THE Queensland government owned property Manningham has sold at a Brodie and Co auction in Longreach for $2.4 million.
The 13,494 hectare (33,344 acre) property was previously used as a training facility for the Longreach Pastoral College.
Bought by John and Elizabeth Beattie from Longreach, the sale price is equal to about $178/ha ($72/acre).
The sale represents a broken promise by the Palaszczuk government, which said in the lead up to the 2015 election that if elected it would not sell assets.
The country is a mix of soft undulating pebbly open downs, with small areas of red loamy false sandalwood/leopardwood country with stony gidgee ridges. Most of the open downs country is lightly timbered with whitewood, vinetree, boree and bauhinia with coolibah along the water courses.
Based on district averages, the property is estimated to carry about 8500 ewes or 1000 cows in an average season.
Water is supplied from two bores, turkey nests, tanks and troughs, seven dams, and semi-permanent water holes along the Maneroo, Harp, McLaughlan and Shanty Creek systems, especially after the wet season. The Maneroo and Bull Creek channels run through the middle of the property.
Manningham is fenced into eight large paddocks, eight smaller paddocks, and four holding paddocks plus the stock route reserve. There is a laneway system back to the yards.
There is a main set of sheep yards at the six stand shearing shed, two other sets of sheep yards, and basic set of cattle yards. Other improvements include a three bedroom house, a second three bedroom house, quarters for 12 people, sheds, auxiliary power plant, fuel shed, stables and horse yards, and a molasses tank.