North west's turn for freeholding workshops

They follow similar workshops in central Queensland at which issues such as carbon farming and exclusion fencing were raised.

AgForce rural property valuer John Moore said a new freeholding system for rural landholders effectively reduced the amount payable by perpetual lessees by up to 80 per cent, but many landholders were yet to make the most of this opportunity.

“Changes to the Land Act introduced by the previous state government in 2014 were among the most significant land reforms in a generation making it simpler and easier to renew agricultural and grazing leases, as well as providing a framework to convert leasehold land to freehold land,” he said.

“However, to date, only one third of Queensland’s eligible lessees have been freeholded, with leasehold rents now increasing for those who have chosen not to freehold.

“AgForce and NAB are joining together to host a series of workshops to give landholders more information about freeholding, financing options and livestock lending, as well as a general rural property update.”

Mr Moore said the workshops would also focus on the new land valuations issued earlier this month and the implications for north and north west Queensland primary producers.

“The rural property market over the past 18 months has been particularly buoyant on the back of strong commodity prices, with general rises of up to 25 per cent in parts of the market, and this is flowing through to unimproved values as well,” he said.

“Unimproved values determine what council rates rural landholders pay and are also used to calculate leasehold rents, so it’s important the figures are right.”

The workshops will be held at:

To RSVP and for more information email agforce@agforceqld.org.au