The Arts Yard at Bangalow on the market for $3.1 million
An eclectic blend of professional art studios, a gallery and cottage set across almost a hectare of land close to Byron Bay has hit the market with a price tag of $3.1 million.
The property, known as The Arts Yard Bangalow, is 16 kilometres from the popular holiday town and has been a 10-year labour of love for its owner, artist Gabriel Rosati.
When Rosati first purchased the site, it was home to not much more than a “concrete jungle” comprising two tin sheds.
Since then she has created an artistic haven and has planted more than 2000 plants, insulated the sheds and created a vibrant creative hub of nine buildings, a coffee shop, gallery space and a three-bedroom cottage.
In the past decade, about 40 artists have used The Arts Yard as their base, and Rosati said the decision to sell had been gruelling.
“It’s time to scale down a bit – it’s a big property for a woman on her own,” she said.
“It’s a real project and it developed so organically. When I first got it, I was just going to have my own art gallery there and then over the years I built another studio. The demand is so great for art studios.”
Byron Bay Property sales director and commercial specialist Kath Vaubell said the property would appeal to a buyer who appreciated that “true unique Byron vibe,” who was seeking a good-sized parcel of land where the hard work had been done.
“The beautiful appeal about this property is it’s a lovely 6792 square metres, so it’s over an acre and a half; properties of that size alone are pretty rare,” she said.
“It’s got all these fantastic workshops … and outbuildings where there is a whole array of different creativity happening. There is ceramists, there’s woodworkers and there’s a production guy who does photography.
“It’s a really quality product and it’s all sprinkled with sculptures … everywhere you look there is another installation of great interest.”
A converted train carriage, pagoda, gypsy wagon, workshops, studios, a coffee cantina van, a fairy garden and an array of gum trees along the picturesque riverbank are among The Art Yard’s features.
Ms Vaubell said she was confident the property would draw strong interest.
“It would be great for the legacy to be passed onto somebody who can continue with this collective artist precinct,” she said.
“That being said, a 6700-square-metre parcel with an existing home could be somebody’s sea change or tree change, or a lifestyle choice as well.
“We don’t know who the end buyer is but it will appeal to both those audiences.”
Rosati said The Arts Yard had a real community feel and an incredible atmosphere.
“It’s so hard for an artist to find a place financially that they can afford and fit all that criteria of being a gentle place to be,” she said.
