Tis phrase, familiar to most of us from the Samuel Taylor Coleridge's epic poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", comes to my mind every time I drive along the Kings Highway and look up to the property at Lot 2 Clyde Road, advertised for sale at around $700,000 - click here.
The owners collect rainwater in two tanks close to their house which, I am sure, they use frugally as we all have been doing in Nelligen while we still rely on rainwater until our town water and sewerage infrastructure is completed by the end of this year. Not so for the owners of Lot 2 Clyde Road who will continue to rely on rainwater despite having had a huge water reservoir built right next to their house because all that town water is destined for Nelligen. They must be feeling like the Ancient Mariner.
There seem to be winners and losers in every large infrastructure project, and the owners of Lot 2 seem to be the losers; after all, who's going to buy their "ideal rural setting for those who love the coast and bush land" when the house is almost overshadowed by a huge water storage tank?
The online advertisement would've got it right if the sentence "This acreage represents a unique opportunity to build your dream home as its premium position offers a beautiful sunny aspect, and views of both the water and surrounding mountains", had the word "tank" added after the word "water". This may sound cruel but in fact I feel quite sorry for them every time I drive along the Kings Highway and see the FOR SALE sign.
