Farmhouses $1 a week

[glenc (Glen)]

Compass
Small Town Salvation
6pm – 6.30pm ABC2
Friday 6 November 2009
The tiny NSW town of Cumnock is hosting a real-life experiment. City families were offered farmhouses at a rental of $1 a week.
Cumnock is NW of Orange in NSW

[Rodstar (Rod)]

I think the catch is that you have to live there permanently, and get involved in the local community in a concrete way.

Otherwise, it would be tempting to hire one as a dark sky observing site!

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

So what on earth would the average ex-city dweller even do there? All very nice luring you in with (basically) no rent, but is there work to be had to pay the bills? You still have to be able to earn a quid... or are they trying for self-funded retirees that don't require work any more?


Not a bad spot though, and I've been through there a few times.

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

Originally Posted by Rodstar

I think the catch is that you have to live there permanently, and get involved in the local community in a concrete way.

Otherwise, it would be tempting to hire one as a dark sky observing site!

Some shires are giving land away for people to live there, although this I believe is an experiement to encourage tourism in the area. Spending money in the town to prop up the local economy.

With farming and local industry on the decline it is the best way to attract people to the community.

It could work for dark sky nights.

[renormalised (Carl)]

get involved in the local community in a concrete way.

That could be rather dangerous if the local Mafia ran the town

Actually, a scheme like this could be seen as an opportunity. There's a lot of people around in the cities, who have flashy jobs and earn good money, but they're as miserable as anything, but just won't admit to it. It may seem like a big come down from what appears to be a great possie, but it could be the start of something much better for themselves and their families, if they have one. You have to have a little bit of imagination and some nous and you'll find a way to make the money you need to live on.

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Wouldn't be a bad gig if you could work from home, with the added bonus of dark(er) skies

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

So what on earth would the average ex-city dweller even do there? All very nice luring you in with (basically) no rent, but is there work to be had to pay the bills? You still have to be able to earn a quid... or are they trying for self-funded retirees that don't require work any more?


Not a bad spot though, and I've been through there a few times.

internet mail order business - or a rent a scope?

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

... a rent a scope?

Ohh! There you go!

In truth - I work from home. As long as they had high-speed internet connectivity available I'd be fine.

[sheeny (Al)]

I don't know if this is the same show, but I've seen a piece on TV about Cumnock and the $1 rents. Most of the people who have moved there to make use of the $1 rents have work as a result of the influx of people taking up the $1 rents...... some work as teachers at the school, a baker, etc mostly tradies or service people. It seemed to work a lot better than I would've thought it would.

Al.

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Originally Posted by glenc

Compass
Small Town Salvation
6pm – 6.30pm ABC2
Friday 6 November 2009
The tiny NSW town of Cumnock is hosting a real-life experiment. City families were offered farmhouses at a rental of $1 a week.
Cumnock is NW of Orange in NSW

I am so thinking this beets my Bucketty project.

What would you do there...?

Build an observatory. Local Tourist Attraction

[starlooker (Duc)]

Originally Posted by lacad01

Wouldn't be a bad gig if you could work from home...

I work from home, and $1/week would be right up my alley.

Too bad I am in Perth though.

[glenc (Glen)]

The cheapest places to buy and rent in Australia:
* Suitable for astronomy
* Coonamble NSW $77,500
* Coober Pedy SA $81,500
* Fisherman Bay SA $92,000
Rosebery TAS $92,000
* Hughenden QLD $99,000
Fern Bay NSW $110,000
* Kandos NSW $110,000
* St Arnaud VIC $115,000
Morwell VIC $118,500
* Red Cliffs VIC $119,000
http://blogs.domain.com.au/2009/11/w...st_places.html

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

My wife and I agree that our "tree-change" was the smartest thing we've done.
Sheeny - I think I saw the same program.
The same thing has been going on in the US & Canada for some years now with the predictable mixed results. Its a demanding change if you have no previous exposure to the 'excentricities' of small town life.
But good luck to those who stick it.
Glen-
Morwell? For astronomy?
Many is the night I curse its existance and that of the Hazlewood power station. Its like having a mini-LA on the horizon.

[Ian Robinson]

Would be ideal for anyone who is handy with their hands (from what I recall , the houses are all pretty rundown and in need of a lot of TLC).

People with big young families and a trade or profession that can work in a rural area would benefit the community and would gain lots .

Unemployed people with a self empolyment or business idea and no seed money would also benefit (though if they have a flat or house full of stuff to move , the moving costs would kill the idea for them as they'd have no means of moving their stuff there).
Pensioners (disability pension and aged) and self funded retirees would probably find the cheap housing attractive , but the lack of medical services and poor access to hospitals there an a disincentive.

[glenc (Glen)]

Peter the towns with an asterisk (*) are suitable for astronomy, at least the area nearby is. 3 towns have no *.

[theodog (Jeff)]

Yep, just as I thought. City folk don't know how they would survive, and country folk think it is a good idea.
I am a Gordy boy who left to live in the bush (at a place on glenc's list) at the end of my degree (teaching). I had similar thoughts, best move I ever made.
Many probies have have arrived in my time out here, some do nothing in the communities, spend their minimum time as miserable loners who say that the place offers them nothing -and leave, still miserable.
Others see the opportunities that are on offer, get involved in the community (often marry into it) and never leave.
I used to rush back to the coast at every chance, now it is an inconvenience.
There are two minds, keep thinking of the isolation, stay in the cities and leave the bush to those who are prepared to have a go. It's the Aussie way.

[jamiep (Jamie)]

I come from one of these areas in NW VIC - Charlton - Near Wycheproof - which has done the $1 Farmhouse thing (a few of the farms up there have been in nearly 15 years of drought and as such the people have had to almost walk off them - leaving some high occupancy rates).

As a result a few of the mostly rural based towns are dying .. having said that they're great places to live and for people with the right attitude - work to be had (you can't really be fussy or prissy about what you do - but on the flip side - it doesn't cost that much to live when a 3 br house can be had for less than 100k at times).

The skies are manificent (read 15 years of drought translates to lots of clear skies) and I miss them constantly as well as the peace and quiet.

I regularly travel up there (3-4 times a year) and often think about buying a farm house etc as they're just too cheap sometimes.. for what they are...

Things to look out for are poor medical facilities (getting to a GP can somtimes involve a 120km drive to a major centre and the local hospitals are pretty basic), public transport is non existant, as are a lot of services we take for granted in the city....

Jamie

[Ian Robinson]

Would I do it ? No , becasue I own my home (I've paid my mortgage out) .
So I already live very cheaply (only have to meet my rates , phone and power bill) and buy meat and groceries and a bit petrol , so no real benefit .

Not to move to a one horse town out in the stocks that's got no services and buggerall future, and no employment prospects for an engineer (even if I am currently "retiired" .... I'd like to keep my option of returning to engneering open if the employment situation ever improves and i am definitely not interested in doing FIFO).

Chasing dark skies is not high on my agenda , I certainly wouldn't move only to get darker skies.