Two former 
Parramatta restaurateurs have paid $11.5 million for a premium banana, avocado and custard apple farm west of Cairns in Far North Queensland. Andrew and Geraldine Coulson, the former owners of Lachlans restaurant in Sydney’s western metropolis, acquired Lankester’s Farm at Walkamin in the Atherton Tablelands from Lankester Bananas founder Michael Lankester.
The Coulsons sold Lachlans, one of Parramatta’s top restaurants in March last year. Ms Coulson is a member of the Howe family, which founded Walkamin-based Howe Farming Group, the largest avocado grower in Queensland and also a grower of bananas and coffee.
While Ms Coulson is a shareholder of Atherton Tablelands-based business Howe Farming and the sister of managing director Dennis Howe, The Australian Financial Review understands Lankester’s Farm was acquired independently by the Coulsons.
The 123-hectare farm, first developed by Mr Lankester in 2009, is home to 29,200 Lady Finger variety banana plants, 3,700 trellised KJ Pink variety custard apple trees and 5,025 Shepard and 780 Hass variety avocado trees.
Source: commercialrealestate.com.au
Photo source: Queenslandcountrylife.com.au