If you live in Sydney and answered yes to both these questions, you may be interested in Cherry Dell, at Exeter outside Bowral on the Southern Highlands.

Cherry Dell is part of the break-up of Invergowrie, the 1937 estate of Australian Iron & Steel co-founder Sir Cecil Hoskins. It was built on the site of Headlands, the original Yates Seed and Bulb Farm.

Cherry Dell agent Duncan Hill, of Richardson & Wrench in Bowral, said there was a definite movement of people in their 30s and 40s to the Southern Highlands.

* Rural

FANCY a nice little weekender out of town — but not too far out of town? Got a spare million or two?

If you live in Sydney and answered yes to both these questions, you may be interested in Cherry Dell, at Exeter outside Bowral on the Southern Highlands.

The newly listed 4.8ha property is for sale for $1.35 million.

These days that’s starting to look like a pretty average price in the sought-after region.

Agents say it’s now hard to find a one-acre property in Bowral for less than $800,000.

Cherry Dell is part of the break-up of Invergowrie, the 1937 estate of Australian Iron & Steel co-founder Sir Cecil Hoskins. It was built on the site of Headlands, the original Yates Seed and Bulb Farm.

One of Invergowrie’s features was that much of the original Hoskins gardens was intact. They were designed by landscape gardener Paul Sorensen.

His legacy can be seen in the many mature trees, hedges and banks of daffodils that dot the former grounds.

Danish-born Sorensen came to Australia in the early part of last century, designing gardens for many leading families of the era. Everglades at Leura in the Blue Mountains is considered his greatest surviving work.

Invergowrie was bought in 1967 by solicitor Carnegie Fieldhouse. In 1997, the estate was subdivided, and Cherry Dell was created. Enter the Byrne family, who say they fell in love with it immediately.

The Byrnes are not among the “suits” — stockbrokers, lawyers and pilots — who have made Bowral such a sought-after spot for weekenders.

They’re an example of the other demographic being drawn to the rural charms of the Southern Highlands — families with young children who appreciate the safety and security of the region.

The Byrnes were living and working in Canberra when they discovered Cherry Dell.

“We think we got the best part of the Paul Sorensen gardens,” says Amanda Byrne.

“Invergowrie has the main house and beautiful rhododendrons, but ours has a hidden valley, which is supposedly hand dug.

“We don’t know if that’s correct, but Paul Sorensen was against the use of heavy machinery, and it’s possible.

“We just fell in love with Cherry Dell. The name comes from the hidden valley. It has a whole series of flowering cherries down through it — lots of rhododendrons, masses of bulbs, and beautiful, mature trees, including golden elms.”

Mrs Byrne said she found the area ideal for bringing up children, and can’t speak highly enough of the local public school at Exeter.

And it takes only an hour for her husband to get to work in Nowra — no more than many Sydney commuters face every day. Joanne Gowland, part-owner of the Bowral Property Group, said the local property market had completely turned around from a decade ago, when it was dominated by retirees.

“There is definitely a pick-up,” she said. “People want bigger blocks, they want space, they want safety for thekids. People want to bring their kids up in less crime-ridden zones. They look to Bowral for these things. There are a lot of people escaping the stress of Sydney.

“The market for upmarket weekenders is strong, but families are taking over,” Ms Gowland said.

“They’re looking for the benefits of small-town life, without feeling they’re removed from civilisation. People want mod cons, but they want to know their local shop-keepers at the same time.”

Cherry Dell agent Duncan Hill, of Richardson & Wrench in Bowral, said there was a definite movement of people in their 30s and 40s to the Southern Highlands.

“They’re people with money,” he said. “They’ve invested in property and stock and done well. A home purchase from $1 million to $1.5 million is well within their range.

“The market for weekenders is usually older — 50s to 60s. They have a house in Sydney’s eastern or northern suburbs,” he said. “Sometimes they’re looking for a place which might suit them in retirement. Often they’re just looking for seclusion and privacy.”

Mr Hill said local papers were reporting an 11 per cent influx of people since the completion of the M5 motorway last year. The highway has significantly cut travelling times to Sydney.

“The comment you hear most often from buyers is that the hustle and bustle of Sydney is getting too much for them,” he said.

“You can’t go to the opera down here, but you can go to your local shop without having any hassle parking.”