Bullock Hills Reserve

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Land for Sale - 300 hectares

Bullock Hills Reserve, Marked Tree Rd, Hollow Tree

Offers around $260,000 invited for each of 2 adjoining titles or around $500,000 for both titles

Summary

The Bullock Hills Reserve is 300 ha of forest in the Derwent Valley, 12 kms east of Hamilton, 20 kms north of New Norfolk and a 1 hour drive from the Hobart CBD. The reserve protects populations of 2 threatened forest communities and offers attractive rural and bushland views. The smaller of the 2 titles (79.5 ha) has an existing 2 bedroom house and associated outbuildings, while the larger title (220.6 ha) offers an attractive house site with a northerly aspect.

Conservation Values

The Bullock Hills Reserve adjoins the Pelham West Nature Reserve and lies not far from another large private reserve. The reserve itself has significant conservation values, including:

• endangered black gum forest (Eucalyptus ovata);
• vulnerable silver peppermint forest (Eucalyptus tenuiramis); and
• habitat for several threatened fauna species, including the endangered wedge-tailed eagle (a pair of eagles are commonly seen soaring above the property).

The reserve has not been subject to any comprehensive flora and fauna surveys. However future surveys conducted at the right time of year may identify threatened flora species.

Covenant Conditions

A draft conservation covenant is being prepared for the reserve and will be registered on the titles of the land, providing permanent protection for the conservation values. The covenant restricts any activities that may degrade the conservation values, but allows for construction of boundary fencing, maintenance of fences and existing vehicular tracks and the establishment of walking tracks. A management plan will be developed with the new owners, ensuring that they are able to manage the threats to conservation values into the future. The Tasmanian Land Conservancy is also able to offer ongoing advice and assistance to the new owners in managing the conservation values of the land.

Infrastructure and future use of the property

Both titles have frontage to Marked Tree Road and the smaller of the 2 titles also has frontage to Pelham Road. The 2 titles are separated by a reserved road which provides access to a neighbouring property, but could also be used to facilitate legal access along that frontage. The reserve contains or is serviced by the following infrastructure.

• The smaller of the 2 titles contains a new 2 bedroom residence and associated outbuildings. The residence is powered by solar panels with a back-up diesel generator.
• There is a local shop and basic community facilities at Hamilton, about 12 kms from the property boundary. Comprehensive services and amenities are available in New Norfolk, which is about 20 kms from the boundary.

The entire property boundary is fenced except for a small section in the south-west corner.

On the smaller title, a cleared area around the existing residence will be excluded from the covenant to allow for future use and development. On the larger title, an area at the northern end which offers a good house site and views and a cleared area in the south -west corner will be excluded from the covenant. The exact areas to be excluded from the covenant have not been decided and there may be potential for future owners to have input to this decision before the covenant is finalised.

Background

The property was purchased by the Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC) through a Revolving Fund, which is used to buy land with significant conservation values to protect forever through the use of a conservation covenant. Funding for the purchase of this land was provided by the Australian Government through its Forest Conservation Fund Programme. Money raised from the sale of Revolving Fund properties is directed into the purchase of other Revolving Fund properties in Tasmania, extending the value from every dollar within the Fund.