18.38 ha (46 acres). 700m river frontage, 6 acres cleared. Sun all year, altitude 150m. Two small creeks. An old shack of no value in itself, but does confer the right to build a replacement dwelling.

Beautiful vegetation. Remnant rain forest in gullies. Eucalyptus forest higher up. The entire district is quite beautiful. Rolling farmland, forest and magnificent coastline. Natural setting with plentiful wildlife, private and sheltered, yet close to all amenities. Passing traffic minimal. Numerous opportunities for outdoor activity right on the doorstep.

Burnie is 35 minutes drive away and has all facilities. Regional art gallery, District police headquarters, Centrelink, all state government services, a campus of UTAS, TAFE, high schools, a multiplex cinema, supermarkets, restaurants, about eight blocks of shops and offices and the modern full-service Northwest Regional Hospital. It is a significant port although the car ferry to Melbourne sails daily from Devonport, 30 minutes drive east.

Wynyard is close – 15 minutes – with service stations, Woolworths and IGA supermarkets. The airport is here and REX have four flights a day to Melbourne. You can be in Collins St two hours after leaving home.

So if the idea is to retire to a lovely bush setting or still have a standard job and easily access conventional services then that is quite feasible. On the other hand this property has all the ingredients to allow an alternative mode of existence. Good soil, abundant water and firewood. Mill some trees to have great timber for building or craft wood. This property is not on the grid. It is not far to obtain a connection, but the way electricity prices are going, even if care for the planet didn’t indicate a stand-alone approach, economics might. Micro-hydro, solar and steam powered electricity are feasible.

Concerned about the future? Climate change, overpopulation, political instability, war, negative social change and the increasingly hectic pace of life in the centres. Then there is no better place to relocate to, especially to raise a family. This part of Tasmania has a stable maritime climate, one of the narrowest temperature ranges in the world and is likely to maintain rainfall. The air and water are still clean, there are rich soils, extensive forests and beautiful farmland, coastline and mountains. Uncrowded, with the lowest crime rates in Australia yet good access to modern health, educational and other services.