Coolah NSW, Land For Sale

[glend (Glen)]

Details have been removed. Thread closed.

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Very Interesting!!!, and tempting

Thanks Glen.

[ChrisV (Chris)]

That's $250 per quarter acre block ...

[Imme (Jon)]

Surely a few of you nsw members could pool $’s and buy a share each.
Say 10 of you at 2k each. Build an observatory on site (a few large shipping containers with roof cut out) and use the place as a communal observatory......in future you could sell of your share for a profit???

....you’re welcome.

[PCH (Paul)]

Originally Posted by Imme

Surely a few of you nsw members could pool $’s and buy a share each.
Say 10 of you at 2k each. Build an observatory on site (a few large shipping containers with roof cut out) and use the place as a communal observatory......in future you could sell of your share for a profit???

....you’re welcome.

At a current price of $250 per quarter acre, I'm guessing you'd have to wait about a 1000 years for the price of this land to escalate significantly. Just sayin'

[Imme (Jon)]

Originally Posted by PCH

At a current price of $250 per quarter acre, I'm guessing you'd have to wait about a 1000 years for the price of this land to escalate significantly. Just sayin'

So unlikely to be built out in a hurry.... Haha

[billdan (Bill)]

I would be worried about security of the gear if its that remote.

[PCH (Paul)]

Originally Posted by Imme

So unlikely to be built out in a hurry.... Haha

I'd say so Jon, lol

[Wavytone]

There’s no shortage of land.

Real question in my mind is “why Coolah ?”. Why not the middle of the Nullarbor ?

If you opted to spend weekends huddled in a ramshackle bunch of chopped up containers and caravans on a paddock of brown dirt in the middle of nowhere, I’ll suggest your respective partners would quite rightly wonder what is really going on, and suggest you should be seeing a psychiatrist.

[glend (Glen)]

Originally Posted by Wavytone

There’s no shortage of land.

Real question in my mind is “why Coolah ?”. Why not the middle of the Nullarbor ?

If you opted to spend weekends huddled in a ramshackle bunch of chopped up containers and caravans on a paddock of brown dirt in the middle of nowhere, I’ll suggest your respective partners would quite rightly wonder what is really going on, and suggest you should be seeing a psychiatrist.

I have to wonder if your post is prompted by the fact that i started the thread, or just a general need to degrade others who may enjoy discussing the possibilities. Lighten up.

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by Wavytone

There’s no shortage of land.

Real question in my mind is “why Coolah ?”. Why not the middle of the Nullarbor ?

If you opted to spend weekends huddled in a ramshackle bunch of chopped up containers and caravans on a paddock of brown dirt in the middle of nowhere, I’ll suggest your respective partners would quite rightly wonder what is really going on, and suggest you should be seeing a psychiatrist.

Gawd...

I'll admit Coolah is too far from ANYWHERE (unless you are THAT keen on astronomy - I am not willing to drive that far for the hobby), but it sure is DARK (having been through Coona on the way to Canberra and seeing how dark the sky is even a mere km out of town).

There are some that have a hobby of seeing the faintest of the faint (like Polarissima Australis...no finger pointing lol), and Coolah is ideal for that visually, and undoubtedly incredible for imaging, but at the end of the day, it's a long drive for something you are going to use how frequently?

And I honestly have issues, personally, of leaving expensive kit out in the middle of nowhere, watched by no one. Security systems do nothing to recover your gear, and a locked up container in an empty paddock begs scrutiny by those so inclined. It's this pessimism that keeps me completely mobile in my setup (though I will have a pier installed at Yass, but NOTHING on it)

I am sure many don't see these as negatives, so do as you please of course. No point being negative - it's all personal choice and preference.

[Allan_L (Allan)]

4 hours on good roads is too far to drive for a dark site a few times a year ???
Seriously! ???

[Wavytone]

Put it this way:

Unless you’re retired and can spend weekdays up there... the weather has conspired to mess up most of the weekends for the past several years. Between that and family and personal commitments, the average male is unlikely to use this more than 5 weekends per year without being divorced in the process.

Let’s suppose you spent day $25k on one of these. Suppose you used it 5 weekends a year for 10 years. That’s $500 a pop, as I’m skeptical of the resale value. And:

A) as a site it’s nothing special, farmland with dew and fog. You could do better, or have much same a lot closer to home.

B) you’re roughing it in respect of accommodation and food.

C) it’s pretty questionable as to whether you’d really risk leaving several thousands of dollars worth of telescope there.

You can rent a very nice weekender somewhere nice for less, and use a better observing site to boot. And without shelling out a large dollop of cash, or the responsibilities of actually owning it.

You could even invest the $25k and the interest earned will pay for a couple of weekends away each year.

[glend (Glen)]

I believe anyone on IIS interested in the land advertised would by now have seen it, so i will be removing it shortly. This was not intended to kick off a debate about the pros and cons of dark sites, feel free to start a thread discussing that if you wish. This was an informational post, for those interested.

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by Allan_L

4 hours on good roads is too far to drive for a dark site a few times a year ???
Seriously! ???

It is when I have access to nearly as good 45 minutes away outside Yass

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by glend

Just a heads up for those wanting to join the move to Coolah NSW, or to establish a remote observatory site. In today's Lake Macquarie newspaper there is an advertisement for 2 x 10 acre blocks (40,000 sq mtrs each), in the Coolah area. The price per block is $19,950!
I don't know how it is zoned, but access is via a sealed road (Black Stump Way) to the properties and power is available "close by". There are several photos, which show a flat block, with small trees which could be easily cleared.
The contact for this land sale is Tom on 0428 100777, or Phillip 0419 924444.


Photo of the ad is below.

Good luck.

Update: I got on to Phillip and asked about these properties. They are zoned Rural use, and no building approval comes with them. They are Company Title blocks (in other words you own a share, and your share is one of 20 in this case in a large group of blocks), you have exclusive use of your block. He mentioned that he has another larger elevated block of about 20 acres for $21950, which has a large cleared area suitable for an observatory site; he claims it is the highest point in the area. It is located off the Black Stump Way. He advised that the cost of getting power installed would be significant, and recommended a solar system or use of generators as more cost effective. None of the blocks is fenced, but he suggested that interested parties could fence around an observatory pretty easily. Putting containers or caravan's on site is permitted as long as there is no permanent occupancy. He is very helpful. give him a ring if your interested.

Originally Posted by glend

I believe anyone on IIS interested in the land advertised would by now have seen it, so i will be removing it shortly. This was not intended to kick off a debate about the pros and cons of dark sites, feel free to start a thread discussing that if you wish. This was an informational post, for those interested.

Why remove it Glen? Good informative post

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by Wavytone

Put it this way:

Unless you’re retired and can spend weekdays up there... the weather has conspired to mess up most of the weekends for the past several years. Between that and family and personal commitments, the average male is unlikely to use this more than 5 weekends per year without being divorced in the process.

Let’s suppose you spent day $25k on one of these. Suppose you used it 5 weekends a year for 10 years. That’s $500 a pop, as I’m skeptical of the resale value. And:

A) as a site it’s nothing special, farmland with dew and fog. You could do better, or have much same a lot closer to home.

B) you’re roughing it in respect of accommodation and food.

C) it’s pretty questionable as to whether you’d really risk leaving several thousands of dollars worth of telescope there.

You can rent a very nice weekender somewhere nice for less, and use a better observing site to boot. And without shelling out a large dollop of cash, or the responsibilities of actually owning it.

You could even invest the $25k and the interest earned will pay for a couple of weekends away each year.

I agree with this. I haven't retired "yet" (though temporarily letting the wife provide OK, I mnage the rental properties we own - tough job ), and simply something like this is not feasible, sensible or economic for my circumstances and level of commitment to the hobby, especially since I have been generously permitted to install a pier gratis out near Yass (but pay for the pier). Yass is 45 minutes drive, and even then, I rarely go out thanks to caring more about being with my family and doing other things. With the wife working 8 am to 6 pm 5 days a week, time together is precious, especially for the kids.

Different strokes for different folks, and yes, 4 hrs (5 for me) drive on not A grade roads (from Canberra)is TOO far for this brown duck.

[Boozlefoot]

Thank you Glen for your post. As an ex resident of Coolah, I can inform Wavy that Coolah has fresh bread, electrickery, flush toilets and is a terrific town for this type of venture. It is also mainly inhabited by a population of very positive people. Its also in a close proximity to Siding Springs which was located there for a very specific reason. Need I say more.

[Boozlefoot]

And as a further update, that area where those blocks are located isn't all that crash hot (what we called Black Cypress country). Maybe better off looking between Coolah/Neilrex, better altitude and security. A large block isn't necessarily required for this type of venture, ie; ASNSW's "Wiruna". The concept itself is good!

[doppler (Rick)]

I had to google what a "Company Title block" was and apparently you only buy a share in the company that owns the block, so the land is not yours and you have to comply with whatever the company says. Freehold is the only way to go.