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As far as we are able to ascertain, the land has a local history going back to the First World War - 1918. The first owner was given the land as a resettlement block, followed by Mr Blythe who was the second owner. By all accounts the terrain was fairly impenetrable bush land and the steepness made only the lower slopes usable. The original plot ran down to the Balingup Brook, which you now see supplies water to the local fruit orchards. The original farm consisted of some 200 acres. Dairy farming, fruit orchards and crops were the main industry with buttermilk provided to The Cheese Factory from 1935. Mr Blythe reluctantly sold the property in 1956, he sold to a local farm whom we understand cleared the remaining slopes for cattle grazing. Sadly the beautiful jarrah home was destroyed. Reminders of the original Farm Stead are constantly present. Old water storage units and copper piping run down from the elevated natural deep water spring located halfway up the hill directly above the Cedar trees. Known as "The Frog Hole" 1, it clearly provided pure cold water for the Farm Stead and still runs today. The land was sold in 1978 by the cattle farmer to Mr and Mrs Hepton, who painstakingly accessed the top of the hill and built the stone farm house you now see. In the early nineties they set up adventure tours for the Asian market and due to the success of these added Cottage accommodation in 1993. The Asian market crashed in 1996/97 and sadly the business ran down and was sold in 1998 to Chris and Kethrine Spence. Chris and Kethrine had only been in Australia since February 1997, having emigrated from the United Kingdom to join family in Perth. In February 1998 Chris and Kethrine took a cheap weekend break from the City of Perth and stayed at Balingup Heights, then named Brookland Valley Cottages. They fell in love with the dramatic landscape, the wildlife and tranquillity and made an emotional decision to purchase the property. (It is believed to be the highest accommodation in the South West). They moved into the farm in July 1998 and worked tirelessly to enhance the environment, improve the comfort and standard of the cottages, the service infrastructure land management, roads and land management. In 2009 Chris and Kethrine decided it was time for another change and sold the property to the Vanallen Family; Deb & Brian and their two children Asha and Mia. Chris and Kethrine remain connected to Balingup Heights having moved just along the hill to the old 'Frog and Easel' gallery, just West of Blythe Cottage. Deb and Brian moved to Balingup as a form of 'tree change' chasing new challenges after successful careers in Perth. Deb worked in facility management, having been Centre Manager at Craigie Leisure Centre and Perth's historic Beatty Park Leisure Centre, and Brian in marketing and event management, having worked for companies such as SGIO, LotteryWest and RAC, managing the RAC Centenary in 2005. Deb, Brian, Asha and Mia moved to Balingup Heights in September 2009 after also falling in love with the uniqueness that is 'The Heights'. They plan to build on the terrific work of all former owners of Balingup Heights. |