New England

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CWP Renewables and Partners Group are pioneering Australia’s first, large-scale, public, community investment into a utility-scale wind farm. 
The Sapphire Wind Farm Community Co-investment allows investment in the Sapphire Wind Farm in the New England district.
At 270MW it is the largest wind farm in New South Wales. The energy generated by the Sapphire Wind Farm is enough to power around 115,000 homes and to displace 700,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
DomaCom, who has partnered with developers CWP Renewables and Partners Group, are closing applications for the co-investment initiative of Sapphire Wind Farm in rural New South Wales at the end of the month.
The Sapphire Wind Farm, in Kingsland is an Australian first for its community co-investment.
Initially the opportunity, closing June 30 was only made available for those in the local community, however building on the success of the campaign, the developers extended the initiative to all residents from NSW and the ACT.
Over $7.4 million of pledges were made by community members interested in investing throughout 2017/2018.
DomaCom's <a href="https://domacom.com.au/" target="_blank">fractional property platform</a> allows small investors alongside institutional investors.
The platform allows multiple investors to aggregate their investments into an asset, typically a real estate asset, but now also renewable energy projects.
Andrew Dickson at CWP Renewables, the company behind constructing the wind farm, said DomaCom is a great fit for the community co-investment initiative.
"Their online platform makes it very easy for people to establish and manage their investment," Dickson said, adding that after testing the community's interest late last year, he was surprised with the level of interest."
The project is projected to have a return of 6% which Andrew said, "represents a good investment... better than the bank."
A minimum investment of $1,250 is required (maximum investment of $200,000).
The latest fund raising seeks $3 million of pledges.
Ross Laidlaw from DomaCom said, "the Sapphire Wind Farm Community Fund is a clear demonstration of the vision of DomaCom taking large institutional assets and breaking them down into fractional components to allow retail investors to obtain exposure to an asset class not previously available.”
Construction of the wind farm began in January, and the final turbine was installed in October. 
100MW of the wind farm's capacity has been contracted to the ACT government, as part of the Territory’s 100 per cent renewable target for 2020.
Another 50MW of the project’s capacity was contracted to renewable energy retailer Flow Power, which has now sealed a deal with the Sydney Opera House.
Under that deal, the Opera House will buy 16 gigawatt hours of wind and solar output a year from both Sapphire and the Bomen solar farm, also located in NSW.
For more information on DomaCom <a href="https://domacom.com.au/" target="_blank">click here.</a>
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DomaCom Sapphire Wind Farm co-investment opportunity closes this month

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An increase in interest has been driving values upward in NSW’s north west and the New England region, according to the latest rural report from valuation firm Herron Todd White.
The regions long-term drought conditions have seemingly not reduced the appetite for prospective buyers.
The recent sale of Pandora, 14 kilometres south of Walcha, shows the demand from neighbours looking to expand – One of the biggest sale drivers in the region.   
The property recently sold at auction for $4.65 million.
This represented a value of $9699 per hectare ($3927 per acre), which was well above the local average.
Since July 2019 there have been just under 20 sales of properties in excess of 200 hectares throughout the Walcha, Uralla, Armidale and Uralla shires, with some additional sales yet to be settled.
The HTW report found that, whilst the number of overall sales is lower compared to the previous financial year, the median price per hectare continues to rise.
“We feel this is a combination of the increased demand from local landholders and neighbours expanding and the lack of listings leading to increased competition,” the firm concluded.
“It is too early to predict what impact [COVID-19] will have on the rural market and our team will continue to monitor the rural market and report any relevant observations on the rural sector and market over the next six to 12 months.”
The full Herron Todd White 'Month-in-Review' for April can be read<a href="https://static.htw.com.au/HTW-month-in-review-April-2020-Rural.pdf" target="_blank"> here.</a>
 
Note regarding COVID-19:
This edition of Month In Review had its topic defined in late February with submissions from our offices collated through to late March. During this period, shifts in the social and economic landscape due to COVID-19 became increasingly dramatic, as demonstrated by the varied information provided by offices over the course of three weeks.
This month’s residential theme on baseline property market drivers remains a common thread, and provides an indication of what influences to monitor as the property sector recovers post-crisis.
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NSW's north west and New England region continues to rise in value despite drought: HTW rural

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The historic New England high country property, Prestwick has been sold prior to auction.
Meares &amp; Associates had been scheduled to auction the property today.
It sold to a Sydney investor with other rural interests.
The farm had been initially listed in autumn by Roger Grant, the Tamworth-based cattleman who had $5 million to $5.5 million hopes.
With a history dating back to the 1840’s when botanist and explorer Cunningham took up the land grant at Prestwick, it was marketed as a well managed and improved cattle breeding property enjoying all the features of the high country, including strong principally trap and basalt soils, normally high rainfall, with over 50% established with well improved pastures, including a mix of phalaris, cocksfoot, rye and clovers.
Located 55km southwest of Walcha and 53km from the regional centre of Tamworth, the 1,171 hectare (2,893 acres) property has traditionally carried 450 Angus breeding cows and heifers, with the progeny regularly topping the Tamworth premium weaner sale in January, at 8 – 10 months of age.
Prestwick has seen an extensive development program over the past three years with now approximately 565 ha (1,250 acres) of well developed pasture country and a further 60 ha (150 acres) recently cleared and being prepared for new pasture sowing next autumn. 
There is also a potential to develop a further 160 ha (400 acres) with minimal timber clearing and pasturing. The property has also enjoyed a good top- dressing history in recent years with super applied again as recently as April this year.
The property includes a series of sheltered valleys, with excellent generic features including the principally rich trap and basalt soils.
At an altitude ranging from 800m – just under 1,000m above sea level, there's an annual average rainfall of approximately 36” per annum, and excellent water from the 2.5km frontage to the permanent Mulla Creek, approximately 31 large spring-fed dams, an equipped bore and a series of seasonal spring-fed creeks.
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The major development program over the past three years has seen emphasis on fencing, including two efficient laneway systems to the south and west linking to the excellent new 500 head capacity all steel cattle yards complex. 
There is also a new all steel hay/machinery shed close to the existing operating improvements. Further innovation has included the upgrading of the electricity services with power lines now placed underground and also the sinking of a new bore close to the homestead.
The freshly painted and airconditioned Prestwick homestead is a classic well designed spacious two storey weatherboard home comprising 3 bedrooms, office, living and modernised kitchen, with easterly facing verandahs overlooking the established gardens. The adjoining 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom manager’s house is also in very good order.
Prestwick is also recognised for its lifestyle benefits with its attractive homestead and its excellent fishing resources – the Mulla Creek recognised as a major brown trout stream – 70,000 fingerlings fed into the Mulla in recent years.
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Chris Meares said Prestwick saw strong enquiry from Brisbane, rural Queensland, western New South Wales and Sydney.
"The owners of Prestwick have managed the extended dry conditions of the New England extremely well, always maintaining feed in front of their cattle.
"This has led them to minimise their cattle numbers in recent times and therefore, even with the small amount of rainfall received, the property is ‘grassing up’ and, hopefully given the summer storm pattern, should carry a good body of feed into the New Year.”
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New England farm, Prestwick sold pre-auction

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The well-known New England farm, Achill West, located east of the city of Armidale has been listed by the Sydney fund manager Iain Gray.
There is an online auction for Achill West, a 2216-hectare grazing property which comes with expectations of between $8 million and $8.5 million.
The property originally formed part of the Coventry family's Armidale wool-growing stations. 
Mr Gray, who runs advisory firm Sydney Fund Managers Ltd, acquired Achill West through PSLT Pty Ltd from Will McClenaghan in 2007 for $6.7 million, ending 106 years of Coventry ownership.
The listing agent Chris Meares from Meares &amp; Associates said Achill West was also ideally suited to prime lamb or wool production.
"Comprising a diverse 2,216.06 hectares (5,473.67 acres) of predominantly open undulating but well sheltered country, Achill West represents an excellent opportunity for prospective buyers to take advantage of the current strength in the livestock market," he said.
Around 70% of the property is arable and would be suitable for cash or fodder cropping, as well as highly suited to further improved pasture establishment.
Apart from existing improved pastures, an additional 350 hectares has been established over the past 3 years with rye grass, clover, plantain mixes.
With frontage to the Saint Helena and Four Mile Creeks, plus 69 surface dams, the property is subdivided into 56 main paddocks, averaging 42 hectares per paddock. 
The main homestead is a 4 bedroom weatherboard and galvanized iron home (approx. 260sqm), with a separate weatherboard and galvanized iron sleep-out adjacent.
Achill West is offered for sale via Meares Online auction on 22nd and 23rd November, 2016.
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