Ready For The Knight Shift

Newcastle Herald

Saturday August 14, 2004

By STEPHEN JOHNSON

NEWCASTLE Knights prop Matt Parsons has put his Eagleton acreage on the market for $675,000.

Dowling Real Estate Raymond Terrace principal Craig Higgins said Parsons was selling his 10-hectare property to move back to Werris Creek, near his home town of Tamworth.

Mr Higgins said the property at Newline Road was once owned by former Manly chief executive Ian Thomson and one-time North Sydney first-grade player Ray Dawson.

Parsons bought the four-bedroom brick house overlooking the Williams River in June last year.

The home has a sauna, spa, study, an undercover entertaining area and an in-ground pool.

A stable, a dam and motocross tracks are part of the package.

Wickham proposal

A $21 million proposal to replace old industrial buildings at Wickham with affordable and disability-friendly housing went on public display this week.

The Sydney-based Hunter Region Property Development group put forward revised plans to build 120 residences and 1000 square metres of commercial space along Throsby Street, Lee Terrace and Dickson Street.

Newcastle firm EJE Architecture has redrafted the Wickham Waters proposal to build 14 three-bedroom terraces, 103 two-bedroom units, three one-bedroom units and 196 car spaces.

All the units would be accessible by lift. Ten units for people with disabilities would feature wider doorways, wheelchair-accessible bathrooms and insulated hot water pipes.

HRPD project co-ordinator Bill Rak said average prices for units would be $400,000.

Mr Rak said residents in Wickham, Carrington and Islington were opposed to the original plan to build four-storey apartment buildings when they were first consulted last year.

Under the new proposal, a two-storey building would face Dickson Street to let in northerly sun. Throsby Street would house a six-storey building next to the post office, four-storey units and two-storey terraces towards Union Street.

The plans are on display at Newcastle City Council. Closing date for objections is September 7.

View to affordability

MEREWETHER Heights blocks of land with water views had their prices slashed by nearly $70,000 this week.

One lot with views of Stockton Bight has been reduced from $495,000 to $429,950, while a similar block has gone down from $395,000 to $329,000.

The blocks at 230 Scenic Drive were part of a seven-lot subdivision that went on the market in February.

They range in size from 450 to 630 square metres.

Five of the blocks don't have water views, including one selling for under $300,000.

Robinson Property agent Anthony Merlo will be on site today from 3.30pm.

That's all, Norfolk

EX-Herald scribe Leo Della-Grotta has had one of his most unusual requests since he became a real estate agent.

The Dowling Hamilton agent has been asked to sell the about one-hectare Norfolk Island property of former Novocastrians Barry and Margaret Jones, complete with the ride-on mower, two cars and furnishings that go with the new three-bedroom house and land with 300 mature kentia palms as well as an orchard. It is on the market for $550,000.

Mr Jones worked for the Department of Meteorology at Williamtown and moved on to do similar work on Norfolk Island.

The couple will return to Newcastle.

Cohen elsewhere

THE wildlife sanctuary owned by former Hawke government environment minister Barry Cohen officially went on the market this week.

LJ Hooker's hotel and tourism arm is hoping to sell the 69-hectare Calga Springs property, near the F3 freeway, for $3 million when it goes to auction on September 29.

The package includes 300 native animals and plants.

Mr Cohen bought the land in 1987 and opened it as a wildlife park in 2000 but he wants to sell it so he can spend more time with his grandchildren.