Raine & Horne Rural opens Brisbane operation under rural property agent Bart Norris

Raine & Horne Rural has launched a Brisbane operation, Raine & Horne Rural Brisbane, led by rural property agent Bart Norris, who joins the network from another major rural property brand.

The business will operate from Raine & Horne's Brisbane corporate office in Kelvin Grove and will service rural property owners and buyers across regional Queensland and New South Wales, working alongside the group's established regional offices.

Closer to the capital behind rural deals

Mr Norris said a base in the Queensland capital would let the business build connections with producers and regional communities as well as institutional investors, banks, professional advisers and other sources of capital, which are playing a growing role in Australian agriculture.

"For a producer considering a sale, achieving the best outcome starts with understanding the property, the business behind it and who the most likely buyers are," Mr Norris said.

"Being in Brisbane puts us closer to some of those buyers, as well as the banks, lawyers and other professional advisers involved in major rural transactions."

He said the Brisbane office also opened opportunities to expand into areas the Raine & Horne Rural network has not been servicing.

"Agriculture is an emerging sector, and sources of capital are becoming increasingly institutionalised. Having a presence in Brisbane enables us to work within the corporate network as well as on the ground with producers throughout regional Queensland and New South Wales," he said.

From station hand to agribusiness property

Mr Norris holds a bachelor of agribusiness from the University of Queensland. His career began as a station hand in Cloncurry, and he went on to work in feedlots and domestic meat trading before moving into agribusiness property.

"My approach to rural real estate comes from having worked on the ground in agriculture as well as in sales and commercial roles," he said.

"Agriculture is built on trust, respect and relationships, and rural property sales is no different."

Demand for agricultural assets

Mr Norris said economic conditions and seasonal uncertainty were encouraging some buyers and vendors to be more cautious, but underlying interest in Australian agriculture remained strong.

"There is still significant interest in Australian agriculture from institutions, family operations and new market entrants," he said.

He cited Raine & Horne's history, Australian ownership, investment in marketing and digital technology, including its AI-powered Amplify social media marketing platform, and its commitment to expanding its rural network as reasons for joining the group.

"Raine & Horne is an established Australian family-owned business that wants to grow its rural presence and is prepared to invest in the technology and resources to support that growth," Mr Norris said.