A four-orchard portfolio in one of Australia's top fruit-growing regions has hit the market, expecting to fetch an eight-figure sum.
The listing in Victoria's Goulburn Valley spans a combined 627 acres of land comprising four properties: Central Park, Marenny Vale, Riversby, and Silver Orchards.
Collectively, the orchards produce 30,495 bins of fruit annually.
Ray White Rural director Jason Hellyer is marketing the portfolio via an expressions of interest campaign, with the total value estimated in the range of $24.75 million.
It is being offered to market either as a single, large-scale aggregation or as four individual family-run enterprises.
Mr Hellyear described the scale of the offering as "exceptionally rare" for the region.
"Securing four established family orchards of this calibre to sell at once is a significant event for the Goulburn Valley," Mr Hellyer said.
"We are presenting a turnkey production engine with sophisticated automated irrigation, excellent cool storage capacity, and a diverse fruit mix of apples, pears, plums, and cherries."
Overall, the four properties share a combined tree count of more than 254,000.
"Whether a buyer takes the whole aggregation, leveraging the 5000-square-metre packing facility at Central Park, or secures a single site like Silver Orchards, they are stepping into established businesses with decades of proven success," he said.
Mr Hellyer said the portfolio's geographical diversity across Shepparton East, Bunbartha, Nathalia, and Coomboona ensures a staggered and secure harvest window.
Among the properties is the 114-acre Silver Orchards, owned by Maurice and Rien Silverstein.
Maurice is a fourth-generation orchardist whose family has worked the land since the 1930s.
After raising five sons on the farm and dedicating decades to agricultural research and community leadership, the couple has decided to retire.
Their operation produces more than 4900 bins across apples, pears, and plums, including more than 2200 bins of Pink Lady apples.
"Maurice was born on this property, and I moved here in 1987; it has been our whole lives," Mrs Silverstein said.
"While our eldest son, Bo, still works the land with Maurice, he is looking for a smaller operation, and at 75 and 72, we are ready to focus on our grandchildren.
"We have loved being part of the Shepparton orchard community and have spent 40 years experimenting with water efficiency and new varieties to ensure this land stays productive.
"It's bittersweet to sell, but there is a real sense of optimism for the industry's future with export markets growing, and we want to see a new owner take that potential to the next level."
Also heading to market is Riversby, owned by third-generation fruit grower Ian Bolitho who is retiring after 46 years in the industry.
"My wife and I purchased the 41-hectare family orchard at 805 Dougan Road, Coomboona in 1996, then we purchased 71 hectares of vacant land at 91 Dougan Road in 1998," Mr Bolitho said.
"In 2000, development commenced on the modern high-density orchard at 91 Dougan Road."
Mr Bolitho described fruit-growing as "incredibly rewarding".
"We have enjoyed fruit growing in the Goulburn Valley; it is incredibly rewarding to nurture a fruit tree from winter dormant pruning, through the spring flowering, and on to harvesting juicy sweet fruit that people will enjoy," he said.
"Our orchards are designed and managed with the long-term vision of sustainable long-term profits."
