Owning a big country block.

We used to have 3 acres a few years ago but had to sell on and move. That plot was hard work, but mainly because the house had a huge formal lawn and garden area. Now that we're moving and hopefully settling down I've been looking at some blocks around 5-10 ac on the market. Main attraction would be wildlife watching and to get away from noise. I love dogs, but sick of getting woken up at 3am, 5 am etc etc with barking 'outdoor' dogs next door. I'd like a small garden area and the rest bush or woodland, but it still needs care I guess and maintenance. Anyone own one, what's the reality, how much work and what do you do with the land, any income options?
 
Where abouts are you looking? You could get chooks or a few sheep cattle although might be a touch small for a hobby farm.

To reduce work a fence around your main residence and garden would be a clear boundary of manicured yard to paddock.

Another option could be to go a few acres but try to find something next to a state forest etc for the bush aspect without the work!
 
Bush or woodland comes with it fire risks so it's not my cup of tea but can be good if there is a decent zone around the house to protect it.

On the other hand you don't want barren pasture land either.

For me it's a balance between trees, native plants and 'pasture' for some goats, sheep etc to live on.

It will be a money sink not a maker for us :) But's a PPOR so that's ok.

On our 10 acres our plan is to have about 1 acre of house 'land' which will be house, pool, sheds and easy care grass and gardens. Then 2-3 acres of pasture around that and the remaining kind of woodlandsy - tree planting starts this winter.
 
Where abouts are you looking? You could get chooks or a few sheep cattle although might be a touch small for a hobby farm.

To reduce work a fence around your main residence and garden would be a clear boundary of manicured yard to paddock.

Another option could be to go a few acres but try to find something next to a state forest etc for the bush aspect without the work!

Hi Bob
I was looking around Wodonga/ Wangaratta somewhere in between. I've seen some biggish blocks but they look like paddocks, which = maintenance. I don't want to get into slaughtering livestock and definitely don't want to go back to gardening the lawn which used to take two solid days. All that sunshine and weeds grow like no tomorrow. Something with mostly bush/forest or next to bush/forest would be amazing.
 
Bush or woodland comes with it fire risks so it's not my cup of tea but can be good if there is a decent zone around the house to protect it.

On the other hand you don't want barren pasture land either.

For me it's a balance between trees, native plants and 'pasture' for some goats, sheep etc to live on.

It will be a money sink not a maker for us :) But's a PPOR so that's ok.

On our 10 acres our plan is to have about 1 acre of house 'land' which will be house, pool, sheds and easy care grass and gardens. Then 2-3 acres of pasture around that and the remaining kind of woodlandsy - tree planting starts this winter.

Hey Westy

I've learned a bit from our last experience. We had an acre of formal garden and it was stunning but took ALOT of gardening, a pool and big paved area would have used up a lot of space so that's a consideration for this next one. The bush fire risk thing is new and I'll take that into account. You're right about the balance, I think the one I saw online had too much bare pasture and not enough woodland.

Your plans sound fantastic. We had goats last time and I loved them, they were really adorable and funny. Would quite like to have that again, but last time was in NZ and here I'm a bit worried about them being bitten by snakes.
 
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