Northern Rivers NSW general advice

[investor2009]

Hi

Currently holidaying around Lismore/Nimbin area and had a sqizz at a place in Mountain Top yesterday that looked great. But.. Upon arrival it turned out there is a loud hippy community a few doors down the valley..! Even though there was at least 50 acres between they were still too close for us. We've seen alot of these scattered around the place here.

So.. We're looking for general advice on a few things

We want to get jobs that are kinda close to home if moving here. But, are looking for a quiet acerage retreat. Anywhere between 5 and 50 acres is a look in for us. Price can't be above $400k or so unless the job market is good and easy to find work. Where? We don't know so asking you. We'd like to semi retire and have good funds so lvr would be low.

Im sure some have some good advice for us. Thanks

 

[Angel]

Doesn't everyone know that Nimbin is the hippy capital of Australia?

When you go to live in the country you will be joining other people who choose, for various reasons, to get away from cities. There will be people who like loud singing and dancing, there will be those who ride trail bikes at all hours, those who shoot guns, let off fireworks, have noisy barking dogs, have friends over for a night of drinking around the bonfire, doing wheelies and burnouts in their utes, etc etc. Some times you will hear generators, chainsaws and whipper snippers, ride on mowers and the like. At other times the birds will be chirping, cows mooing and cicadas and crickets doing whatever they do. This too will be annoying.

O and us motorbike riders whizzing along at deafening speeds all weekend. (That's probably why they cant sell any homes on top of Mt Mee north of Brisbane)

Edited to add that "home business" is the main industry in the Nimbin region. There are lovely Saturday markets in the main towns. I haven't tried chocolate brownies but other organic biscuits at the Kyogle CWA stall are nice.

Cheers.

 

[investor2009]

Were staying on Mountain Top and the owners report zero noise. Ever. We live rural NT at the mo and are used to a bit of quad noise and doof doof **** but even that pisses me off. Specific property locations will have differing variance in sounds.

 

[investor2009]

PS. Ive learned most here have home businesses as stated. Maybe we can keep an eye out for one that comes with the home?

 

[Kinnon Bell]

Lived in Lismore (Goonellabah) for 25 years of my life so quite familiar with the area. Did you have a particular town or village you wanted to be close to or any you didn't want to be near? Are you fussed on how far the beach is? Anything else important other than acreage and price?

 

[investor2009]

Thanks Kesse! What a wealth of knowledge

Basically, we want to be closer to Family in MTop. Close to beach would be nice if it doesn't blow the budget. Some form of employment or home biz a must. Lifestyle is what ww're really after and if we get it wrong for whatever reason the place could take years to sell and recoup money. I imagine hard to rent out too

 

[tambourineman]

Live in Ballina - ifs terrific, serviced by a major airport virgin/jet star great life style and it seems land is selling quickly when it comes to market.

 

[topcropper]

We want to get jobs that are kinda close to home if moving here. Thanks

I'm 46, and need a new hip, and I can cut and split $100 worth of fire wood in an hour with a sharp chainsaw, tractor, and hydraulic log splitter. There's plenty of ways to make money in the bush. And of course a $100 worth of firewood in the bush is worth $250 in Sydney!


See yas.

 

[Kinnon Bell]

There's a few towns around Mountain Top. If you go west there's Kyogle and bigger Casino which are known for farming and Casino for beef week (there's even a Beef Queen!). Casino (and Kyogle for that matter) aren't too far from Lismore which would probably hold the most work prospects.

Quick search and this is what I found (both need updating):
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-nsw-casino-7606795
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-acreage+semi+rural-nsw-casino-116002483

If you want to be close to Lismore there's this place:
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-nsw-howards+grass-7438161 but it's on a main road and you can see the house from the road but it is set a long way back. I used to own a dog grooming business and this was one of the houses I used to visit. From memory, there was no traffic noise and the river is just across the road. Turn left and you're 5 mins from Lismore and even less to the local reputable catholic primary and high school. Turn right and you're on the road to the coast ie Byron.
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-nsw-lagoon+grass-200426659 This one is in the general vicinity too.

Bexhill and Eltham are little villages I always liked and they're not too far from Lismore, Nimbin and Byron. But I doubt you'll get much bang for your buck there as from memory they were a bit pricey.

If you want to stick close to Nimbin but avoid the ferals and communes as much as possible then Rosebank, Jiggi and Dunoon areas may be options. There's also Federal and Goonengerry and Mullumbimby if you want a bit of a bigger town closer to the coast. There's also The Channon which I loved but you can smell the Ylang Ylang oil from there.

Here's 80 acres at Numulgi http://www.realestate.com.au/property-cropping-nsw-numulgi-7550303 not sure if you can build on it or not....

If you want to be a bit further away then places I always liked were Richmond Hill, Wollongbar and Alstonville which are on your way to Ballina. Though I doubt you'll get much acreage for under $400k.

South of the Bruxner Highway where you would have more chance of finding reasonable priced acreage but not the middle of whoop whoop may be Tregeagle, Lindendale and a bit further out Whyrallah and Coraki (careful of flooding now the levee has been built in Lismore).

As far as coastal goes I think it may have to be a choice of either acreage close to family or semi-coastal acreage further away from family such as Wardell and Broadwater where you have the river and the ocean. KNow much about sugar cane? http://www.realestate.com.au/property-cropping-nsw-wardell-7575147
Privacy? http://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-nsw-broadwater-7618983
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-nsw-broadwater-7315095
Bit further inland http://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-nsw-meerschaum+vale-7211068 I loved visiting Marom Falls and Dalwood Falls. Great swimming holes too.

Thanks to the business I owned and my hobbies (4WD'ing, photography, kayaking, bushwalking etc) I explored a lot of the area so am quite familiar with a lot of it so more than happy to help out if I can. I left a few years ago but still visit the outlaws there semi-regularly so my knowledge may not be totally current but probably still applicable.

 

[topcropper]

Wow Kesse. Some great properties you've put up there. Some way below cost price!


See yas.

 

[investor2009]

Thanks alot Kesse, you're a fantastic help

I heard back from an Employment agency in Lismore today and they tell me the job market is very tight at the moment. I shall speak with Casino and check whats going on there. Some good value property around the greater area for sure. BUT as we know, it's not all roses

Cheers Kess, will PM you what we find

 

[mikezen]

If you don't have any luck in lismore and still keen you could check out Yamba further down, you can pick up cheap acerages over in ashby and woomba while working in Yamba and surrounds while still being 30 min drive to the beach, there would also be work in Grafton if you could swallow it.

 

[Mooze]

Which side of the ridge line were you on? There's an annual doof held over towards one of the ridges north of Mt Top around easter. There used to be more noise where the passionfruit and avo farm is now but that farm "manager" was moved on by the owner.

Must admit have very rarely heard much noise when staying up there. Worst is usually the cockatoos.

Will be up there tomorrow night, be interesting to hear if anything unusual is going on.

Edit to add - what do you do for a living? You had a thread about wanting to be a social worker - plenty of work around there for that, also for aged care.

 

[willair]

Price can't be above $400k or so unless the job market is good and easy to find work. Where? We don't know so asking you. We'd like to semi retire and have good funds so lvr would be low.

Im sure some have some good advice for us. Thanks

Maybe have a look at Uki 2484,you may find a house in the village not sure on the work side but you would be central to the gold coast and Byron bay..imho..


http://www.realestate.com.au/buy/in-uki,+nsw+2484/list-1?activeSort=price-asc

 

[investor2009]

I never ended up going the social worker route. I've been in differing Communications Tech roles over the past couple of years and now doing the NBN but willing to do pretty well anything I can for a crust if I have to. . I do guitar, amplifier and PA repairs small time from home. Maybe there's something there? I enjoy gardening and yard work. Maybe a mowing business..? I just don't know enough about the area to know if it would work

My Wife does general admin. Has managed a few stores before

Thanks again for all the top info so far guys

 

[Kinnon Bell]

Wow Kesse. Some great properties you've put up there. Some way below cost price!


See yas.

Ha, tell me about it. I almost got the cheque book out yesterday looking at it all.

Some really nice looking land with amazing views at McLeans Ridges though doesn't leave much in the budget to build.
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-nsw-mcleans+ridges-200013806
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-nsw-mcleans+ridges-200003211
Even still when I look over those mountains I still get a sense of home and calm as I grew up looking at them out of my bedroom window and especially loved the sunsets over them.

Thanks alot Kesse, you're a fantastic help

I heard back from an Employment agency in Lismore today and they tell me the job market is very tight at the moment. I shall speak with Casino and check whats going on there. Some good value property around the greater area for sure. BUT as we know, it's not all roses

Cheers Kess, will PM you what we find

No worries. No idea what the job situation is like though. I hear there's quite a bit of retail development happening ie a new Bunnings and a lot happening in Goonellabah too. Considered retail?

Good luck with the search! Sounds like you're pretty familiar with the area but if you need anything, just let me know.