Dream spread on the market: [1 Edition]
Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 30 Mar 2001: 41.
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Abstract
Bill Burge, a famous Sydney lawyer also well known as a keen collector of contemporary Australian art, along with his wife Ann, poured a great deal of time, money and effort into Benditi. When their three children were growing up it was a much loved retreat from city life.
“Benditi is a very beautiful property,” Mrs Burge said. “It was one of the things that attracted us. It has been sensitively cleared. I have never seen another property where there are such huge stands of blue gums left. Most of the ridge tops are still covered.
Agent Chris Meares of Meares and Associates, specialists in eastern seaboard rural properties, said: “Benditi is a very pretty property. There is no doubt that it is one of the best improved properties available at the moment.The owners have put a lot of thoughtful planning into it, including conservation and beautification.”
Full Text
COUNTRY MATTERS
BENDITI is a dream property, located in sheltered plateau country on the favoured eastern fall of the New England region at the headwaters of the Macleay River.
It has been with the Burge family of Centennial Park in Sydney for more than a quarter of a century, and was their favourite of the rural properties they have owned.
Bill Burge, a famous Sydney lawyer also well known as a keen collector of contemporary Australian art, along with his wife Ann, poured a great deal of time, money and effort into Benditi. When their three children were growing up it was a much loved retreat from city life.
Bill’s death two years ago changed everything, and his widow Ann has decided to sell.
With cattle doing better than they have in years, interest is expected to be high in the 2088-hectare high-rainfall property.
“Benditi is a very beautiful property,” Mrs Burge said. “It was one of the things that attracted us. It has been sensitively cleared. I have never seen another property where there are such huge stands of blue gums left. Most of the ridge tops are still covered.
“Bill was a particularly visual person, and we have planted about 80 different varieties of trees, including oaks, elms, ash, birch and liquidambar. They were very carefully planned to enhance the landscape and add autumn colour. They are just starting to mature. My husband could tell you about almost every tree there.
“Selling Benditi marks the end of an era. I do feel sad, well, philosophical about it. We had an awful lot of pleasure out of the place over the years.”
Apart from its beauty, there is a practical side. Mrs Burge said there was no doubt the property was profitable, especially now.
Chief commodity specialist with the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics Terry Sheales said in contrast to the drastic lows of 1996-’97, when saleyard prices were an average of 152 cents a kilo dressed and the industry was in despair, the price is now 238 and the outlook positive.
He said while it was too early to tell whether Europe’s foot-and- mouth crisis would impact positively on Australia, the low dollar was having a positive impact. With low numbers coming on the market as cattlemen in Australia and the US rebuilt their herds, prices were expected to stay high, at least in the short-term.
Agent Chris Meares of Meares and Associates, specialists in eastern seaboard rural properties, said: “Benditi is a very pretty property. There is no doubt that it is one of the best improved properties available at the moment.The owners have put a lot of thoughtful planning into it, including conservation and beautification.”
Benditi features a four- bedroom homestead, currently used by the manager, a five-bedroom weatherboard with tennis court used by the owners, a three-bedroom brick guest cottage and a staff cottage.