Private Eco-Friendly Luxury On Kangaroo Island

Created for the coastal environment by South Australian architects Geoff Nairn and Tim Ross of Design Inc. comes the remarkably positioned Little Cuttlefish on Kangaroo Island.

Overlooking the vast blue waters of Backstairs Passage to the mainland, the 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 2 car garage home offers an isolated, eco-friendly retreat like no-other.

Perched on the ultimate clifftop platform and spanning approximately 135 acres, the structure is designed to be completely sustainable with off-grid infrastructure including solar power and rainwater tanks offering a complete shift in lifestyle.

Upon arriving at Little Cuttlefish, you are guided along its 1.5km sheoak-lined driveway, leading you alongside paddocks before revealing the blue ocean below and rammed earth house.

On the property, the current custodians have planted an incredible 10,000 trees over the past 20 years to create an immensely private property.

The ground floor consists of kitchen, living, dining and lounge spaces with a facilities room located behind the kitchen.

There are two spacious bedrooms fitted with Moroccan style ensuite bathrooms. Above the top floor has a beautiful balcony to sit on and enjoy the changing light of dusk and dawn. Elsewhere the second bedroom can be utilised as a library or guest bedroom with its own ensuite.

Heating and cooling have been intelligently designed to use the natural environment and elements of the home. Concrete floors are heated throughout the cooler months through an underfloor heating system.

Outside sees a long, swimming pool running almost the length of the property and overlooking the grand ocean views.

Further, a large garage adjacent to the garden offers potential for conversion into further accommodation — or as a link to the main house.

The house is enclosed at the rear by a superb walled garden — including a vegetable garden — which combines with park-like surrounds and world-class ocean views.

Little Cuttlefish is located just 10 minutes from the ferry terminal and township of Penneshaw on the eastern end of the wilderness paradise of Kangaroo Island, South Australia.

The listing is with Deborah Cullen (+61 401 849 955), EOI. Cullenroyle.com.au

There are 10 local council areas scattered along the East Coast of Australia that offer both affordability and solid fundamentals for sustainable future growth, according to the research team at residential property network, PRD. The areas have been selected based on five criterion. They are affordability – defined as a median house price below $600,000, rising house values, strong rental yields to encourage investment, a strong pipeline of residential, commercial and infrastructure projects to facilitate local economic development, and low unemployment.

Here are Australia’s 10 most affordable regional property markets with great future potential.

Mackay, QLD

Mackay is a tropical coastal area located in north Queensland. It’s known for its closeconnection to the Great Barrier Reef. The median house price is $462,750, up 8.9 percent in 2023. Mackay attracts a lot of interstate migrants and is home to more than 120,000 people. It has a healthy economy with an unemployment rate of 3.7 percent and $1.7 billion worth of projects due to commence this year.

Toowoomba, QLD

The Toowoomba median house price was up 10.9 percent in 2023.

Toowoomba is located west of Brisbane and is known for its Victorian buildings, street artand surrounding national parks. The median house price is $560,000, up 10.9 percent in 2023. The city has a population of more than 180,000. The unemployment rate is 4 percentand there is $6.1 billion in projects commencing in 2024.

Townsville, QLD

Townsville is a coastal city in north-eastern Queensland. The median house price is $420,000, up 5 percent in 2023. It is home to more than 200,000 people. Unemployment is very low at 2.5 percent and there is $3.2 billion of projects commencing this year.

Dubbo, NSW

Dubbo is located west of Newcastle in the Orana Region and is home to the Western Plains Zoo. The median house price is $530,000, up 11.6 percent in 2023. The population has exploded in recent years to more than 56,000 people. The unemployment rate is just 2.2percent and the economy is thriving. There is a pipeline of $4.7 billion in projects commencing this year.

Tamworth, NSW

Located in north-east NSW, Tamworth is known for its popular annual Country Music Festival. It’s also the largest retail centre for the New England and Northwest Slopes regions. The median house price is $490,000, up 14 percent in 2023. With a population of more than 65,000 people, the economy is strong with unemployment of just 2 percent and $112.4million worth of projects commencing this year.

Griffith, NSW

Located west of Sydney and northwest of Canberra, Griffith is known for its prime produce production and wine cultivation. The median house price is $531,000, up 2.1 percent in 2023. Griffith’s population is about 27,000 people. The city boasts high economic resilience with a 2 percent unemployment rate and $258.7 million in projects in the pipeline.

Ballarat, VIC

Ballarat is a 1.5–hour drive west of Melbourne. It’s popular with city commuters who move here for housing affordability and a relaxed lifestyle with easy access to the city via train. The median house price is $570,000, down 4.2 percent in 2023 but up 92.9 percent over the past decade. The city has the third highest population in Victoria at about 118,000. Ballarat has an unemployment rate of 3 percent and a total projects pipeline worth $2.3 billion for 2024.

Shepparton, VIC

Shepparton is a rural area about two hours north of Melbourne. It is popularly referred to as ‘the food bowl of Australia’. The median house price is $475,000, up 4.4 percent in 2023. The population is about 70,000. The unemployment rate is just 2 percent and there is $1.8 billion in projects for 2024.

Wodonga, VIC

Wodonga is located on the border of NSW on the southern side of the Murray River. It is approximately 320km from Melbourne and 345km from Canberra. The median house price is $567,250, up 4.7 percent in 2023. With a population of about 44,000, the city’s jobless rate is 3 percent and there is $388.2 million in development set to commence in 2024, primarily new infrastructure.

Burnie, TAS

Burnie is a bustling port city located in Emu Bay in Tasmania’s north-west. Overlooking beaches and parklands, the area is known for its rich agriculture and mining projects. The median house price is $435,000, up 3.6 percent. Despite a rising population, the unemployment rate is falling and is currently 5.6 percent. In 2024, Burnie’s project pipeline is valued at approximately $1.6 billion. A significant portion is commercial development, primarily renewable energy projects.