Established in 1981 as the
proudly serving Sunbury and Macedon Ranges
26 OCTOBER, 2021
12496404-AV22-21
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SIG N U P N O W!
Land project recognised
Healthy Landscapes for Healthy Livestock director Jason McAinch.
Macedon Ranges council has been announced as a finalist for the Premier’s Sustainability Awards for 2021. Council was named among 35 finalists in the Healthy Environment category for their Healthy Landscapes For Healthy Livestock series. The project was developed to improve land management outcomes across the shire area, with specified advice for landowners to address issues around grazing, weed invasion, and loss of native grasslands. Macedon Ranges council planning and environment director Angela Hughes said it was important to inform landowners of the best agricultural practices, as 87 per cent percent of land in the shire is privately owned. “Sustainable farming practices can make a critical contribution to restoring landscapes and contributing to a healthy environment when regenerative methods are utilised. In contrast, poor farming practices can result in erosion, loss of biodiversity and negative impacts on local waterways,” Ms Hughes said. “The project involves the provision of individual on-farm advice by a regenerative agriculture expert, delivery of a series of workshops, field days, and webinars, as well as the provision of regenerative grazing short courses.”
(Damjan Janevski) 254330
Regions are hot property By Oliver Lees House prices in Kyneton have continued to soar according to the latest data, as the real estate market across regional Victoria experienced its highest 12 month growth rate in a decade. Data from the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) reveals a 22.8 per cent growth rate for house prices across regional Victoria over the past 12 months. In the three months to September, median house prices in Kyneton increased by 5.7 per
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cent, more than double that of the regional Victorian median price (2.7 per cent) for the same period. The median sale price for a residential property in Kyneton was $798,000 for the September quarter, up from $755,000 for the June quarter. With 10 years of real estate experience in Kyneton, Raine & Horne Kyneton sales manager Jennifer Pearce said the massive interest in the town continued to exceed her expectations.
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“The figures just seem to astound me more and more,” Ms Pearce said. “Prices often sell above the asking price, they’re moving so quickly. “I had one [property] listed for $695,000, it was sold site-unseen for $800,000. There’s a lot of fear of missing out, so people are prepared to go above the asking price.” Ms Pearce said travel restrictions and an inability to schedule auctions hadn’t dented buyer interest. “Auctions are coming back soon, which is
positive, but our online auctions have gone extremely well,” she said. “Last week we had a 90 per cent sale rate, we used to think 54 per cent was a good rate.” She said her properties are averaging 23 days on the market, well below the regional average of 32 days, according to REIV data. “Stock levels are low. I find that even though they are low, I can sell quickly and then get a couple more [properties],” Ms Pearce said. “We usually see a slow down at Christmas time, but this year we’ll just have to wait and see.”
At Kingsgate Village you can enjoy your independence while living among secure and tranquil surroundings. Our state-of-the-art centre has resort style facilities to suit your lifestyle: • Competition Size Lawn Bowls • Swimming Pool • Fully Equipped Gymnasium • Hairdresser • Cinema and Library • 24 Hour Video Security 12506352-BL35-21