Carbeen Park near Katherine in the Northern Territory has been bought by Heytesbury Pastoral Company for $12.8 million.
The 7,390-hectare freehold property includes a 750-megalitre a year water extraction licence from the Katherine River.
It was advertised as “prime agricultural land [with] quality river levee soils perfect for horticulture, cropping, hay, and pasture”.
Elders agent Alison Ross said the new owners were focused on livestock production and “Carbeen was a perfect fit”.
“We had several buyers show interest, but in the end [Heytesbury] has come forward,” she told ABC Rural.
“They could see the value in a property like this and are looking to take over this week.”
Cattle in a feedlot at Carbeen Park. (ABC Rural: Daniel Fitzgerald)
Expanding portfolio
Heytesbury Pastoral is owned and managed by the Holmes à Court family.
The company owns six large cattle stations in the NT and the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The famous Victoria River Downs is among the properties, which cover 2.7m hectares.
Carbeen is located about 350 kilometres from Darwin Port and includes a feedlot with a 5,000-head capacity that has been used as a depot for NT cattle bound for export.
The previous owner was businessman Henry Lui, who bought Carbeen Park in 2021 for $8.8m.
The unique homestead area and stonework at Carbeen can be attributed to another former owner — the legendary US cattleman and bull rider John Quintana.
Carbeen was once owned by Noel Buntine, a pioneer of the NT’s pastoral and transport industries, who was passionate about horse racing and the remnants of the race track he built can still be seen at Carbeen on Wednesday.
Ms Ross said the NT’s pastoral market had eased off in 2024 but demand for freehold blocks with water licences remained strong.
“The cotton gin at Katherine has now had its first season, there’s some other freehold blocks coming onto market and inquiries are picking up,” she said.
Heytesbury Pastoral has been contacted for further comment.
