474 Clarefield Dungay Creek Road Marlo Merrican, 2441 NSW

Your Own Private Botanical Sanctuary! 180 Acres

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Discover a rare opportunity to acquire one of the Mid North Coast's most extraordinary eco-properties – a lovingly restored 70-hectare botanical paradise that showcases nearly five decades of passionate land stewardship and horticultural expertise.

This is the story of a property transformed. In 1977, Original owners purchased this 180-acre parcel as part of a subdivided cattle farm. Approximately half had been recently cleared, with the remainder showing established native forest regrowth and evidence of heavy historical logging. Their vision was clear: restore the forest, heal the land, and pursue a low-impact lifestyle in harmony with nature.

What followed was three decades of dedicated work establishing the Earthcare Nursery, with a retail presence in Wauchope and wholesale operations on the farm. Toni's passion for horticulture and plant collecting has created what can only be described as a living botanical museum – a property that reveals seasonal surprises throughout the year with its extraordinary diversity of flowering trees, shrubs, vines, deciduous trees with striking autumn colours, and collections of palms, bamboos, orchids, bromeliads, fruit and nut trees, and rare specimens.

Walking through this property is like exploring a curated botanical garden where every turn reveals something remarkable. The extensive arboretum of deciduous trees creates a spectacular autumn display of reds, oranges, yellows, and golds, while magnolias provide stunning spring blossoms. These fire-retarding trees have been strategically planted along the road frontage, creating both a natural firebreak and a seasonal spectacle.

The property boasts both subtropical and temperate fruit orchards established since 1978, featuring over fifty varieties of fruit and nut trees. From common favourites like apples, citrus, and figs to exotic treasures like jaboticaba, black and white sapote, lemonade trees, and ice cream beans, the orchards provide year-round harvests and endless horticultural interest. Macadamias, pecans, and bunya nuts add to the productive diversity, while the collection of bamboos ranges from giant Dendrocalamus asper to delicate hedge varieties.

Throughout the property, you'll discover rare plant collections including numerous palm species, clumping bamboos, tree orchids, epiphytes, agaves, lilies, and succulents. The rare Green Hooded Orchid grows naturally on the hilltop, testament to the property's ecological significance.

Diverse Natural Landscapes and Year-Round Water
The topography creates a fascinating variety of microclimates across all aspects – hilltops, ridges, slopes, and gullies each supporting different ecosystems. Three distinct forest types have established across the property: riparian wetland vegetation along Honeysuckle Creek, dry sclerophyll on the western and northwestern slopes, and wet sclerophyll with rainforest understory and eucalyptus canopy in the east-facing gullies and south-facing slopes.

Honeysuckle Creek flows through the property, providing reliable year-round water security. The main waterhole below the house feeds a pump system that supplies the header tank upslope, providing irrigation water for the gardens and orchards. The creek runs clean with a forested catchment, and has historically supported platypus and turtles.

One of the property's most enchanting features is "Frog Hollow" – a magical wetland sanctuary north of the driveway. Walking through the bamboo tunnel feels like passing through a portal into another world, emerging onto a grassy slope that leads down to the Frog Hollow dam with its beautiful forested backdrop. It's the perfect spot for peaceful walks or picnics immersed in nature.

A Home Built with Character and Heart - Completed in 1988, the owner-built home reflects thoughtful design and quality craftsmanship using recycled and locally sourced materials. Heritage leadlight windows salvaged from old Sydney houses add character and charm, while round-back flitches from local state forest sleeper cutting camps and round poles cut from the property itself give the home an authentic connection to the land.

The open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area flows naturally onto wraparound verandas on the north and northwest sides, capturing the best aspects and creating seamless indoor-outdoor living. The kitchen features both a slow combustion wood stove that heats water and a gas stove for cooking flexibility. Stairs lead up to the loft master bedroom, with an additional bedroom on the lower level and a bathroom accessible from the northeast side.

The home operates with mains electricity, and the roof offers suitable aspect for future solar panel installation. Water is gravity-fed from tanks for kitchen and domestic use, with creek water pumped to the header tank for gardens and irrigation. The dual chamber composting toilet, built nearly forty years ago and located about twenty metres from the house, has served well, though the owner had plans to install a modern Clivus Multrum system inside the house, taking advantage of the sufficient drop from the lower level floor.

Established Infrastructure Ready for Your Vision - The former wholesale nursery site remains on the property, complete with hoop house and infrastructure, ready for reactivation by someone wanting to continue the horticultural legacy or pursue their own plant-based enterprise. Multiple cleared paddocks offer opportunities for small-scale grazing, expanded permaculture systems, or additional productive zones.

The property includes established orchard areas with irrigation, compost systems, and productive zones that have been refined over decades. A landline is connected, though mobile reception is limited in this peaceful rural location. The old galvanised tank near the house will need replacing, providing an opportunity to upgrade the water storage system.

A Haven for Wildlife and Biodiversity - This property has become a sanctuary for native wildlife, with regular sightings of wallabies, bandicoots, paddy melons, quolls, goannas, water dragons, major skinks, carpet snakes, and red-bellied black snakes. The property supports a large and diverse bird population, and over the years has hosted koalas, wedge-tail eagles, platypus, turtles, and goshawks. The diversity of habitats – from creek and wetlands to forests, orchards, and open areas – creates ideal conditions for wildlife to thrive.

A Legacy Seeking Its Next Custodian - It is with great sorrow that this special property is being offered for sale. Those aspirations now pass to new custodians who will honour the decades of work invested in healing and restoring this land.

The family is deeply committed to ensuring this property passes to someone who will continue to care for the forests, rare plant collections, and abundant wildlife. They offer to spend time with the new owners, sharing knowledge about the land, the plants, fire management strategies, maintenance practices, and the property's rich history. This isn't just a property transaction – it's the passing of a legacy.

Endless Potential Awaits - The opportunities here are limited only by imagination. The former nursery infrastructure could be reactivated for a plant business, the botanical collections could form the basis of an eco-tourism venture or educational retreat, the orchards could be expanded for commercial fruit production at farmers markets, or the property could simply serve as a private sanctuary for a family seeking sustainable rural living in an extraordinary natural setting.

The home offers scope for improvement and modernization while retaining its character, with the owner's plans for an internal bathroom providing a clear pathway for enhancement. The diverse microclimates and established infrastructure provide endless possibilities for permaculture design, regenerative agriculture, artistic pursuits, or wellness retreats.

Your Invitation to Something Extraordinary - This is more than a property – it's a living legacy, a botanical treasure, and a rare opportunity to steward one of the region's most unique eco-properties. Situated in the peaceful Marlo Merrican area, it offers true seclusion and privacy while remaining accessible to Wauchope and Port Macquarie's services, schools, and amenities.

Whether you're a permaculture enthusiast, horticulturist, nature lover, plant collector, or family seeking a sustainable rural lifestyle, this property offers something truly special. There is still so much potential to be explored and realized by its new custodians.
Inspections by appointment – please allow ample time to fully appreciate this extraordinary property and its botanical treasures.

Note: Property includes mains power, creek water rights, established orchards and gardens, former nursery infrastructure. Tank replacement needed. Composting toilet currently external with scope for internal bathroom installation as planned by owner. Property sold as-is with full family support for transition and comprehensive knowledge transfer.

Annual Council Contribution: $1,781 (approximate)
Land Size: 73.22 hectares

Disclaimer:-The information contained in this advertisement is based on details provided to the agent. While all reasonable care has been taken in its preparation, neither the agent nor the vendor accepts responsibility for the accuracy of the information. Prospective purchasers should rely on their own enquiries and independent judgment when evaluating this property. The agent expressly disclaims all liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of this information.

For Sale $800,000 - $850,000

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Inspection of this property is available strictly by arrangement only.

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