There's no doubt many buyers are drawn to the idea of renovating a country church but many haven't factored-in the upkeep of the graveyard that sometimes comes with it.
However, that's exactly what buyers of the former Perthville Uniting Church and Hamer Memorial Hall at 838 Vale Road will need to consider before purchasing the property which is about 10 minutes from Bathurst, NSW.
According to Raine & Horne Bathurst's Todd Houghton, who is selling the property with Michelle Mackay, the buyer will be responsible for maintaining the cemetery, and will need to provide public access as well.However the cemetery occupies only a relatively small portion of the 5,271-square-metre property and only has about 52 people buried there.
With an auction guide of about $350,000, Mr Houghton said there are plenty of people keen to take a second look with the small amount of cemetery maintenance proving no deterrent for many.
The Perthville Uniting Church is well known to many people in the Central West having been built in 1863, its final service was held there in 2018.
The double-brick church still has many of its historic features including cathedral ceilings with exposed rafters, lancet windows and a raised timber altar.
The building also has external toilets and the property is not connected to the town sewerage and water supply.
The Hamer Memorial Hall was built in 1959 and features a large open space with timber floorboards, high ceilings and ceiling fans.
There is also a separate kitchen with electric cooking facilities and external toilets.
According to Mr Houghton, despite not being occupied since 2018 the church is in good condition.
"The floor needs some attention in a couple of spots but it's certainly nothing to be concerned about," he said,
He said the property is zoned RU4 which allows it to be used for sustainable primary industry and other compatible land uses.
According to Mr Houghton the buyer would require Bathurst Regional Council's approval to turn it into a home but he said council staff had indicated to him they would be open to the possibility.
Mr Houghton said he's already had a lot of interest in the property which goes to auction on June 30 although he can't guarantee the buyer will be given permission to undertake some of their plans.
"Quite a few investors from Sydney are looking at it," he said.
"There's a couple of local people who are looking at converting it into a home and there's been interest from people looking at it for a dance hall."
Tracey Prisk
I am a writer on the national property team and I cover real estate news in Orange, Bathust, Dubbo, Wagga and the Blue Mountains. I was previously the editor of the Central Western Daily for six years and before that worked as the CWD's chief of staff. During this time I also wrote feature stories for Country Style magazine. Before joining ACM I was a film writer and reviewer at the Sunday Telegraph. I was previously the editor of the film and television magazine Encore and also wrote for Broadcast Engineering News.
I am a writer on the national property team and I cover real estate news in Orange, Bathust, Dubbo, Wagga and the Blue Mountains. I was previously the editor of the Central Western Daily for six years and before that worked as the CWD's chief of staff. During this time I also wrote feature stories for Country Style magazine. Before joining ACM I was a film writer and reviewer at the Sunday Telegraph. I was previously the editor of the film and television magazine Encore and also wrote for Broadcast Engineering News.
