Viresco launches A$500M fund for Queensland beef, buys first cattle station
What's the deal? Viresco GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has launched a A$500 million ($358.47 million) Queensland Farmland Fund targeting the state's beef value chain, spanning breeding, backgrounding, and finishing. Backed by a cornerstone commitment from an unidentified institutional investor, the fund has already made its first acquisition.
The first buy: Viresco has acquired Kellys Creek and Pauralos Park, a contiguous 22,000-hectare beef aggregation in Central West Queensland. Chief investment officer Griff Williams called it "the first step" in building a presence across the beef production value chain.
What's the endgame? Viresco treats farmland as a strategic asset class rather than passive commodity exposure. "Kellys Creek and Pauralos Park will be run in a way that lifts productivity while improving the condition of the land itself," said co-founder and chief executive officer Hadyn Craig.
The team: Founded in the UK by Craig, Williams, Charlie Hancock, and Guy Pengelley, Viresco recently named Peter Maher — who oversaw the launch of MacquarieDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s farmland platform ParawayDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — as chair. The group spans Viresco Capital ManagementDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which invests in agricultural real assets, and Viresco Advisory LimitedDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which advises agri-food companies on strategy, transactions, and capital.
Why Queensland? The state holds Australia's largest beef cattle herd — about 45% of the national total, or 13.5 million head in 2025 — and handles 50% of its processed beef. Its meat processing sector was valued at roughly A$2.4 billion in 2023/24, with the entire value chain estimated at A$33.88 billion.
The signal: With the global population on track to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 and productive per-capita farmland shrinking, institutional capital is treating food security like energy. Australia — the world's second-largest beef exporter, with stable land title and property rights — is positioning to meet rising protein demand as production falters elsewhere.
Read more: farmlandgrab.org
