They are the billionaires of the bush. The top-end-of-town men and women known more for their boardroom acumen, who are forging a very large stake in our prime agriculture real estate. And they are not all Australian. An investigation into farm ownership in Australia can reveal some of the world s richest business figures - from the high-rise offices of New York, Hong Kong, London and Shanghai - are digging deep into the pockets of their tailor-made suits to participate in a multi-billion dollar buy up of some of our most iconic properties. Fifteen of the richest investors have a combined wealth of more than A$185 billion. Leading the charge is Hong Kong s richest person, the 92-year-old Sir Li Ka-shing (net worth: $A44.82 billion), whose CK Life Sciences company has about $1 billion invested in Australian farmland, from vineyards to grain properties and berry farms.
From vineyards to berry farms and cattle and grain properties: meet the world’s billionaires who are spending up big on blue chip rural Australian real estate.