Australia is one of the world’s main markets for institutional investment in both agricultural land and water – with the market for the latter holding a unique status globally. Naturally, foreign investors are attracted to the quality of the opportunities on offer.
On the land side, almost all types of agriculture investment are available, from broadacre cropping or irrigated permanent agriculture, to some the largest cattle stations on the planet. The country’s water market, meanwhile, which has ensured water is a regulated, tradable commodity separate from land, is the envy of others overseas.
Which country owns the most land in Australia?
Foreign investments is naturally a major component of the institutional capital flowing into Australian land and water, as our coverage of foreign ownership statistics since 2019 highlights.
LATEST AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN OWNERSHIP STATISTICS
Foreign ownership of Australian farmland: 2024 statistics
Foreign ownership of Australian agriculture has seen its first increase in two years as North American investors rapidly expand their holdings and the UK claims the top spot.
PREVIOUS STATISTICS
RELATED COVERAGE: INVESTMENT IN AUSTRALIAN WATER
Agri Investor Awards 2025 – Asia-Pacific winners
Gunn Agri Partners, New Forests and Roc Partners dominated the GP categories across Asia-Pacific.
Agriculture in the Murray-Darling Basin will need more than rain
While the Australian government accelerates its buyback of water for environmental purposes, a review of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan shifts the gaze onto adjacent areas primed for investment.
Year in review, 2025: Australian buybacks stimulate water-heavy strategies
A wave of major transactions from Duxton Water, Macquarie and GoFarm precede a review of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan that could have further implications for investors.
CEFC Nat Cap head says location of COP31 unimportant as Turkey takes hosting duties
Australian investors say COP30 has sharpened the global focus on natural capital, carbon markets and Pacific nations’ climate vulnerabilities.
Foreign ownership of Australian water: 2024 statistics
Canada remains the largest foreign holder of Australian water entitlements as total foreign water interests inch higher.
RELATED COVERAGE: INVESTMENT IN AUSTRALIAN FARMLAND
New Forests launches global natural capital fund
The Global Landscape Opportunities fund will invest in forestry, agriculture, infrastructure and processing assets, while also exploring carbon and biodiversity opportunities.
Australian farmland returns continue to rise in Q1: ANREV
The Australian Farmland Index has posted a positive annualized return for the second quarter in a row after eight consecutive quarters of negative returns.
Can biodiversity certificates create premium Australian carbon credits?
Johann Theron, developer of the second project registered on the Nature Repair Market, hopes biodiversity certificates will help to more accurately compensate Australian Carbon Credit Unitholders.
Carbon markets stabilize but remain rooted in land
World Bank data shows forestry and land-use credits remain dominant even as ETS and carbon tax systems expand.
World Bank: Third of global GHG emissions to be covered by ETS or carbon tax by 2030
Direct carbon pricing currently covers 29% of global GHG emissions through 87 policies, as forestry and land use remain the dominant project types.
