning process being conducted by the family.
Established 138 years ago, Jumbuck Pastoral is one of Australia’s largest livestock production enterprises, with the aggregation on the market having been part of the family’s holdings since the 1940s.
This partial divestment is part of a carefully planned succession process, as Jumbuck patriarch Hugh MacLachlan divides properties among his children – Airlie, Jock, Callum, Islay MacKenzie, and Brooke Yates – enabling them to establish independent enterprises.
“We are so grateful to our parents who have given us the opportunity to live and work on the land and to play our role in the future of Australian agriculture,” Jock MacLachlan stated.
Before this strategic split, Jumbuck Pastoral ranked as the nation’s third-biggest landowner, behind Crown Point Pastoral Company and ASX-listed Australian Agricultural Company.
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