Bathurst's Blackdown sold at $2.55 million by artist Tim Storrier
Artist Tim Storrier and his wife, Janet, have finally sold their historic rural Bathurst estate, some 12 months after its listing.
Blackdown, the Storriers' Bathurst estate, cost $2.5 million in 2008 when bought from the hair care product pioneer Anton Starling, who'd unsuccessfully sought more than $3.5 million.
The 56-hectare property some four kilometres from the Bathurst city centre, at Eglinton secured $2.55 million, having been listed with $4 million plus hopes this time last year. The expectations were adjusted to $3 million around Easter.
There's no way to paint the situation other than the prestige rural lifestyle market is very much in the doldrums given the caution among buyers unprepared to take on debt on a second property that has been evident since the global financial crisis.
The hobby farm sold through James Thompson at The Professionals Bathurst to a local who intends to use the garden and artist's studio for weddings.
The Ian Stapleton-renovated homestead comes with tennis court, pool, dressage arena and stable complex.
The house was built for commissariat storekeeper Thomas Hawkins, his wife, Elizabeth, and their eight children after a land grant by Governor Thomas Brisbane.
Thomas Hawkins, a former British naval officer, had been appointed commissarial storekeeper at Bathurst in 1822.
Hawkins has spent 18 days to get across the Blue Mountains to Bathurst, where he selected the holding on the Macquarie River.
In late 2012 the Storrier couple bought Hopewood House at Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands.
It was built in 1884 by Ben Osborne and his wife, Lucy, in the grand Dutch colonial style.
