Australia's macadamia sector is providing the market backdrop to the proposed sale of the GUT Orchard Portfolio in Queensland, as national production recovers from a difficult season and export demand remains in place.
LAWD has been engaged by the Manera family to manage the sale of the GUT Orchard Portfolio, comprising seven semi-contiguous properties covering 636 hectares in the Wide Bay-Burnett region of southeast Queensland. The portfolio is predominantly planted to macadamias and is being offered via an expression of interest process, closing on February 18, 2026.
© LAWD
The sale follows the Manera family's divestment in 2022 of Macadamia Enterprises, a coastal Queensland property planted to macadamias and including nut processing infrastructure and bore water entitlements, which was acquired by Nuveen Natural Capital for US$71 million.
Macadamias represent a relatively small share of Australia's total agricultural output, but they remain the only crop native to Australia produced at a commercial scale and traded internationally. Australia exports about 75 per cent of its annual macadamia crop, positioning it as the second-largest exporter globally.
As of December 2025, around 800 growers across three Australian states produced 43,800 tons of in-shell macadamias at 3.5 per cent moisture. Supply serves the domestic market and more than 40 export destinations. The 2025 season was described as challenging, although expectations for the following season have improved.
"Looking ahead, the outlook for the 2026 season is cautiously optimistic," said Clare Hamilton-Bate, CEO of the Australian Macadamia Society, in an industry update dated December 2, 2025. "Growing conditions have been favourable so far, flowering has been strong in most regions, and early nut set appears promising. With low inventory levels and ongoing strong customer demand, the industry is focused on rebuilding and delivering premium Australian macadamias to markets around the world in 2026."
Market analysts at Mordor Intelligence estimate the macadamia market at US$1.95 billion in 2026, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 9.08 per cent between 2026 and 2031, reaching US$3.02 billion.
Queensland accounts for close to 70 per cent of Australia's macadamia production, with exports to markets including Japan, South Korea, China, Germany, and the United States. Within this context, the GUT Orchard Portfolio includes six macadamia orchards and one irrigated cropping property with arable land. The assets also include catchment dams, water supplied via the SunWater Supply Scheme totaling 1,034 megalitres, and farm infrastructure.
The transaction reflects ongoing investor interest in permanent horticulture assets linked to export-oriented production systems.
