Classic Blue Hills

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday June 20, 2002

Margie Blok

Katoomba

Style Traditional weatherboard cottages, rambling '20s residences and newer brick-veneers.

Price range From $200,000 to about $500,000.

Transport Train or car from Sydney.

Facilities Carrington Hotel, Katoomba Golf Club, The Edge Maxvision Cinema, cafes, restaurants, shopping.

Amusements Bushwalking, abseiling, strolling, gardening, golfing.

You can still find an affordable mountain retreat if you look in the right place.

KATOOMBA agents report a buoyant autumn selling season with mountain cottages proving popular with Sydneysiders seeking weekenders and lifestyle properties. Compared with its neighbour Leura, which has long been considered the posh patch of the mountains, Katoomba has a good stock of reasonably priced character bungalows and small houses.

``Katoomba property prices have gone up by about 20 per cent this year," says Christine Bray, principal of Ray White Katoomba. ``The low end of the market is now around $200,000, but most houses are in the $250,000 to $350,000 range."

Two weeks ago, a traditional circa 1913 weatherboard cottage with pressed metal ceilings sold at auction to a Sydney buyer for $295,000. And last month, Araluen, a well-renovated weatherboard house on the corner of Clissold and Duff streets, sold for $311,500.

``Properties in Katoomba are still affordable," Bray says. ``The price difference between houses here and similar houses in Leura is about $100,000."

Katoomba also has an abundance of guesthouses and bed-and-breakfast establishments. Spectacular views over vast stretches of rugged wilderness draw droves of visitors to Echo Point. This precinct near the escarpment between Katoomba and Leura is regarded as the best area of Katoomba. The properties are close to Jamison Valley's plethora of walking tracks, many of which follow mining trails dating back to the late 1800s.

In the 1860s, Katoomba was known as The Crushers. This name came from a quarry and rock-crushing plant supplying ballast for train tracks.

Katoomba has an eclectic permanent and part-time population. The town is popular with creative souls, such as artists and writers, who take inspiration from the mountains; it also appeals to garden lovers, golfers and city folk simply fleeing the hustle and bustle.

``Katoomba offers a terrific lifestyle, and since the renovation of the old Carrington Hotel the town has come alive again," says Bray.

From Sydney, it's an easy drive to Katoomba via the M4 and Great Western Highway. Outside peak hour and busy periods (such as late Sunday afternoon), the drive takes about 90 minutes. The train trip takes two hours.

``Lots of people commute to Sydney," Bray says. ``Modern technology has been a boon for residents who can combine flexibility of work with the mountains' lifestyle. These people have the best of both worlds."

At 1017 metres above sea level, Katoomba spreads across a ridge divided by the Great Western Highway. The southern side of the town is more suburban than the bushland northern side, where properties are cheaper. Recently a northern side one-hectare property, with magnificent landscaped gardens, a two-bedroom cottage and separate studio, sold through the Ray White agency for $503,000 a high price for Katoomba.

Listed for sale at $575,000 through the Downer and Maher agency is a sandstone farmhouse and barn, once part of a dairy. Situated opposite Katoomba Golf Club and set in more than 2000 square metres of gardens, the renovated farmhouse has three bedrooms, a living room, sunroom, eat-in kitchen and gas heating.

A contemporary timber home in Bourne Road, leading off Cliff Drive near the escarpment, is listed at $369,000. In nearby Hope Street, an older-style, rambling weatherboard house set in large established gardens sold in April for $485,000, through Theo Poulos Real Estate. Other recent sales include a brick-veneer home in Ficus Street for $270,000 and a renovated three-bedroom, single-storey bungalow standing in attractive established gardens in Acacia Street (across the road from the golf course) for $300,000.