Flat-chat In Ararat

The Age

Saturday December 15, 2007

Susannah Petty

Ararat seems to be thriving, writes Susannah Petty.

THERE'S a busy edge to Ararat that defies its relative isolation, two hours' drive from Melbourne.

About 204 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, in scenic grazing and viticulture country, the town's local economy is fired by hospitality, the local hospital, abattoir, prison and tourism generated by the nearby Grampians National Park.

It's a mix that sustains a varied population of about 11,000.

Phil Clark, a director with Spalding McCutcheon First National real estate, says demand for workers is so strong that many businesses, such as optometrists, are recruiting from overseas, and doctors are also sought.

Other residents come from Melbourne in search of a tree-change, taking advantage of the new fast train to the city that takes about two hours.

Mr Clark says it adds up to a wide range of ages and interests.

"We get everybody," he says. "We get retirees, young home leavers, young professionals, blue-collar workers. We get them all."

The mix of properties suited the range of renters, he says. Victorian houses still stand alongside old miners' cottages and later development in housing estates.

And, he notes, the lure is not lost on investors whose yearly returns can be more than 6%.

"There is a rental for every section of the market, for every individual," Mr Clark says. "Whatever their price range or strategy, there's a property and there's a renter."

Debbie Roche, of Elders Real Estate, says cheap house rentals start at about $160 a week, rising to about $280 for a good three-bedroom brick veneer.

Mr Clark sets the range a little wider, starting at about $80 a week for a basic unit and pushing out to $300 a week for a top-end property, including acreages on the edge of town.

Ms Roche suggests the social scene is limited, but there are many cafes and pubs. Ararat also has a cinema and two supermarkets, with a third due.

Mr Clark says Ararat's shops draw people in.

"We've got tenants knocking on the door waiting to get into premises," he says.

On the residential rental front, listings are also tight. Although his agency manages about 400 rentals, Mr Clark has only three available.

At this time of year, he usually has a dozen listings around town, plus a few rural properties.

"It's fairly grim. And I think with interest rates being on the rise . . . investors have been a little bit reluctant, but we know we're getting good returns and good capital growth as well."

© 2007 The Age

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