This two-bedroom Waverton apartment has views of the Harbour Bridge and a price guide of $1.1 million. What if we traded those views in for more space? Let’s say you have the means to buy a house at Sydney’s median price. What if you dreamed bigger? Not in terms of price – but in terms of well, space?
Faced with more depressing news about the increasing unaffordability in Sydney – granted, less depressing if you actually own property – we thought we’d take a look at what Sydney’s $1,123,991 median price buys you around the rest of Australia.
Retreat: 10 John Locke Place, Bellingen.
Why have a house when you can have a retreat? This six-bedroom property on NSW’s mid-north coast is set on nearly five hectares, with two of them cleared, and is bang on the $1,100,000 price point.
It comprises of a main property with a with mountain views, spa, lounge, living and library rooms, and an outdoor entertaining area, and a second self-contained residence, solar panel system and salt water pool. It’s about a 40-minute drive to Coffs Harbour.
10 John Locke Pl, Bellingen, NSW Price: $1,100,000
Spa town: 111 Main Road, Hepburn Springs, Victoria.
If you’re looking in the spa town of Hepburn Springs, $1,100,000 will get you the Art Deco Palais – a property with several different zoned areas, including a large apartment to live in.
The main building also has, apparently, “last existing original wooden sprung dance floor in Victoria” – which is pretty special. The Hepburn Mineral Springs and associated spa complex are just around the corner.
111 Main Road, Hepburn Springs, Victoria $1,100,000
Fiver: Lot 7 Castlereagh Highway, Cullen Bullen, NSW.
You might be thinking “Hmm, that house doesn’t look that exciting,” but you don’t just get one for the price – you get five.
The $1,100,000 price also gets you four blocks of land with DA’s approved, and the existing brick homes are tenanted. Cullen Bullen is around 25 minutes from Lithgow, west of the Blue Mountains.
Lot 7 Castlereagh Highway, Cullen Bullen, NSW Price: $1,100,000
Hipster abode: 119 St Georges Road, Northcote.
This three-bedroom Californian bungalow in Melbourne’s hipster suburb of Northcote has a freshly-renovated bathroom, lead-light windows, stained wall-panelling and ornate ceilings. There’s also a separate studio in the backyard.
It’s close to Northcote Station and has a tram running up the street outside, and is about 6.5 kilometres as the crow flies to the city centre.
119 St Georges Road, Northcote Price: $1,000,000 – $1,100,000
Big country: 1786 Princes Highway, Trafalgar.
This four-bedroom Trafalgar property is right on the Princess Highway and around 150 kilometres east of Melbourne.
It has 6.8 hectares of land with views to the Strzelecki Ranges, solar system, shed, hayshed, cattle yards and a chicken run.
1786 Princes Highway, Trafalgar VIC Price: $1,030,000
Winery: 589 Cudlee Creek Road, Lobethal.
Want to buy a winery? Kangaroo Creek Vineyard is just over 29 hectares with vineyards, a cellar door and lots of strawberries available for picking. There’s a brick bungalow to live in, too.
Located near the town of Lobethal – famous for its Christmas lights display – it’s less than an an hour’s drive from Adelaide.
589 Cudlee Creek Road, Lobethal, SA $1,050,000 – $1,150,000
Resort style: 16 Mewsdale Row, Tallai QLD.
This six-bedroom, resort-style home sits on 6270 square metres, with landscaped grounds, a solar system, fruit trees and a dam.
It has three bedrooms, open-plan living, an additional home office and doors that open out to a pool and entertaining area.
Close to the Robina town centre, it’s also about 15 kilometres to the Gold Coast and 80 kilometres to Brisbane.
16 Mewsdale Row, Tallai QLD $1,099,000 plus
Stately: 191 George Street, Launceston.
This stately Launceston character home comes with a name – Hargate. It was designed and built around 1900 by Mr Joseph Humphreys, the silent partner in the then well-known Tasmanian builders J & T Gunn. Fully restored, it at one point operated as a guest house.
With valley views, four bedrooms and three bathrooms, it’s a stone’s throw from the town’s centre.
191 George Street, Launceston, Tasmania Offers around $1,100,000 considered
Inner-city convenience: 176 Oriel Road, Ascot.
If you’re aiming for a Queenslander and like inner-city convenience, this four-bedroom home on a 764-square-metre block in the popular Brisbane suburb of Ascot might take your fancy.
A few art deco stylings lend it a great deal of charm, and it’s across the road from the racetrack, around the corner from the station and 15 minutes drive from Brisbane City.
176 Oriel Road, Ascot QLD $995,000
Tenanted: 520 Huon Road, South Hobart, Tasmania.
Another multi-property offering, this modest-looking five-unit masonry brick veneer complex is surrounded by a rather nice slice of nature.
Tenanted, it offers gross income of $62,400 and is described as a “city-fringe” investment, which in this case translates to a 20-minute drive to the city centre.
520 Huon Road, South Hobart, Tasmania Offers around $1,100,000
Luxury home: 257a Military Road, Henley Beach, SA.
This new luxury home in Adelaide’s Henley Beach comes with all the mod cons, and a deck at the back perfect for entertaining.
It’s got four bedrooms, three bathrooms and 348 square metres of space, and it’s three minutes walk to the beach. Nice.
257a Military Road, Henley Beach, SA
$1.05 million
Green outlook: 6B Cox Street, Ainslie, ACT.
This cute Ainslie house is close to Braddon, ANU, the War Memorial and the Botanic Gardens, with Parliament just over the water – less than 15 minutes’ drive away.
It has a double garage, patio, four bedrooms and two bathrooms, and a leafy green outlook and garden.
6B Cox Street, Ainslie ACT $1,000,000+
Modern: 19A Beach Road, Coogee.
This modern, striking home is set on 400 square metres sitting above a limestone outcrop. It’s a short walk to Coogee Beach, with views of the water, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and trendy timber interiors.
Coogee is just south of Fremantle and about half an hour’s drive from the Perth CBD.
19A Beach Road, Coogee WA $1,000,000
Landscaped: 15 Henty Lookout, Roleystone, WA.
Perched in the family-friendly suburb of Roleystone, this four-bedroom home has a Six Star Energy Rating, northern views, dedicated home theatre room and even backs onto a golf resort.
The 2960-square-metre block is landscaped and has a range of fruit trees, including orange, lemon, cherry and pomegranate. It’s about a 45-minute drive from Perth’s CBD.
15 Henty Lookout, Roleystone WA $1,059,000
Room to build: 41 Tallow Wood Road, Milton.
A slight cheat here as there’s no actual house on this 42-hectare property – but you can build one. It comes with a DA for a three-bedroom energy-efficient house, as well as solar and wind power.
It has a sealed road leading into town and as the listing notes, “plenty of room for a helicopter pad (subject to council approval)”. It’s about a 20-minute drive to the NSW South Coast holiday destination of Mollymook.
41 Tallow Wood Road, Milton $1,050,000