Ben Wyatt’s hands tied over million-dollar battle for Kimberley cattle station – Sydney Morning Herald

Gina Rinehart owns the nearby Fossil Downs station, while Kerry Stokes owns Leopold Downs and Napier Downs.
Some foreign parties were also believed to be interested in the station, though Elders would not reveal any further information.
Jubilee Downs has been co-owned by pastoralists Keith and Karen Anderson and United States billionaire Edward Bass since the 1980s.
Yi-Martuwarra Ngurrara had plans to use the pastoral lease for sustainable development and as a tourism business, but now fear it could be used by the new buyer to take water from the Fitzroy River, which runs through the property, for irrigation.
Pastoralists, traditional owners and environmentalists have previously clashed over concerns that if too much water was allowed to be drained for farming, it could result in another Murray-Darling fiasco.
Yi-Martuwarra traditional owner Anthony McLarty said the state government had committed to protect the Fitzroy and support traditional owners’ bids for sustainable development in the region, and called on it to help their bid.
We have plans for this land, but we cant compete with billionaires who can pay more than the working value of these properties. Now is the time we need the government to step up and help, he said.
But Mr Wyatts hands seem tied.
A spokeswoman said it was a private sale between a willing seller and willing buyer.
There has not yet been a request to the minister to transfer the land. If the private sale proceeds the Minister for Lands cannot unreasonably withhold his approval, she said.
New benchmark
Greg Smith is the agent in charge of the sale and said with prices around $30 million it was likely it would set a new benchmark for Kimberley property.
The opportunity to secure a first-class herd of cattle is one of the attractions, he said.
The property is a very good piece of country that has been extremely reliable and consistent.
Mr Smith said Ms Rineharts purchase of Fossil Downs in 2015 was also around the $30 million mark, but it was a bigger station with the same size herd.
The sale was expected to be finalised soon.

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