TREECHANGE: THE IMPACTS OF LIFESTYLE LIVING ON RURAL LANDS IN THE MUDGEE REGION CAITLIN ELLIOTT 3100052 TREECHANGE: THE IMPACTS OF LIFESTYLE LIVING ON RURAL LANDS IN THE MUDGEE REGION Thesis Project – PLAN 4132 Bachelor of Planning November 2007 Caitlin Elliott PLANNING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 3100052 Abstract With an increased number of people moving out of cities for lifestyle reasons, lifestyle living is becoming a popular form of living across rural and regional Australia. The so-called seachange and treechange population movements have been major drivers of lifestyle migration. In Australia, seachange locations have traditionally received the largest proportion of lifestyle migration. However, with many seachange locations reaching their population threshold, treechange locations are becoming an increasingly popular alternative. Many ‘treechangers’ have a desire to participate in rural lifestyles through living on small rural properties. These lifestyle lots are generally used for hobby farms rather than for agricultural purposes. There has been an increase in rural subdivision in many treechange locations with both positive and negative impacts on rural lands. This thesis investigates the impacts of lifestyle living on rural lands across NSW. While rural subdivision can be economically beneficial for communities and help kerb rural depopulation, small acre subdivision can also have detrimental impacts on rural lands. This thesis uses the Mudgee region as a case study to illustrate the impacts of lifestyle living in an area that has been subject to the treechange phenomenon. | i Acknowledgements There are many people I would like to thank for their time, assistance and encouragement throughout the course of my research. My thesis supervisor, Ian Sinclair, has provided continual support, guidance and knowledge for the duration of my thesis. Ian has provided the inspiration for choosing a rural planning thesis topic after taking his Rural Planning subject in second year. I would also like to acknowledge the EG Property Group for their support through the final year thesis scholarship. In addition, a big thankyou to all of the interviewees; Catherine Van Laeren, Scott Inglis, David Scrivener, Hugh Bateman and the treechangers who gave their time to speak to me, without your willingness to participate in the research it would not have been possible! Thankyou to ‘Captain’ Bron for your brilliant flying skills taking me flying over Mudgee, and to the ‘girls’ for keeping me sane during the last six months and nourished with chocolate. Finally, I would like to thank my parents and sister for their support throughout my five years at university. Mum, after five years of uni, you can now finally stop collecting planning articles from the Mudgee Guardian! | ii Abstract .................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements................................................................................................................. ii List of Tables ..........................................................................................................................v List of Figures..........................................................................................................................v Abreviations............................................................................................................................ vi 1. Introduction.......................................................................................... 1 1.1 Problem setting ..........................................................................................................1 1.2 Research question and objectives............................................................................2 1.3 Rationale for thesis....................................................................................................3 1.4 Research methodology .............................................................................................3 1.4.1 Literature review ........................................................................................4 1.4.2 Quantitative research ................................................................................4 1.4.3 Qualitative research...................................................................................4 1.4.4 Other methods ...........................................................................................5 1.5 Why look at the Mudgee region?..............................................................................6 1.6 Limitations of research ..............................................................................................7 1.7 Key terms ...................................................................................................................7 1.8 Structure of thesis......................................................................................................9 2. Background........................................................................................ 10 2.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................10 2.2 Lifestyle migration....................................................................................................10 2.2.1 What is the treechange movement?.......................................................11 2.2.2 Who is participating in the treechange movement?...............................12 2.2.3 Why do people move to the country? .....................................................13 2.3 Population growth in NSW ......................................................................................15 2.4 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................16 3. Rural Land Use Planning in NSW .................................................... 17 3.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................17 3.2 The early days .........................................................................................................17 3.3 The rural subdivision boom.....................................................................................18 3.3.1 The 40 Hectare Policy .............................................................................18 3.3.2 Concessional lots.....................................................................................19 3.3.3 The rest of the 1970s...............................................................................20 3.4 The Environmental Planning & Assessment Act....................................................21 3.5 Rural subdivision into the 21st century...................................................................22 3.6 Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plans) Order 2006............................24 3.7 The minimum lot size issue.....................................................................................25 3.7.1 Independent Review Panel at Cowra Shire............................................25 3.7.2 Department of Primary Industries minimum lot size methodology........26 3.8 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................27 4. Case Study: The Mudgee Region .................................................... 28 4.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................28 4.2 Background to the Mudgee region .........................................................................28 4.3 Demographic profile ................................................................................................33 4.3.1 Age distribution ........................................................................................36 I iii 4.3.2 Population projections .............................................................................38 4.4 Treechange in the Mudgee region..........................................................................40 4.4.1 Why has the Mudgee region been chosen as a treechange location?.41 4.4.2 Where are they moving from and who is moving to the region?...........41 4.5 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................42 5. Rural Land Use in the Mudgee Region............................................ 44 5.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................44 5.2 Rural land uses........................................................................................................44 5.3 Planning instruments affecting rural subdivision in the Mudgee region................45 5.3.1 Mudgee Local Environmental Plan 1998................................................46 5.3.2 Mid-Western Regional Interim Local Environmental Plan 2007............46 5.3.3 Central West Rural Lands Inquiry...........................................................47 5.4 History of subdivision in the Mudgee Region.........................................................48 5.5 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................50 6. The Impacts........................................................................................ 51 6.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................51