After a period spent working overseas, eight years ago Justin Nancarrow, a fourth generation farmer, and wife Cathy were looking to relocate back to Australia.
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They found an acreage property in the Kiama area they knew would require plenty of hard work to rejuvenate, but offered plenty of upside.
"I'm a mining engineer by trade and we were working in Africa," he said.
"My wife used to holiday in this area every year since she was a toddler, and when we came back to Australia, we looked at what was available in this area and this place popped up.
"It was one of those broken down, busted up, really degraded old dairy farms. It's been a project to revive it, get it back to its former glory and back into production."
Also key to its appeal were the lifestyle opportunities.
"One of the drawcards of this area is the proximity to Seven Mile Beach - it's one of the world's best beaches I think, and we've surfed all over the place," he said.
Located above the headland between Kiama and Gerringong is 'Cloudbreak', a farming property named after the surf break in Fiji.
The vacant block of land is located at 164a Princes Highway, Kiama Heights, and for sale with a price guide of $3.5 million.
'Cloudbreak' is situated on 41 acres over two titles of deep basalt soils with permanent spring fed creeks and a groundwater bore.
Zoned RU2 Rural Landscape (on about 90 per cent of the property) and E2 Environmental Conservation, and currently managed with regenerative chemical free farming practices, the farm is used for hay, silage and grazing cattle over four pasture improved paddocks with winter ryegrass, clover and kikuyu.
'Cloudbreak' has been continuously dairy farmed by only four families since it was first released in the Munna Munnora land release of the 1850's.
It was originally owned by renowned local farming families the Weirs, and later the Easts.
The property's drystone walls and 400-year-old fig trees are heritage-listed within the Kiama Local Environmental Plan.
The rainforest, with two waterfalls, is also home to the fig trees, red cedar, birdlife, wallabies, echidna and wombats.
However, there is not currently a building entitlement on the property.
Mr Nancarrow said this current listing was only a portion of the land they own in the area.
He said the listing represented a "blank slate" for the successful buyer.
"The land we're selling at the moment was integrated into our farming operations," he said.
"In the name of simplicity, and to help us focus on the rest of the land we own is the reason we're selling. It allows us to focus on the much larger farming blocks.
"It depends what the buyers want to do with it. I'd like to see it fundamentally in agricultural production still, because we can trace continuous dairying operations back to the 1860's from this land.
"So it has a huge history. It's multi-generational farming country."
Selling agent, Angie Ritchie from First National Coast & Country said the property's close proximity to both Gerringong and Kiama townships offered a selection of lifestyle opportunities including beaches, shopping and cafes.
Mrs Ritchie said after a fortnight on the market, 'Cloudbreak' was attracting plenty of interest from Sydney-siders and a few local buyers.
"The views are spectacular, going from all the way in the north to Wollongong and in the south down to Point Perpendicular," she said.
"The land is very fertile and productive... Lots of feed, just beautiful. Plus there's a few touches of rainforest throughout which adds a little variety as well."
Brendan Crabb
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
