Living on Acreage

All good points, MattR, but you're scaring me about the power blackouts- being a resi girl for so long now I'm clearly used to the creature comforts of suburbanite living

Do many properties have generators?
Oh, and by the way, we bought in Kenthurst, so not too far away after all...

 

Hey Jacque

Huge congrats !

On the Biolytix thing, I think the solution is fairly standard and just ordered via their website. In each region they have the engineer guy to work out the required specs, and the installers, but I think the price might vary a bit depending on how challenging the terrain is. Just keep 'em honest as I'm sure you will (I figure you could arrange self-install fairly easily, but opted to do it all in the package in case there were any problems).

The less council-required drainage area needed, the lower the install costs, due to less pipework / excavation etc. From memory, the tank and other bits for ours was around $6K, engineer plan about $800 and install $2.5K (might have been another $500 for the power and phone to the tank). Digging all the trenches at once saved a bit, as did running the power and phone conduit/cables between the tank and the spot where phone and power are connected).

In our area, a 3 bed house needed half as much drainage as a 4 bedroom, so its worth calling a 4th bedroom a 'study' on any plans

BTW so far the Biolytix has been nil maintenance (other than their $350 per annum 'monitoring' which doesn't seem to entail much on their part) unlike our Envirocycle system at an IP which cost $3K more, has had chlorine cylinders replaced (under warranty), been pumped out once ($300) due to problems with e-coli, and is now on a $400 + p.a service agreement. Biolytix still has my vote

Anyway enough about poo systems ... good luck with the planning and moving !

Cheers
Carl

PS Edit ... sorry just realised I posted nearly exactly the same details earlier in this thread. March seems like such a long time ago - had no recollection at all. Damn missing grey cells

 

Thanks for that, Carl

Most useful- and don't worry about the loss of grey matter- you're far from alone!!

Looking forward to moving in and becoming a little gardener in all my spare time

 

Actually the drainage area from the Biolytix helps with the gardening too - it's pretty 'rich' stuff . Our 1 year old mangoes are around 8 feet tall already (admittedly that's the best of them, I've still managed to stunt a couple, and maintain all the Custard Apples at pretty much their original size) thanks to my lack of green thumb

 

Hey Jacque,

I don't suppose you looked into the other side of the Hawkesbury (eg St Albans)? If so, curious about your thoughts.

I think in 5 years time we'll be looking for acreage too, but we want the conflicting aims of it feeling like far away from Sydney (including different climate) whilst not actually being far from Sydney (2 hours ideally)...

 

Another 50km past where I purchased (ie MacDonald, St Albans area) is simply too far and impractical for me, I'm afraid! I do know what you mean about getting away from Sydney, however, which is part of the reason why I've been attracted to acreage for some time. However, being a born and bred city girl, it's just not in me to travel too far out- It's more for practical reasons that I've chosen to buy closer in- work, lifestyle, kids etc

I don't know the St Albans area much but if you're looking to get that far away, I'd also be considering the hinterland of the central and south coasts as well- some very pretty land there.

 

So I wasn't too far out with my Dural guess then!

Well done Jax, at least you're still within driving distance of SIG, although it is a bit more of an ordeal now...

Cheers,
Michael

 

10km further actually, but hardly an ordeal to see the likes of my SIG pals, Michael

Believe me when I tell you that it's worth the extra 10km- it's so peaceful out there your blood pressure immediately drops the minute you pass Castle Hill.
I've always dreamt of living in a home like this and can't wait to move in and get my hands dirty

 

Hi Jacque,

I'm farmiliar with Kenthurst/Dural in a pretty general sense, but not intimately farmiliar - what would you say is the difference between the two? Are there pro's / con's of each or are they basically identical?

What makes someone choose one suburb over the other?

 

Hi Glebe

There's not a lot of difference between the two suburbs, and the current median prices don't reflect the reality in housing prices, due to the high no. of acreage properties in both suburbs.

They lay virtually next to one another, Dural to the right of Round Corner and Kenthurst to the left. Kenthurst actually extends further back than does Dural, and the land differs as well, becoming more rocky. The locals refer to it as the Kenthurst Diamonds, due to the clay and rock in the soil.

Both are largely rural areas (though Kenthurst more so) with the closest residential areas including Galston, Glenhaven and Cherrybrook. When it comes to choosing which one to live in, it comes down to proximity to schools, transport, shops etc as well as the type of property that one is seeking and the reason for this. Kenthurst actually has the added advantage of being alongside Annangrove and the new Rouse Hill Dvpt area as well, and has a no. of alternative ways to exit the area, whereas Dural can be somewhat limited by having to traverse through Round Corner and Old Northern Rd.

 

Congrats - Kenthurst is beautiful! Some pics would be awesome!

 

Congrats Jacque.

Acreage is great!

However, now my bl_ _ dy horses have the flu!!!!!! Got a damn "KEEP OUT - QUARANTINE" sign on my front gate that just looks fab at the moment. Then I have to spray my car tyres and dip my shoes in dip before I leave the property!!!!

My horses haven't left my property so how this quarantine is supposed to help is beyond me!!!! #$@$@$@$@.

 

Oh Matt that's too bad. I hear it's particularly bad out at Arcadia and a friend of mine is having to do the whole biodiversity thing as well- not much fun for you horse owners I'm afraid

Hope the horses get better soon and is all well.

 

Jacque,

That looks absolutely beautiful. Well done again!

Cheers,
Michael.

 

Very very nice indeed

Well done

Dave

 

Woah.. That is stunning

<------- Is green with envy!

 

Wow. Looks like you'll need staff Looks GREAT Jacque !