Farmhouse rental

Farmhouse rental programs are a common method used by many rural Australian towns to attract new residents to live in their communities. The programs generally involve offering abandoned and often semi-derelict farmhouses for rent at a nominal price, often $1 per week.[1] The towns that offer such programs have generally undergone a significant decline in population. As a result, essential services for the area such as education and health are removed or reduced, creating a further, spiralling, population decline. By attracting new residents, the communities hope to reverse their demographic spiral.[2]

The modern farmhouse rental program began in the Central West town of Cumnock. The organisers there claim the program was successful; claiming the population of the town grew by 30 per cent and the local school hired a new teacher as a result of the 14 new enrolments.[3] As a result, the program has been adapted widely across rural New South Wales and beyond.[4] Similarly, the rural locality of Errowanbang saw its school's population rise above the two teacher threshold for the first time in its history.[5]

In 2011, the ABC produced a documentary following the farmhouse rental scheme of Trundle, "Country Town Rescue".[6]

Communities offering farmhouse rentals

References
  1. Williams, Samantha (2 February 2009). "Rent a Cumnock farm for just a $1 a week". Daily Telegraph. News Limited. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  2. "Want $1 rent? Move to the Mallee". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 3 July 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  3. "$1 rent adds to the lure of country life". Daily Telegraph. News Limited. 26 December 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  4. Vaz, Ellen (3 July 2009). "Christine farms out Cumnock rent plan". Central Western Daily. Fairfax. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  5. http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/news/local/news/general/farmhouse-plan-boosts-rural-school/2361889.aspx
  6. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/countrytownrescue/about/
  7. "Cumnock". Rent a Farmhouse for $1 a week. rentafarmhouse.com.au. Archived from the original on 2009-10-13. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  8. "Other houses". Rent a Farmhouse for $1 a week. rentafarmhouse.com.au. Archived from the original on 2009-07-20. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  9. "Greenethorpe". Greenethorpe needs you!. Revive Greenethorpe committee. Archived from the original on 2009-04-10. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  10. "Rent a farmhouse - Ilford NSW". Ilford Public School P&C. Archived from the original on 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  11. "Welcome to Tallimba". Tallimba Advancement Group. Archived from the original on 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  12. "Rent a farmhouse". Tottenham: The Heart of New South Wales. tottenhamnsw.com.au. Archived from the original on 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  13. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/countrytownrescue/
  14. "Tullamore "Rent a Farm House"". Tullamore Inc. Archived from the original on 2009-10-13. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  15. "Wycheproof Farm Rental". Wycheproof 2010. Archived from the original on 2009-07-05. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
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