The NSW country estate to rival Elizabeth Bennet’s family home
The perfect property awaits when Mr Darcy comes to call
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Bowled over by Bridgerton? Delighted by Downtown Abbey? Or still pining for Pride and Prejudice?
If you’ve always dreamed of living in a bygone era where formal introductions were de rigueur and ladies danced with gentlemen at country balls, chances are opportunities have been scarce. The number of well-maintained historic country estates still standing in Australia is low and even fewer come onto the property market. Which makes the sale of 4 Ranelagh Road, Burradoo all the more special.
Set on 4.54ha in the NSW Southern Highlands, Knoyle Estate was designed by London architect Maurice Adams and built in the 1880s as a country retreat for Charles B Fairfax and his wife Florence.
Offering one of the largest landholdings and oldest gardens in the area, the property has four residences, all self contained. The main house has 1155sqm internal space with 14 bedrooms, seven bathrooms and five living spaces. The other three residences are of varying sizes, with one offering eight bedrooms, another five bedrooms and the smallest with four bedrooms.The park-like gardens include rare specimens and century-old trees as well as a seven-level private labyrinth.
While it is indeed perfect for stepping back in time, the property has been put to various uses over the years, including as a boarding school. Agent Andrew Blake from Knight Frank notes that it sits on three titles, with the possibility of subdivision and dual occupancy.
“The property could be used in its current form as a grand home, but there is also the opportunity to repurpose the residence, as well as to develop, subject to council approval and hence for it to instead be a commercial acquisition,” he said.
“Other possible uses include a bed and breakfast or a country hotel with the demand for premium accommodation in the area, a luxury wellness retreat, a wedding or events venue, a cooking school, an art gallery or even as a retail outlet for antique dealers.
“There is also the potential for group homes and seniors’ living.”
A stunning property in the Queen Anne style with Arts and Crafts and Gothic Revival influences, it’s the stuff dreams are made of.
Address: 4 Ranelagh Road, Burradoo
Price guide: $12 million
Agents: Nathan Berlyn Nathan.berlyn@au.knightfrank.com 0449 157 773.
Andrew Blake Andrew.blake@au.knightfrank.com 0434 770 307
Inspection: By appointment
This stylish family home combines a classic palette and finishes with a flexible floorplan
Just 55 minutes from Sydney, make this your creative getaway located in the majestic Hawkesbury region.
Excluding the Covid-19 pandemic period, annual growth was the lowest since 1992
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Australia’s commodity-rich economy recorded its weakest growth momentum since the early 1990s in the second quarter, as consumers and businesses continued to feel the impact of high interest rates, with little expectation of a reprieve from the Reserve Bank of Australia in the near term.
The economy grew 0.2% in the second quarter from the first, with annual growth running at 1.0%, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday. The results were in line with market expectations.
It was the 11th consecutive quarter of growth, although the economy slowed sharply over the year to June 30, the ABS said.
Excluding the Covid-19 pandemic period, annual growth was the lowest since 1992, the year that included a gradual recovery from a recession in 1991.
The economy remained in a deep per capita recession, with gross domestic product per capita falling 0.4% from the previous quarter, a sixth consecutive quarterly fall, the ABS said.
A big area of weakness in the economy was household spending, which fell 0.2% from the first quarter, detracting 0.1 percentage point from GDP growth.
On a yearly basis, consumption growth came in at just 0.5% in the second quarter, well below the 1.1% figure the RBA had expected, and was broad-based.
The soft growth report comes as the RBA continues to warn that inflation remains stubbornly high, ruling out near-term interest-rate cuts.
RBA Gov. Michele Bullock said last month that near-term rate cuts aren’t being considered.
Money markets have priced in a cut at the end of this year, while most economists expect that the RBA will stand pat until early 2025.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned this week that high interest rates are “smashing the economy.”
Still, with income tax cuts delivered at the start of July, there are some expectations that consumers will be in a better position to spend in the third quarter, reviving the economy to some degree.
“Output has now grown at 0.2% for three consecutive quarters now. That leaves little doubt that the economy is growing well below potential,” said Abhijit Surya, economist at Capital Economics.
“But if activity does continue to disappoint, the RBA could well cut interest rates sooner,” Surya added.
Government spending rose 1.4% over the quarter, due in part to strength in social-benefits programs for health services, the ABS said.
This stylish family home combines a classic palette and finishes with a flexible floorplan
Just 55 minutes from Sydney, make this your creative getaway located in the majestic Hawkesbury region.
