Clarence Valley’s 311-hectare Secret Lake Retreat listed for sale
Tree-changers and eco-investors, take note: a nature retreat built around a man-made lake has hit the market in northern NSW.
The Secret Lake Retreat sits on a 311-hectare parcel in the Clarence Valley, between Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour.
Comprising four campsites and a range of communal facilities, the retreat overlooks a private, 24-hectare man-made lake with a 480-megalitre capacity.
The property is being sold as a going concern and boasts significant development potential, according to agent Nathan Huxham from Ray White Malan & Co.
“The development upside is quite phenomenal,” Huxham says.
“Council would actually prefer a caravan park there, so for corporate operators, there is a clear pathway to further development in line with current council mandates.”
For now, the campsites are performing strongly, Huxley says, with consistent bookings through the retreat’s website fuelled by word of mouth.
“The current owners have never advertised, so the retreat has built its following organically,” he says.
On-site facilities include an undercover barbecue area and camp kitchen with undercover dining space, an amenities block with hot showers and a wheelchair-accessible bathroom, and water tanks.
Communal fire pits, lawn games (including a bush volleyball court) and a swimming platform moored in the lake provide entertainment for campers, who can also explore a variety of trails and terrain on the vast site.
The property is a 10-minute drive from the small town of Lawrence, where guests can pick up supplies at the general store. The Lawrence Tavern serves bistro food with views over the Clarence River, and there is a small local museum.
The retreat is about 90 minutes by car from Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay.
Huxham says the listing presents a rare opportunity for an operator or investor to acquire a largely undeveloped site on a pristine body of water.
“The main thing the site has going for it is the lake, because NSW isn’t approving man-made lakes any more,” he explains.
Notably for developers, the property also has approvals for two ironstone pebble quarries, spanning 13 hectares.
“There is an abundance of fill on the site, so if anyone was to take it and grow it, they wouldn’t need to import gravel to do up the roads,” Huxham says.
The vendors acquired the property in 2019 and established the retreat while also improving access to and from the site.
Hoxham declined to provide a price guide. “The vendors are quite motivated to sell, so we’re not putting a price on it,” he says. “My instructions are to present all written offers.”
