Enquiries are flooding in for a former church that’s hit the market in a town so small you’ve likely never heard of it.
With a price guide in the early- to mid-$400,000s, the circa-1900 stone church at 36 Railway Terrace in Black Rock offers an affordable, ready-to-occupy sanctuary for those seeking peace and serenity off the beaten track.
The c.1900 church has been transformed for modern living. Picture: realestate.com.au
Selling agent Elesa Wood from Ray White doesn’t expect the home will take long to sell, with enquiries flowing in “the minute it went up” due to its turnkey condition.
“People love the idea. I’ve never met anyone who didn't have dreams of owning a church one day, but the actual practical reality of buying a church and then doing a full-scale renovation is quite overwhelming for most people,” Ms Wood said.
The character renovation has an open-plan living, dining and kitchen anchored by a wide island bench and stainless appliances. Picture: realestate.com.au
With all the hard work done, all that’s left for devout church-seekers is reaching the property to inspect it.
There’s no shops, no pubs (the only one in town closed in the 80s), and just a handful of residents, but the near-ghost town of Black Rock in South Australia’s mid north region is surprisingly well connected.
The town - or technically hamlet - has just a handful of residents. Picture: realestate.com.au
It’s less than 10 minutes to Orroroo (population 600), a tick over 15 minutes to Peterborough – where you can currently buy the town hall for less than $600,000 – and an hour from larger regional centres Port Pirie and Port Augusta.
“Most of the time, I'll ask buyers, ‘Do you know where it is?’ If you want to have the IGA right around the corner this isn’t the property for you,” Ms Wood said.
“But if you're happy to be only 10-15 minutes from some pretty decent sized rural areas, maybe it'll work for you.”
Perfect for those seeking peace and quiet. Picture: realestate.com.au
Ms Wood said all the hard work has already been done with the current owner designing every aspect of the home for long term family living.
“She lived there for quite a long time,” Ms Wood said. “She's really put a lot into it financially, but also emotionally.
“The quality of the renovation – it's really embraced those beautiful character features."
The kitchen features an island breakfast bar, abundant cabinetry, subway tile splashback and stainless steel appliances. Picture: realestate.com.au
Behind its classic stone facade lies a modern two-bedroom home with an open-plan living, dining and kitchen centred around original arched windows and soaring ceilings.
A bright sunroom with crackling combustion heater will keep buyers warm during the winter nights, while wide glass sliders open to sweeping, gum-studded grounds.
There’s a spacious main bathroom with clawfoot bathtub and separate shower, as well as a private ensuite for the main bedroom.
The main bathroom has a freestanding clawfoot tub with separate shower. Picture: realestate.com.au
Beyond the church, a converted shipping container and adjoining shed provides additional self-contained accommodation with two additional bedrooms plus living area and bathroom – creating scope for guest accommodation or even short-term stays.
There are multiple separate living spaces. Picture: realestate.com.au
But it’s the rugged landscape that feels like a real life Dorothea Mackellar poem.
“It's dry, but then it also will get the droughts and the flooding rains as well,” Ms Wood said.
“There are plenty of ruins around, it's very much a pioneering area in that section of the mid north.
“It's an area that people absolutely love, but you're not going to necessarily have an English garden there. The garden and all of the resources have been designed for tougher times.
Old ruins are scattered throughout the region. Picture: realestate.com.au
“So it's got a lot of those extras that would cost people thousands of dollars - all of that money's been spent.”
She said the buyer would likely be a capital city or interstate buyer seeking a church that’s ready to go.
“The church segment itself is very strong - it's not like selling a two bedroom unit where they want an area, they want a church, and they're looking at areas that the church is in, but they'll look predominantly because of the style of the building.
The property has a price guide in the early- to mid-$400,000s. Picture: realestate.com.au
“It is a wonderful opportunity. The owner has really put her heart and soul into it, and it's not a flip renovation.
“So it wasn't done on the cheap, it was very much done with the intention of her staying there.”
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