How to avoid coronavirus: Australia’s most isolated properties for sale
Get away from it all at remote One Tree Hotel, north of Hay, one of the many isolated properties on the market that could stand to benefit from a global race for personal space.
SOCIAL distancing takes on a whole new meaning at the historic One Tree Hotel — on the vast sunlit plains of the NSW Riverina.
And in a world gripped by coronavirus panic, the isolation of this historic former Cobb and Co staging post could well prove its salvation.
Located at One Tree, 40km north of Hay, the hotel is one of a number of remote properties currently on the market across Australia that stand to benefit from a global race for personal space.
Hay local Sally Smith bought the hotel — one of few structures on the Long Paddock stock route for the 80km between Hay and Booligal — in 2003 and restored it, after it had fallen into disrepair. The hotel is an icon on the Hay Plains with One Tree believed to be the “Hell” referenced by Banjo Paterson in his poem Hay, Hell and Booligal.
The original hotel was destroyed by fire in 1903 but replaced with an identical building.
“The remoteness adds to its charm,” Mrs Smith said.
“The entertainment is you can sit on the veranda on a nice day and count the cars on the Cobb Highway. That’s what it is, a place to chill out.”
The hotel, which is on the market by expressions of interest, features a bar, a “mens’ parlour”, a “ladies’ parlour”, a dining room, kitchen and bedroom. An adjacent accommodation block comprises four bedrooms.
The hotel has not been licensed since the 1940s and work-from-home options could be limited by a lack of mobile telephone coverage and generator power. Other than that, Hell seems the perfect option.
Other isolated properties on the market include the 62,805ha Bowen Downs at Muttaburra in Queensland, the 255,000ha Wertaloona Station in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges, Bosworth Station which covers almost 115,000ha near Woomera in South Australia and the 59,810ha Stapleton Station west of Katherine in the Northern Territory.
Get an insight into these and others at theweeklytimes.com.au
GET AWAY FROM IT ALL
BOWEN DOWNS, MUTTABURRA QLD
MUTTABURRA — population 88 — is about as close to the centre of Queensland as you can get. About 120km north of Longreach, which in turn is 1170km northwest of Brisbane, the town has been built on livestock grazing and one of the jewels in its crown, the 62,805ha Bowen Downs Station, is on the market. In 1870 Bowen Downs was the scene of one of Australia’s “greatest cattle stealing swindle” after 400 head were stolen from the property and driven 1300km through unexplored Central Australia to northern South Australia. The property was established in 1860 and is well set up for cattle and sheep production. It will be auctioned on May 6.
WERTALOONA STATION, FLINDERS RANGES SA
FORGET about the 1.5m distancing rule — at Wertaloona Station in the Flinders Ranges you’ve got about 255,000ha to hide from any potential nasties. One of South Australia’s largest pastoral holdings, Wertaloona is about 600km from Adelaide and has had just three owners in its 170-year history. It is being offered for sale by the Rowe family’s Princess Royal operation, and has the capacity to run 5940 cattle or 29,700 sheep.
BOSWORTH STATION, WOOMERA SA
LOCATED 450km north of Adelaide, Woomera is described as being in the thick of South Australia’s “outback desert area” — perfect for any would-be coronavirus escapees. The 114,629ha pastoral lease, described as healthy bush grazing and clean wool growing property, has a maximum running capacity of 7000 sheep. It will be auctioned on April 15.
STAPLETON STATION, KATHERINE NT
ABOUT 80km west of Katherine, and 305km southwest of Darwin, stands the 59,810ha Stapleton Station pastoral lease, which is on the market. The property is advertised as offering “scale, access and reliable rainfall” with about 125ha cleared and developed for hay production. While the property may be safe from coronavirus, about 5000ha of it was burnt in 2013 in a fire that started by a flare used during an exercise by the Defence Force at the nearby Delamere Air Weapons Range.
LISTOWEL DOWNS, BLACKALL QLD
ANOTHER isolated central Queensland gem, Listowel Downs, is on the market. Located 90km south of Blackall, and a good 10-hour drive from Brisbane, the 26,512ha is said to be one of the district’s most renowned grazing properties with a carrying capacity of up to 25,000 sheep. The property, which has received more than 200mm of rain already this year, will be auctioned on May 1.
CORONGA DOWNS, COBAR NSW
WHY not socially isolate at one of western NSW’s best goat and fat-tailed sheep operations more than 700km west of Sydney. The 17,225ha Coronga Downs property at Cobar has hit the market. The property has the capacity to run 8000 domestic does and has more than $1 million spend on structural improvements during the past three years.
One of the Western District’s oldest mansions hits the market
Seven-figure offers are expected for a two-storey bluestone homestead, with more than 170 years of Victorian pastoral history.
Regional Victoria and the Riverina sale and auction results, week ending April 5
Regional Victoria and the Riverina recorded 14 property sales over a million dollars last week, the latest auction and sales results reveal.