Rural Property

[MadDocker]

Anyone own a rural "weekender" type property?

Been checking a few out with the family, nothing massive, just a place that has a shack, bush, some water etc. to take the kids out to on long weekends and holidays to, camp, chill out, shoot, ride motor bikes etc.

Keen to hear from anyone that has experience owning one and what the ongoing costs of things like firebreaks etc. are like, any unexpected things that came up to watch out for and any tips you'd give.

Cheers.

[huggy_b]

Don't do paddock skids followed private road skids followed by shooting guns and then more private road skids.........apparently according to neighbours that type of behaviour will draw in bikies and other social riff raff to the area.

[matty12]

What size you looking at?

[skidkid]

Yeah don't do skids, and country folk believe all sorts of nonsense.

What size land, and where? Location and size will determine running costs

[MadDocker]

Might have to do more research then... Haven't really narrowed down a location yet. Anywhere 5ish hours or less from Byford, with a dam, river or creek and some bush, not a cleared pasture type block.

Something sort of like these that came up in a quick search -
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-wa-ravensthorpe-7326476
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-cropping-wa-clackline-7686227
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-wa-mount+barker-7686959

[skidkid]

Massive difference between the 300acre and 10 acre properties that you've linked.

With 300acres you'll have to buy a tractor to maintain your fire breaks.

Whats your budget? Why do you want a river or creek? They smash up the price and bring a lot of extra work.

If I was buying something, I'd go for a property with a split of cleared paddocks and bush, somewhere around 60/40.

[MadDocker]

Probably 250K max. Anything under is a bonus. Figure the river would be nice for the kids to play around. Not 100% a requirement but seemed like a good idea.

300acres is pretty massive for a weekender I guess. Just came up in the first page of the search when I looked quickly.

Any areas you'd recommend I look around? Wouldn't I need a tractor or something for firebreaks on a small property anyway??

[rgvlee]

On 10 acres probably not. I have 5.5 and if regularly maintained can be done on foot, at worst a quad. If it gets really bad a bobcat will make short work of it.

On 300, it's potentially a big job.

[MadDocker]

Awesome, cheers!

[rgvlee]

If you're thinking of shooting then size will be a consideration

[Ash]

My place is up for sale 140 acres 40 mins from CBD, go riding & bush bashing up there often, has a winter stream with heaps of marron and comes with a paintball business :) got it up for $880,000 including $250,000 worth of plant and equipment.

[MadDocker]

That's more than the house I live in is worth hahaha. More than I can afford pal.

[sicka]

been looking into this for a while

bush blocks can have strict clearing restrictions
rising salt table can be an issue in the future depending where you are looking.
maintaining 100+ acres of bush can be an epic job

if you go far south as mount barker/kendenup ways you can get ~10-30+ acres with a house/set up shed in your price range..

norcliff has some nice sized properties and you are essentially on the beach as well. lts of 4wd tracks, fishing...

ex pine plantations are generally a fair amount cheaper but they do not rehab once they harvest and look like wastelands for a while. the stumps will reshoot though.

a lot of places have been advertised for a long time & are prime for low balls..

[Ash]

I wouldn't sell it, paintball still brings in heaps of money but i need to release the equity so i can do some developments near the city and im maxed out at the banks. Good luck with your search :)

[Ash]

Also have you thought about buying something with a self managed super fund? you can buy an "investment property" with it as long as your not living in it, i was going to get something a while ago and do short term holiday rents then stay in it during my holidays, im not a full bottle on it, theres probably some boys on here that will know more but ive seen it work for a few other people, just means your super payments go into your investment instead of a super institution.

[skidkid]

I'd look towards York, Beverley or Toodyay , but I'm biased towards York due to living there for 8 years.

10 acres you would get away with doing with a quadbike with spraying equipment & a chainsaw. 100acres you need a tractor and will take 1 or 2 days a year to maintain.

I'd try find some land in a valley, the more hills the better. Makes it easy to build dams in the future and is much prettier than flat farmland/bushland


Avoid pine plantations like ebola. There is an enormous amount of work required to get anything to grow there again, and theres not much you can do with the land once its been harvested.

[mys1]

Clackline joint looks pimp!

[huggy_b]

Also have you thought about buying something with a self managed super fund? you can buy an "investment property" with it as long as your not living in it, i was going to get something a while ago and do short term holiday rents then stay in it during my holidays, im not a full bottle on it, theres probably some boys on here that will know more but ive seen it work for a few other people, just means your super payments go into your investment instead of a super institution.

The government are doing their best to make this as hard as possible to do - they dont want people in SMSF.
At this stage you can only borrow up to 65% as an individual SMSF for a "commercial" property and the set-up costs are up there. On $250k property you'd need at least a minimum of $120,000 (preferably more) in super to be able to do it. That's pretty simplified, but I think most people have a misconception about the cost to set it up and finance it. Residential is slightly easier as they will let you borrow up to 75% I think from memory.....

[rgvlee]

What about dowerin? You know, to be next to the race track :rolleyes:

Around porongurups - basically next to mt barker - is a nice area. Higher prices in that region, there's a bit of tourism around there, some wineries, etc. A fair bit of short stay accommodation b&b sort of thing. I think you could do better for your money size wise and it's a fair hike down albany highway though.

[Nugs]

Wanna buy a farm in Dandaragan?

[MadDocker]

Details and price?

[tinto]

What are the land rates like on these massive blocks?
And what do you get for your money?

Would be good to understand what applies to an "off the grid" bush block.

[MadDocker]

Most rates are on the for sale adds. One I'm looking at is about 300acres. Land rates are under $600 and water rates are under $250. Not bad in my opinion.

Trying to figure out the additional costs. Fire breaks might get expensive, fencing, if feral weeds or animals become a problem you have to deal with it etc.

[evo5aurus]

My old man and his brother have 175 acres in Chidlow. No one lives there but my uncle spends a fair bit of time up there working on orchard and shit. Have a tractor for fire breaks, fences are a bit of an issue with kangaroos constantly destroying them. Unsure of the costs but I do know that the rent from a phone tower on the property covers pretty much everything (rates etc) which is handy

[skidkid]

Additional costs will be property specific.

We haven't had to do any fences to my parents farm since buying it, but we don't have livestock and there aren't too many roos around the place. We have a Tractor and a Gator with spraying equipment to do firebreaks, which are fairly easy to maintain as we keep them cleared and spray the weeds every Winter + Spring. Feral weeds will only become an issue if you introduce them, or they're in the area. Feral animals are fun to deal with.

If you can, get a property with a decent powered shed on it already, will make camping there 1000x nicer than if theres no structures there at all.

[Sciflyer]

Having machinery to do your own firebreaks is nice but not essential by any means unless you have eleventymillion acres - for the once a year that you need to do them there are loads of people who will come in and do it for you - thats all we have ever done

[Ash]

Yea i have a bobcat and a tractor but its easier to get a pro in to do it while i have a beer and watch.

Just on the rates thing just be careful as if you are already a home owner they will slug you a land tax on other properties that aren't your primary residence, my bush block rates are around $1500 pa which is just shit as we don't get a bin service and there is no scheme water so i dont know what we pay for and we get a $1700 pa land tax on top that just because the government doesn't get enough out of me already.

[MadDocker]

How much would you pay getting someone in to do the fire breaks roughly?

[fourseven]

A cocky charges me $50 to do firebreaks on 20 acres. Before that we'd take the fire truck and a few coldies out and do them. Make friends wherever you end up or join the local Fire and Rescue Service for a cheap solution!

The Wheatbelt has plenty of cheap property if you aren't wanting to farm.

[Ash]

How much would you pay getting someone in to do the fire breaks roughly?

I got a grader once that was around $1500 to do the whole way round but the road was nice and smooth so it was a great rally track that summer, the next time i got a guy with a D6 for $600 but the track was stuffed afterwards lots of pitting and rocks. It really depends on where you buy and if there is a local bloke who does them which there usually is.

[Ash]

Also with the grader the shape of the road was better so the water ran off in winter and didnt leave big wash craters

[DRKWRX]

The misses old man bought 100 acres out in Brookton for 200k has a stream running through it, only an hour from kelmscott, often go camp there just to get out of town for the weekend, he does seem to always have things to do out there though lol he has no machinery yet and has had it for a couple years, make friends with the farmers and you can help each other out.

[180SXTCY]

I currently live on 40 acres with my parents until my house is finished.

growing up on a farm has been awesome, aways had go karts, motorbikes, go shooting, swim in the dam, bush bashing etc.

[MadDocker]

Yeah I can't afford to relocate permanently but that's what I want for my kids.

[Macca]

Have a 1500 hectare farm for sale if you keen lol

[rodent]

My mate has 120+ acres out near Beverley, combination of paddocks and natural bush/uncroppable land

He covers his overheads by leasing the paddock space back to the cocky next door who also takes care of the firebreaks & fences.

Still has plenty of room for activities. Very good times.

[tinto]

Any one else spend some time looking up wtf a cocky was when it wasn't being a galah?
Same.

[180SXTCY]

Lol @ cocky next door. Farmer talk?

[rodent]

Yep, Cocky = Farmer

[Turboesky]

Get an old paddock hack and teach the kids to drive. 50 laps of the block every weekend will keep the fire breaks looking good.

[Evoboycorey]

Get an old paddock hack and teach the kids to drive. 50 laps of the block every weekend will keep the fire breaks looking good.

+1

We just get a forby on the brake after winter months, as i dont normally ride when its pissing with rain. 5.5 acres

[MadDocker]

Little guy can't drive yet. Would take him a while to rock it like this around the paddock I recon....

http://cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/143781064-little-boy-riding-plastic-motorbike-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=Clv1mBzrMTqVJwSnn8dtJnAO4S4Rxq1XlAKhTGXH0TU%3D

Guess it will have to be up to me.

Edit: Going to have a look at 2 next weekend.

[HotAe92]

My folks have a 16 acre place in West Toodyay (Coondle) that we've had for 16 years now. Was great fun as a kid/teen growing up, heading up there each weekend to ride the motorbikes etc. Don't head up there as often now, but still enjoy the time we do get to head up.

In terms of maintenance: Dad bought an old international 454 early on in the piece, as well as a grader blade and a harrow, and that has taken care of the firebreaks and access track.

Only a few years back, alot of the property nearby subdivided into 5 acre blocks. The folks had the place valued around that time and looks to have made 450% on initial outlay including land purchase, shed etc. Needless to say it has become a great little nest egg for the folks.

[perthute]

my old man has 150 acres near bridgetown
$800 per year rates
most of the fence lines are deemed too hilly so its exempt from fire breaks
they started with goats (big waste of time )
now have dorpa sheep (wool falls off in summer ) rather than paying to get em cut
very low maintenance now
great weekender , paddock bash , vermin shooting

[mr_mike]

This is an idea I have been toying with for ages, usually after a trip to parents place down Nannup and being annoyed at how close houses are in suburbia.
Been looking at uncleared bush blocks 10-50 acre somewhere in the south west. Can get a few for around $100-150k.
Plan would be to clear a small area for camping but also have a couple 60ft sea containers welded together to make lounge/kitchen area and a single bedroom and toilet/shower out of the other. Pot Belly fire, solar panels on the roof and deep cycle batteries to run some lights and a water pump. Few thousand litre water tank out back.
Then a small deck out front of the containers to hang out on.

Would be looking at about $10-15k to set up including cost of containers....... one day.....

[rgvlee]

The 60 footers are going to be a fair bit even average 2nd hand.

Solar can be done cheap, batteries usually not.

I think 10-15k inc site works is quite optimistic. I think you'd blow most of that with the above.

[South]

I just gumtree'd them, and 40' ones are like 2.5k in average but sealed condition, then add $500+ to relocate it... You might get away with it, but would be rough as guts.

Property is also on my to do list, was just looking at million dollar properties, then looked at the repayments... might squeeze it in, in a few years time

[mr_mike]

The 60 footers are going to be a fair bit even average 2nd hand.

Solar can be done cheap, batteries usually not.

I think 10-15k inc site works is quite optimistic. I think you'd blow most of that with the above.


I just gumtree'd them, and 40' ones are like 2.5k in average but sealed condition, then add $500+ to relocate it... You might get away with it, but would be rough as guts.

Property is also on my to do list, was just looking at million dollar properties, then looked at the repayments... might squeeze it in, in a few years time

I should add i have mates who can organise transport of container for cheap, mates that are electricians plus other trades. Majority of work would be done myself and in no rush

[waxdass]

bringing this thread up again,

My old boy is close to retirement and wants to buy a farm, less than 2 hrs from Perth if possible. He was talking 100 acres but I think thats way too much to just hold a few livestock and crops etc... Plus the maintenance with fire-breaks etc. I think up to 5-10 acres is heaps for hobby farm?
A few of you guys on here have probably done heaps more research, any more info you could dish out? - He would be looking for something that would have a shed/house/bed and utilities available.
Budget is less than 200k

[crabman]

100+ acres isnt bad if a neighbour wants to lease a big portion and use it for cropping and livestock. Keeps it used, maintained and provides some income.

[Lmx]

bringing this thread up again,

My old boy is close to retirement and wants to buy a farm, less than 2 hrs from Perth if possible. He was talking 100 acres but I think thats way too much to just hold a few livestock and crops etc... Plus the maintenance with fire-breaks etc. I think up to 5-10 acres is heaps for hobby farm?
A few of you guys on here have probably done heaps more research, any more info you could dish out? - He would be looking for something that would have a shed/house/bed and utilities available.
Budget is less than 200k
Geez, where can you get 100 acres for under 200k.?

[DRKWRX]

http://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-wa-brookton-7675979