WA's remarkable citrus success story offered up for sale

In 2006 a farming couple famously planted 170,000 citrus trees across 213 hectares (526 acres) after discovering copious quantities of water beneath the surface of their dusty sheep paddock.

Moora Citrus has became a runaway success with contracts to the big WA supermarkets who had been forced to import most of their citrus fruit from others states and overseas..

Located about 200km north of Perth on some of the state's better known cropping country, the orchard was developed by prominent WA farmers Sue Middleton and Michael Brennan with equity partners the Gillon Group.

Ms Middleton is a previous winner of the National Rural Women's Award.

The pair sold their 4500ha broadacre farm and piggery business, Agripork, at Wongan Hills and Moora in 2021 to local farmers.

Today Moora Citrus Group it is listed for sale on behalf of "private investors" by Colliers with no selling price although a range of $25 million-$30 million has been suggested by others.

International offers are also sought for the business which includes the 2600 megalitre ground water licence which fuels the whole operation.

The sale also includes the modern 6934 square metre Northern Valley Packers at Bindoon, about 70km north east of Perth which was opened in 2017 at a construction cost of about $7 million.

The state's biggest citrus packing facility with the ability to process 20,000 tonnes of produce per year was built by Moora Citrus and the Kay, Gillion, Yildiz, Brennan and Middleton families to supply local and export markets.

The packing plant gave Moora Citrus full vertical integration to boost plans to reach a joint turnover of $24 million annually from Moora Citrus and Moora Citrus Packers.

Today the Moora Citrus Group is WA's premier producer, packer and marketer of citrus - oranges, mandarins and lemons.

The offer begins with the 341ha landholding near the wheatbelt town of Moora with many structural improvements including automated drip irrigation and micro sprinklers and computerised fertigation equipment.

The sale includes a long-term lease right to 91ha near Gingin (together with associated sheds and cool rooms) which it leases with the Costa Group.

That Sandgroper Fruits Orchard includes 66ha of citrus and small plantings of stone fruit and figs. The orchard has rights to more than 800 megalitres of ground water.

"Moora Citrus represents an opportunity for the astute investor who will have the support of an experienced management team with excellent local operational and supporting staff," agents from Colliers said.

The Moora Citrus Group is being offered for sale, in one line and or as separate assets, by international expressions of interest closing Thursday, May 30.