Carrie was originally a commercial real estate lawyer but has specialised in investment in plantation forestry and agriculture for the last 20 plus years. She is recognised as a leading lawyer advising on investment in plantation forestry and agriculture and is recognised for her deep industry knowledge and understanding of these investment classes and the specific issues for them. She has been in practice for over 30 years and is qualified in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Carrie was previously on the management board of JWS for 4 years, including during covid.
Carrie’s clients include overseas based inward investors into plantation forestry and agriculture in Australia as part of global investment strategies in natural capital. Clients include global investment and asset managers, institutional investors, including funds and endowments, private equity investors, state government and domestic and foreign corporates investing in and managing natural capital assets.
Carrie’s experience and expertise is in acquisition and disposal of large scale rural land interests (including aggregation strategies) comprising both freehold and Crown leasehold tenure across Australia, complex due diligence including water entitlements, livestock transfers, co-location (mining and energy projects), management agreements with Australian based managers, off-take agreements for wood supply and day to day operational issues.
Many of her clients comment on her deep knowledge and understanding of their issues, which go beyond being a lawyer. Carrie performs best when working with teams, in particular project based multi-disciplinary teams, including client teams, tax, investment banks and sector specific consultants. Carrie thrives on complexity and has a reputation for managing complex multi-faceted transactions with a team of lawyers from a wide range of specialist areas.
Expertise
- Complex multi-State acquisition and disposal of rural land for agriculture and plantation forestry, including water rights
- Due Diligence of all aspects of rural land and water tenures
- Wood supply off-take agreements for plantation forests
Work highlights
Excel Farms (joint venture between Australian interests and Fiera Comox-Canada)
Acquisition of two large farms (NSW and WA), including livestock, crops and inventory-each in excess of $100 million
Acquisition of two aggregations from different owners-12 separate farms (NSW and WA)-total value in excess of $100 million
Multiple acquisitions and disposals of farms in SA and Victoria.
Fiera Comox
Land and water aspects of acquisition of Eastern Australia Agriculture, the owner of large cropping properties in QLD and acquisition of a majority share in Grove Fruit Juice, a vertically integrated fruit juice producer-properties located in QLD and NSW.
Paraway Pastoral
Multiple acquisitions and disposals of livestock properties in QLD and NSW, including feedlot, water entitlements, including private irrigation schemes.
All business-as-usual matters arising from management of large rural holdings (approx. 4.4 million hectares in QLD, NSW, NT and Vic) including easements, leases to energy operators (wind and solar), disputes, mining interests, water entitlements, occupation rights and generally working with the senior management team.
Rosella (investment vehicle of Harvard Endowment)
All acquisitions and subsequent disposal of farm properties in Australia including cotton, permanent crops, dryland and irrigated cropping together with a substantial water portfolio across QLD, Vic, NSW and WA. Worked closely with manager on business-as-usual operational matters.
Confidential
The transfer of numerous stations in NSW comprised in over 1100 land titles, interests from the Crown and a substantial water entitlements portfolio, including interest in a number of private irrigation schemes as part of a restructure with a value in excess of $1 billion.
Global Forest Partners (investment entities)
Multiple purchases (60 plus properties) for Southern Cross Forests as part of a fallow land aggregation strategy for establishment of new plantations in NSW.
Long term wood supply contracts for two of the GFP investment entities for the supply to one of the major Mills in NSW.