Mark acts for agribusiness operators, landowners and financial institutions on rural property acquisitions and disposals, water entitlements, agribusiness transactions and rural lending security across Australia. He is one of Australia’s most experienced agribusiness and rural property lawyers.

Biography

Mark acts for corporations, unincorporated associations and private individuals and families in agribusiness and rural property matters, and financial institutions in rural lending and security transactions. He is a specialist agribusiness and property lawyer with more than 30 years of experience in rural and property law. His clients include major agribusiness operators, cotton producers, pastoral companies and major lenders including Rabobank. He is often called upon to time to advise fellow practitioners on water rights and to speak on water rights at industry seminars and continuing legal education events.

Mark’s practice centres on rural and agribusiness transactions including the acquisition, disposal and leasing of large rural properties, water entitlement transfers and licensing arrangements, agribusiness company sales and structuring, and rural lending security. He advises financial institutions on loan transactions secured by rural properties, water entitlements, livestock and crops. Water rights are a significant and specialist component of his practice, covering entitlement transfers, irrigation scheme compliance and water-linked property transactions.

Mark acted for J.G. Boswell Company on the sale of Auscott Limited, one of Australia’s largest land, water and infrastructure agribusinesses, to a SPV involving Australian Food and Fibre, involving over 24,000 hectares of developed irrigation land in New South Wales and 140,000 megalitres of water entitlements, along with associated ginning, warehousing and marketing operations. He previously acted for Auscott on the 2019 sale of its Midkin Aggregation at Moree, comprising more than 17,000 hectares and 58,000ML of water entitlements. He has also acted for Rabobank since 2009 on rural lending and security matters.

Mark is one of Australia’s most experienced agribusiness and rural property lawyers, with a practice combining large-scale transactional work with deep water law expertise. His long-standing relationships with major agribusiness clients, including both sides of the Auscott sale, and with institutional lenders such as Rabobank reflect a depth of trust built over decades. The Auscott CEO’s recognition of his contribution to one of the most complex agribusiness transactions in Australian history is a direct measure of his standing in this specialised market.

Credentials

Academic qualifications:

Memberships:

Mark's experience

J.G. Boswell Company – Sale of Auscott limited

Acted for J.G. Boswell Company on the sale of Auscott Limited to a SPV involving Australian Food and Fibre, one of Australia’s largest agribusiness transactions. Auscott’s assets included over 24,000 hectares of developed irrigation land across the Namoi, Macquarie and Murrumbidgee cotton-growing regions, in excess of 140,000 megalitres of water entitlements, and associated ginning, warehousing and marketing operations.

Auscott Limited – Midkin Aggregation sale

Acted for Auscott Limited on the 2019 sale of its Midkin Aggregation at Moree in New South Wales, comprising six individual properties with an area exceeding 17,000 hectares, over 58,000 megalitres of water entitlements and ginning operations.

Rabobank – Rural lending and security

Acted for Rabobank since 2009 in relation to its rural lending program, including security over land and water entitlements, crops and livestock across New South Wales and nationally.

Auscott, Clyde Agriculure and Paraway Pastoral Company – Property transactions

Advising on multiple transactions for the acquisition, divestment and leasing of large rural properties, navigating water entitlement transfers and associated licensing for major pastoral and irrigation operations.

Irrigation scheme operators

Advising on regulatory compliance and constitutions dealing with rights and obligations of members, the transfer of water entitlements and the securing of rights in respect of irrigation infrastructure.

Awards, recognition and ranking