1938 Chichester Dam Road

Bandon Grove NSW 2420

Wangat is a complex of mud-brick buildings; it is a 50-acre forested property on a pristine river; it is a bio-diverse Wildlife Refuge; and after more than 30 years in business as an environmental education centre and family holiday centre it is an accommodation icon in the Hunter Region of NSW.
The owner and prime mover for Wangat's programs and activities is retiring after running more than 550 residential school camps and around two thousand weekends focused on nature recreation. A new owner is sought - to continue operations along the line followed so far, or to re-invent the facility as a wedding venue, a yoga centre, a school's 'bush campus', a place of peace and restoration....
Wangat provides accommodation for up to 58 people, set in forest surroundings on the 50-acre Wildlife Refuge. The eucalypt forest and sub-tropical rainforest connects across a pristine stretch of the Chichester River to the foothills of Barrington Tops National Park. Here is the end of the farmland extending up the valley from Newcastle, and the beginning of land never cleared and including forests of World Heritage classification.
The property is within easy reach of Dungog (bitumen road, 20 minutes scenic drive), an hour and a quarter from Newcastle and three hours from Sydney. Dungog has a population of 2500, with schools, a cinema, diverse sporting facilities, excellent medical services, shops and small businesses.
Built in the 1980s to serve as a base for environmental education 'camps' for schools Wangat Lodge has ten bedrooms, shared bathrooms, a large common room for dining and relaxation, a commercial-scale fully-equipped kitchen, outdoor social areas including a landscaped BBQ area and a forest amphitheatre (for events such as weddings).
The property is undulating to steep and is mostly forested - natural eucalypt forest and rainforest plus an area of 30-year-old eucalypt plantation. Uniquely there is an 800-metre frontage to a pristine stretch of the Chichester River - true wilderness. The property is rich in wildlife - wallabies, pademelons, bandicoots, possums, goannas, brush turkeys, diamond pythons, geckos. There are more than 120 species of birds and sixteen species of frogs!
In addition to the Lodge there are two self-contained cottages rented independently from the Lodge. A three-room office is attached to one cottage. There is a two-bedroom mud-brick residence for the owner/manager, a large two-bay shed and a bush retreat set up as full-time accommodation.
All buildings are in a good state of repair and appearance and there is no immediate need for any major expenditure in order to keep the business operation running. A maintenance person and cleaner with more than ten years' experience would likely be able to provide continuity of service.
Approximately 60% of the land area is protected in perpetuity under a Voluntary Conservation Agreement. 40% includes all buildings and infrastructure and a substantial surrounding area available for appropriate development including food production.
The business is sold with the property, so it is a WIWO sale with all set up to start with new owners tomorrow.