SINCE 1867

thecourier.com.au$1.30 (inc GST) FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011

ROOS PLOT HOW TO STOP JUDD IN BLUES CLASH TONIGHT - SPORT

MORELOCAL NEWSLL

PLU

S

PAGE 3

PAGE 5

PAGE 7

PAGE 64

DRIVERS CAUGHTTHIRTEEN unregistered vehicles were detected within 20 minutes during a special police operation in Ballarat yesterday.

VICTIMS TO SUEVICTIMS of sexual abuse at the hands of Robert Charles Best plan to sue the disgraced Christian Brother.

CLOSING UPIT will be the end of an era for Ballarat’s nightlife when the Regent Bar closes its doors for the fi nal time this weekend.

BIG LAKE EVENTA STATE triathlon cham-pionship will be among the fi rst major water sports events for Lake Wendouree in a decade.

LIVING THE LIVING THE DREAMDREAM

Ballarat among top 10 most affordable citiesBallarat among top 10 most affordable cities

By NEELIMA CHOAHAN

BALLARAT has aced Melbourne as the eighth most affordable city in Australia, a new report reveals.

A study by the University of Canberra and AMP found that while Ballarat’s median house price was fi ve times the city’s median income, in inner Melbourne it was 10 times that ratio.

This makes inner Melbourne the country’s most unaffordable location.

Ballarat first home buyer Nathaniel Buchanan, who moved with his family from the Gold Coast to start a ghost tour business, said he always knew Ballarat was a great place to buy.

“I knew it and now the fi gures have proven it,” Mr Buchanan said.

The AMP.NATSEM Income and Wealth Report: The Great Australian Dream — Just a Dream? found that median house prices jumped 147 per cent to $417,000 between 2001 and 2011.

According to the report, Australian house prices will remain severely unaffordable for the next decade.

The RP Data fi gures are based on prices collected over the 12 months to March 2011 and show Ballarat’s median price to be a low $259,000.

However, latest Real Estate Institute of Victoria June quarter numbers show it has risen to $288,500.

Continued page 4Family makes the move, page 4

Family opts for Goldfi elds over Gold CoastFamily opts for Goldfi elds over Gold Coast

THE GOOD LIFE: Nathaniel Buchanan, his partner Susie McRae and daughter Vienna get ready to lead a ghost tour last night. The family relocated from the Gold Coast due to Ballarat’s housing affordability and the chance to start their tour business. Picture: Jeremy Bannister

News thecourier.com.au

4 – Friday, July 29, 2011

Source: ABS

50,000

45,000

40,000

35,000

30,000

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0

2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

Ballarat

Victoria

+3.1

+4.2+3.4

+3.7+2.9

+3.5+4.1

+3.7+5.9

+5.8

Ballarat $39,201

Greater Bendigo $38,095

Central Goldfi elds $32,791

Greater Geelong $42,236

Hepburn $37,020

Moorabool $43,219

Pyrenees $34,019

Ararat $35,072

The wages gap

How much we earn

Percentage$

Lower salaries offset by cost of living, says CEO I

Ballarat closing wage gapAVERAGE wages in regional Victorian areas continue to trail those in metropolitan Melbourne, but Ballarat has come some way to closing the gap over the last decade, the latest data reveals.

Australian Bureau of Statistics fi gures compiled from tax records show Ballarat’s average annual wage in 2009 was $39,201 an increase of almost 6 per cent from the previous year and a jump of more than $7000 since 2004.

The fi gures are based on average wages and do not include pensions, government entitlements or investments.

Ballarat also maintained a slight wage advantage on other non-metropolitan parts of Victoria including Bendigo whose average annual wage trailed Ballarat by $1106 in the data.

Despite the above average increases of Ballarat compared to the rest of the state since 2007, the annual wage was still $6045 behind the state average and as much as $8000 behind the metropolitan areas. But the lower overall incomes

were more than offset by cheaper cost of living according to Committee for Ballarat chief executive Doug Lloyd.

“What we are fi nding with the businesses we are talking to, particularly those people who have moved from Sydney and Melbourne, is that where the statistics indicate lower wages there is more than commensurate benefi ts to lifestyle and the amount of disposable income and that it is well worth the difference,” he said. “The reality is Ballarat is a much more affordable place to live.”

The richest parts of Victoria in terms of wages remain the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne with the local government area of Stonnington recording an average annual wage of $63,775.

This was more than twice the average wage in some of the state’s poorest areas, mainly in the Wimmera with the LGA area of Yarriambiack recording the lowest average annual income of $30,035.

By EUGENE DUFFY

FROM thongs to thermals, Nathaniel Buchanan and his family have exchanged the beaches of the Gold Coast for the cooler climes of Ballarat, all in the pursuit of a dream home.

Mr Buchanan and his partner Susie McRae moved to the town three years ago and are just in the process of buying their fi rst home.

P a r e n t s t o seven-month-old Vienna, the couple made the move knowing they wouldn’t be able to afford a home in Queensland.

“We were renting a one bedroom small mezzanine apartment, paying $250 a week,”

Mr Buchanan said. “The housing market started at $300,000 for a small apartment. It would have been almost impossible to buy a house there.”

The couple then made the decision to relocate to Ms McRae’s hometown.

“We looked at the house prices here, thought we’ll

start a business and be able to afford to buy a house in two or three years,” he said.

The new family home is a fi ve-bedroom weather-board in Sebastopol with “larger than standard backyard,” and a “massive shed with a potbelly stove”.

“It is in a quiet street, clean and neat,” he said. “And it is for $215,000.”

Mr Buchanan, who runs Eerie Tours in Ballarat and Daylesford said, Ballarat was a winner for home buyers.

The couple are hoping to make a decent return on the house and upgrade to an architecturally designed new home .

Family switches Gold Coast for Goldfi elds

HOME, SWEET HOME: Nathaniel Buchanan and partner Susie McRae with their daughter Vienna.

From page 1REIV Ballarat division

chairman Trevor Booth said the news was of no surprise to him.

“Another key factor is that residential land is also affordable, which means people wanting to buy and build their fi rst home have a great opportunity here,” Mr Booth said.

Earlier Mr Booth told The Courier Ballarat was ideal for both Ballarat fi rst home buyers and investors alike.

“You imagine a fi rst home buyer in Ballarat purchasing a median priced property at $288,500 and a first home

buyer buying a median-priced property at $590,000,” he said. “The level of debt he or she has to undertake to enter the Melbourne market is substan-tially higher. ”

NATSEM lead author of the report, principal research fellow Ben Phillips, said that unaffordable housing has become an Australia-wide issue. “It’s no longer just capital cities that are facing affordabil-ity issues. Affordability levels in Wollongong, Newcastle, Mandurah and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts are now on par with major capital cities,” he said.

Editorial, page 15

Living the dream: city makes top 10

For more information on how we can help you call us on

9667 6072 or visit www.statetrustees.com.au

When a loved one passes away, trying to sort out their estate while you’re grieving can be diffi cult. State Trustees can help fi nalise your loved one’s aff airs and can take care of everything for you.

We’ll provide you with professional advice and guidance, giving you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your loved one’s assets will be seen to by experienced and understanding specialists.

At State Trustees we’re all about helping Victorians through the diffi cult times to allow you time to grieve and concentrate on what is important – family & friends.

State Trustees. Your Deceased Estate Administration specialists.

thecourier.com.au News

Saturday, November 19, 2011 – 5

A LATEST property report has named eight Ballarat suburbs as among the top 100 best performing areas in Victoria.

And what will come as even more good news to home owners is that the suburbs are out of just 42 in the state tipped to grow by three per cent over the next 12 months.

The report in the Financial Review Smart Investor charted the top 600 areas for capital growth and rental returns across the country to arrive at the best performing suburbs in each state and territory.

It also looked at how well these areas would be likely to hold their value over the next 12 months.

Creswick, Ballarat Central, Ballarat North, Ballarat East, Solider’s Hill, Miner’s Rest, Canadian and Mount Clear are the suburbs that have made it to the elite list.

Financial Review Smart Investor editor Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon said it was an excellent result.

“To have eight suburbs in the top 100 over the 12 months in Ballarat is a tremendous result ,” Ms Pedersen-McKinnon said.

“What’s more all these suburbs are tipped to match or beat infl ation in the year ahead. This is very impressive especially in a Victorian market which is going to be largely slack with very few standout performers.”

Ms Pedersen-McKinnon said this continued the trend seen in other states where the more affordable outlying areas were tipped to grow.

Real Estate Institute of Victoria chairman John McMahon said the forecast meant that of the total number of suburbs predicted to grow in Victoria, 20 per cent were in

Ballarat. “That’s terrifi c news for Ballarat residents,” Mr McMahon said.

Ballarat, he said, had a number of positives that made it a hot favourite among property buyers.

“We know we are experienc-ing population growth and we have such a terrific base of infrastructure,” Mr McMahon said.

“Ballarat really offers a whole range of community needs that are unavailable in the sprawling suburbs of the fringe of Melbourne in particular.”

The town’s attractions, he said, included Australia’s largest and oldest regional art gallery. There was also a history of performing arts and access to amateur theatre companies as well as excellent sporting facilities.

“There is access to primary, post-primary and tertiary education as well as outstand-ing medical facilities,” Mr McMahon said. “We are constantly being told by people who come here that Ballarat has a lovely feel about it.” The town, he said, was on its way to becoming a second-tier city comparable to Melbourne.

Domain, page 49

Eight in elite report

Ballarat suburbs named in top 100 state performers I

By NEELIMA CHOAHAN

REIV CHAIRMAN JOHN MCMAHON

Couple love their idyllic Creswick life

City living without cost

Frank and Cheryl Gray, Creswick.Living in the area for 15 years. FRANK and Cheryl Gray wish they had moved to the area 30 years ago.

Mr Gray said the couple relocated just fi ve kilometres outside of Creswick to start their own business.

“We wanted somewhere with a bit more room,” Mr Gray said.

“Somewhere that was far from the

town but not too far away.”Ms Gray said she wasn’t surprised at

all that the area had been mentioned as one of the top eight suburbs in terms of growth in Victoria.

“When we moved out here it was never on the radar,” Ms Gray said.

“I wish we moved here 30 years ago.“It is a lovely place.”The place, she said, had all the facilities

needed within the local community.“Our children had left before we

moved here,” Ms Gray said.“I wish we brought up our children

here.”Ms Gray said she had no clue what her

property was worth at the moment.“We got a bargain, I think,” she said.“I would recommend others to come

here but don’t let the secret out.”

Nick Lanyon and Paula Wheaton, Soldier’s Hill.Living in the area for 13 years. LIVING in Soldier’s Hill offers Nick Lanyon and Paula Wheaton the lifestyle of being in an inner-city area without the high prices.

The couple, who moved to Ballarat from Melbourne with their three children, Harvey, Olive and Hazel, say they were drawn to the area for its heritage proponent.

“We live in a 1930’s three-bedroom California bungalow,” Mr Lanyon said.

“Generally speaking there is a relatively consistent street character.”

Other charms included tree-lined streets and accessibility to schools and the amenities of the city area.

“We ride our bikes every opportu-nity,” he said. “The kids can easily ride into town.”

Mr Lanyon said more and more people were being pushed out of Melbourne because of its expensive housing. “I am not overly surprised (that the suburb is doing well),” he said.

“It is only logical.“ I would recommend it to others.”

Ballarat really offers a whole range of community needs that are unavailable in the sprawling suburbs of the fringe of Melbourne.

Help! I need a problem to solveBERN, Switzerland. If you don’t have enough problems in your life, there is a Swiss agency that can help. Needaproblem.com calls itself the “address for happy people leading a carefree life.

“In order that life doesn’t become too boring and monotone (it) provides ... real problems to solve.” The website offers problems ranging from trivial concerns for 1 euro ($A1.34) to almost impossible-to-solve problems for 5,000 euros ($A6707).

They include disassem-bling a ballpoint pen and arranging a fi reworks display on Mauritius.

ODDBALL I

1222782

Get Ready for SummerMeaderm Skin Rejuvenation Clinic

proudly in association withPlastic Surgeon Mr Robert Sheen

have introduced

Fraxel Laser to BallaratWe treat freckles, sun spots,

wrinkles and more.Time to freshen your face for summer?

Special introductory offer

½ PRICEfor treatments booked by 9th December 2011

Call us on 5333 7129or visit our website www.meaderm.com.au

1249509

www.domain.com.au Saturday, January 7, 2012 – 3

F OR all its size, this modern dream home manages to exude a cosy feel and spaciousness at the same time.

With fi ve bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living areas and multiple outdoor spaces this house is both a family home and an entertainer’s delight.

The current owner, who shares the home with his wife, two young daughters and dogs, said the best thing about the house is its ability to adapt to the needs of a growing family.

Sitting atop a hill on a 1048m2 allotment, the house impresses with its imposing facade.

Inside, a fl ight of stairs leads to the two wings. Huge windows

over looking the landscaped courtyard with its oak tree, fl ood the abode with light.

Three double bedrooms, a living room and a bathroom make up the children’s wing.

Designer grey walls, monument coloured windows and Cyprus posts feature in the open plan living room which

The best thing about the house is its ability to adapt to the needs of a growing family.

Light, bright and perfect for a family

Housing shortfall blows out

Space and ambience combine to make this the perfect home for a modern family writes Neelima Choahan.

A CURRENT shortfall of 215,000 homes Australia-wide has prompted calls to reform

land and sales taxes to cater to the growing demand for rental accommodation.Despite the slowdown in building demand and house prices, the 2011 State of Supply report from the National Housing Supply Council found the gap between housing supply and population demand increased by 28,000 over the past fi nancial year.At current population growth, Australia’s housing shortfall is expected to blow out by more than 640,000 over the next two decades.The council’s formula for calculat-ing the shortfall incorporates building trends such as affordability, demolitions and approvals, and population trends such as migrant intake, homelessness and household transitions.The ambitious land release programs on Melbourne’s urban fringe in the past year have ensured that Victoria’s housing shortfall (17,600) is signifi cantly smaller than either New South Wales (73,700) or Queensland (61,900).About 14,000 lots were released in greenfi eld sites in Victoria this year, with a further 37,000 to be made available early next year.However, greenfi eld development will not supply the 630,000 to 930,000 extra homes the state will need in the next 20 years, warns the council’s chairman Dr Owen Donald.“The cost of infrastructure is already high; we can’t go on simply adding extra land and get away with it,” Dr Donald said.The greatest shortages remain in low-cost and subsidised rentals, despite the federal government’s National Rental Affordability Scheme, which has underwritten 4603 subsidised rentals out of a 2016 target of 50,000. To supply the levels of rental housing required in the next two decades, Dr Donald said negative gearing and progressive land taxes needed to be wound back to encourage institutions and superannuation funds to invest in large tracts of rental properties.He said Commonwealth rent assistance could also be boosted to help those on low-incomes into private rental. Mission Australia’s head of social policy, Eleri Morgan-Thomas, said the report was “depressing reading”. Housing Minister Robert McClelland accepted the report’s fi ndings, saying: “We need to make sure housing supply matches the needs of our changing populations.”

COVER STORY

Huge windows, many overlooking the landscaped gardens, ensure the house is fl ooded with natural light.

leads into the courtyard with its Cyprus decking.

A neat study is tucked in behind an alcove with cleverly hidden storage space for all those necessary fi les and paperwork.

With sweeping views out to Mount Buninyong, the kitchen with its EssaStone bench top and soft touch drawers is inviting and functional.

The master bedroom has an en suite where bathers can gaze at the view from a strategically-located window while enjoying a shower.

A private balcony and a wall of built-in robes complete the package; no doubt making it even more diffi cult for any future owner to tear themselves away from home sweet home to the bright lights of the town nearby.

Nerrina

Price: $775,000-$795,000Address: 3 Temperance CourtBedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 2Car spaces: 2Agent: PRD Jens GauntPhone: Robert McClure 0418 508 808 and Catherine Rogers 0408 581 372

www.domain.com.au

langdonbuilding.com.au • BUILDING YOUR DREAM • Phone 5334 3045VR1278403

Fixed price guarantee• Direct contact with master builder• Ready to start now•

www.domain.com.au MONDAY

Monday, April 29, 2013 – 17

■ PROPERTY SALES ALFREDTONPS Chase Blvd BV 6rm 540sqm $331,000 PRD NationwidePS Darlington St BV 5rm $445,000 Ballarat Real Estate Pty LtdPS Dorset Dr $407,000 hockingstuart BALLARAT CENTRALPS Baird St $214,000 Wilson Estate AgentsPS Bell St $258,000 Ballarat Property GroupPS Drummond St North WB $425,000 Harcourts BallaratPS Raglan St South BV 2rm $272,500 Ballarat Real Estate Pty LtdPS Sherrard St $220,000 Ballarat Property GroupBALLARAT EASTPS Elsworth St $235,000 Ballarat Property GroupPS Queen St v/land $120,000 PRD Nationwide BEAUFORTPS High St $192,000 Peter McErvale REPS Pratt St WB 2rm $145,000 Ballarat Real Estate Pty LtdPS Rifl e Butts Rd rur residential 4rm $250,000 Peter McErvale RE BROWN HILLPS Humffray St North WB 3rm $262,000 Ballarat Real Estate Pty LtdBULLENGAROOKPS Halpern Rd BV 5rm $590,000 Ian Reid Vendor Advocacy/Dunlop REBUNGAREEPS Bungaree-Wallace Rd $340,000 Doepel Lilley & Taylor BallaratCANADIANPS Clayton St $198,000 Ballarat Property GroupCARDIGAN VILLAGEPS Diamond Dr BV 6rm 3043sqm $340,000 PRD Nation-wide CLUNESPS Service St WB 6rm 1000sqm $380,000 PRD NationwideDAYLESFORDS Lot 2/4 Leggatt St 610sqm $365,000 hockingstuartS Lot 1/4 Leggatt St 718sqm $370,000 hockingstuartDELACOMBEPS Greenhalghs Rd $269,000 Doepel Lilley & Taylor BallaratPS Jordan St BV 2rm $268,000 Ballarat Real Estate Pty Ltd ENFIELDPS Grevillea Dr $290,000 hockingstuart ILLABAROOKPS Cape Clear-Rokewood Rd $100,000 Ballarat Property Group LAKE WENDOUREE PS Maritn Av BV 8rm 725sqm $1,055,000 PRD Nationwide LUCAS PS Matheson St v/land $117,000 PRD Nationwide MARYBOROUGH PS Golden Wattle Dr WB 6rm $145,000 PRD NationwidePS Kars St WB 4rm $195,000 Ballarat Real Estate Pty LtdPS Wills St BV 2rm $215,000 Ballarat Real Estate Pty Ltd MINERS REST PS Delaney Dr BV 8rm 512sqm $312,500 PRD NationwideMOLLONGGHIP PS Dean Mollongghip Rd WB 6rm $307,500 PRD Nationwide MOUNT EGERTON PS Whipstick Rd BV 8rm $510,000 PRD NationwideMOUNT HELEN PS Geelong Rd BV 6rm $274,500 PRD NationwidePS Geelong Rd BV 4rm $275,000 PRD NationwideMOUNT MACEDON PI 950 Mount Macedon Rd B 7rm $650,000 VB res $700,000 Keatings WoodendNEW GISBORNE PS Dalray Cr BV 6rm 1200sqm $470,000 Dunlop RE Gisborne REDAN PS Adair St $280,000 Wilson Estate AgentsPS Park St $173,000 hockingstuart ROSS CREEK PS Post Offi ce Rd rur residential BV 11rm $600,000 Peter McErvale REPS Sebastopol-Smythesdale Rd v/land 80937sqm $220,000 Ballarat Real Estate Pty LtdSEBASTOPOLPS Cromwell St BV 2rm $190,000 Ballarat Real Estate Pty LtdPS Ilvia Way $265,000 Ballarat Property GroupPS Walker St $242,000 Wilson Estate AgentsSMYTHESDALE PS Glenelg Hwy rur residential 3800sqm $293,000 Ray White BallaratPS Pascoe St v/land 1000sqm $64,000 Peter McErvale RESOLDIERS HILL PS Clarendon St $335,000 hockingstuartPS Doveton St North $315,000 hockingstuartPS Havelock St $385,000 Ballarat Property Group WENDOUREE PS Grevillea Rd 3rm $210,000 Ballarat Real Estate Pty LtdPS Marie Cr BV $270,000 Harcourts BallaratPS Shaw Av $377,500 hockingstuartPS Symons St BV $256,500 Harcourts Ballarat

Compiled by the Real Estate Institute of Victoria

■ PROPERTY ADVICEQ. Our garden is fl ooded with run-off from our neighbour’s downpipe, which isn’t set to a proper drain. What can be done about this?A. This is tricky because water will always fl ow downwards and if your property is downhill to another, more water will always fl ow onto your land.Good in a drought but not now.Report the problem to the council. It will then inspect neighbouring properties and if a problem is found, it issues orders to the relevant people to fi x it.But if it’s a combination of unusually heavy rainfall and gravity, there is little to be done.Q. Are two open inspections necessary each week or is one (on a Saturday) enough? Most apartments in our area have both a midweek and a weekend inspection.A. The more people inspecting the property, the more likely you are to get competing buyers and the better the price you’ll get. Or so the theory goes. Based on that, the second open inspection was introduced to accommodate buyers who were busy on the weekend. If you’d rather forgo it, though, I’m sure you can twist your agent’s arm to do so, too.

Source: www.domain.com.au

POPULATION growth in Victoria is rising sharply, and with it housing demand.

Victoria’s population rose 1.7 per cent to 5.65 million people in the 12 months to September 2012, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

While this growth is slower than in the mining states, Victoria added the highest number of people of all the states, attracting 94,800 new residents.

Population growth is always good for property prices.

Importantly, the latest population statistics suggest Victoria is returning to the high population growth rates of three years ago.

Analysis of the state of play by the Real Estate Inst i tute of V ictor ia

compares population growth with the plateauing of the number of dwellings being completed in Victoria.

“This suggests an ongoing rebalancing of the demand-supply equation after the dwelling construction boom in 2010,” the REIV report says.

Any further growth in population is likely to soften the impact of economic “negatives” that affect other segments of the property

market. Victoria’s jobless rate rose

to 5.6 per cent in March and consumer confi dence is still fairly weak, but these factors may not unduly infl uence housing demand if population numbers continue their upward trajectory.

Growth in interstate and international migration to Melbourne will particularly benefi t unit and apartment sales.

REIV median price data for January to March shows house prices have been rising at three times the rate of unit prices.

However, these figures don’t give a true picture of the unit market. Agents say established units from the art deco era and the 1960s and 70s and low-rise, upmarket apartments, are selling more strongly than new high-rise apartments.

Sharp rise in demandPopulation growth leads to housing boom

CHRIS TOLHURST

SPRING is often heralded as the best time of year to sell your property – the birds are chirping, the air is warm, the flowers are out – and hopefully the buyers are, too.

But what about taking your property to market

in winter? The arrival of cold weather in southern Australia does not mean people stop looking to buy.

“I think winter is a great time [to sell] traditionally,” says Alex Schiavo, director of Kay & Burton South Yarra and Albert Park in Melbourne.

“It’s all about supply and

demand. In winter, there is always a lot less property available and we are still getting great results,” says Schiavo.

However, Robert Clarke, principal of Belle Property Annandale in Sydney’s inner west, says not all houses lend themselves to a winter sale.

“There are some houses ... we wouldn’t suggest selling in winter,” he says. “They are dark or they have got bad light. They are more prone to possibly get a better result in the summer months.”

Properties that can be attractive in winter are those that remain bright inside despite the drab weather

– usually because they have got plenty of north-facing windows – or are presented as warm and cosy.

“A lot of old houses, if they are Victorian, they have got fireplaces and old formal rooms,” says Clarke. “They present probably a lot better in winter than they do in summer.”

Find the right season to sell your propertyCAROLYN BOYD

Classic homestead attracting buyer interestCHARLES Stewart real estate managing director Michael Stewart has sold many signifi cant historical properties.

But Mr Stewart said he was still excited by the ‘superb’ 73.8 hectares Ercildoune Homestead in Burrumbeet.

“It is an absolute gem,” Mr Stewart said.

“It is very rare for a property like this to come on the market. It’s one of a kind.”

Back on the market after 12 years, the 1838 house and manicured grounds have seen a lot of history.

Described as a “significant example of Scottish Baronial style”, the main house itself has nine bedrooms and three bathrooms.

The upstairs bedrooms have accommodated famous guests

including Dame Nellie Melba, Duke of Gloucester and Sir Robert Menzies.

There are also the renovated former maids quarters, galvanized iron stables, gate house and woolsheds.

The homestead’s sprawling garden has also been a regular in the Open Garden Scheme.

“It is a magnificent property with a myriad of potential usages,”

Mr Stewart said. “You won’t fi nd property like this anywhere else.”

He said, the property, which will go to auction on May 18, had attracted a ‘good interest’ from potential buyers.

“Inspection is by appointment only,” Mr Stewart said.

“We have had interest predomi-nantly from people outside the Ballarat area.”

ON THE MARKET: The magnifi cent Ercildoune Homestead is on the market after 12 years and has already attracted “good interest” from potential buyers.

NEELIMA CHOAHAN