Suburban Getaway

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday July 14, 2004

WHILE smaller blocks are becoming the norm there are still plenty of buyers looking to escape neighbours on a conveniently situated acreage.

Like the 1.6-hectare property at 17 Cherry Road, Eleebana (pictured), auctioned on Saturday, which attracted 10 registered bidders.

Agent Vic Smith of Century 21 Carkeet Jacobs Smith said "the bidding started at $500,000 and the same two bidders kept going up and up and no one else had a look-in".

"The main interest came from young couples with families looking at a lifestyle change."

It sold for above reserve when the hammer fell at $775,000.

Advertising in Sydney and on the Domain website, as well as in Domain, had attracted interest in the property from Canberra and Sydney as well as Newcastle.

But in the end it was a Lake Macquarie family who bought the property, much as the vendors had 35 years before, with the idea of giving their children plenty of space to explore, camp out and ride horses.

The property, zoned rural living and environmental protection, was not subdividable under the council plan.

It had a two-bedroom fibro house on it which the buyers were planning to replace or extend, Mr Smith said.