# House research 2026-09-28T23:30 UTC ## What changed - Crew housing: leasing a 3-bed in Darlington Point is the only decent option under $100k, about $11k-$21k upfront. - First run: 9 options costed; cheapest decent is a 3-bed 1-bath lock-up kit at about $204k-$380k landed, off-grid. - Off-grid power is $34k-$64k after the federal battery rebate; install before Dec 2026 to keep the full rate. - Roof water covers only 20-30% of a family's use at 400mm rainfall; a bore or river pump is likely needed. - Flood planning level at the bridge is about 126.14m AHD; rural land north of the river floods up to 0.5m in a 1% event. - Local, factory-built option: Lloyds in Wagga builds a 3-bed 1-bath 'Murrumbidgee' model, 170km away; price by quote only. ## Recommendation Cheapest decent path: a 3-bed 1-bath lock-up kit (Wholesale Homes 'Whitehaven', $52,554 kit) owner-built on a slab, about $120k-$193k for the house plus $84k-$188k to run it off-grid, so roughly $204k-$380k to move in. Shed-home shells land in the same range once windows, walls and fit-out are added; factory-built and relocated homes cost $40k-$100k more. The thing that could sink any option is flood: north of the river the floor must sit at the 1% flood plus 0.5m, which may mean a raised floor and a full DA. ## Changes - crew: new rental: Lease a 3-bed house in Darlington Point (or Griffith) in the company's name - $10,580-$21,180 (best) - crew: new caravan: Book 3-bed cabins at Darlington Point Accommodation Village per rotation - $0-$0 (viable) - crew: new donga: Donga camp: ex-hire 12x3.4m 4-room sleeper plus a new 6x3m ensuite/kitchenette unit, joined by a verandah - $112,090-$190,090 (marginal) - crew: new transportable: New 40ft expandable (folding) container home, 3 bed 1 bath, about 72m2 - $106,465-$176,360 (marginal) - crew: new donga: Used 14.4x4.3m 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom mining donga (single person quarters) - $132,000-$218,000 (no) - crew: new relocated: Relocate an existing 3-bed weatherboard house (Wyee NSW, home only) - $152,000-$260,000 (no) - crew: new shed-home: Class 1a liveable steel shed (Wide Span 'Bush Living' 16x7m) fitted out as crew quarters - $126,100-$228,000 (no) - crew: new town-house: Buy the cheapest 3-bed house in Darlington Point (1 Corbett St, 1950, 78m2) - $303,500-$328,500 (no) ## Options, cheapest landed first Off-grid and site works add $84,200-$187,500 to every option. - [best] Wholesale Homes 'Whitehaven' 3-bed 1-bath lock-up kit - landed $204,454-$380,254 <https://www.wholesalehomesandsheds.com.au/home-designs/three-bedroom/whitehaven/> - [viable] Wide Span Sheds 'Home Sweet Home' 127m2 liveable shed, fitted as 3-bed - landed $207,250-$387,750 <https://www.sheds.com.au/liveable-sheds/home-sweet-home/> - [viable] Wide Span Homes 'The Cottage' 3-bed steel kit - landed $219,500-$399,800 <https://widespanhomes.com.au/kit-homes/the-cottage/> - [viable] Wide Span Homes 'The Homestead' 4-bed steel kit - landed $241,900-$431,200 <https://widespanhomes.com.au/kit-homes/the-homestead-kit-home/> - [marginal] Shed Homes 'The Noosa' 3-bed Class 1a kit - landed $260,900-$467,100 <https://shed-homes.com.au/sheds/the-noosa/> - [marginal] Lloyds Transportable Homes 'Murrumbidgee 3 SP', 3-bed 1-bath, built in Wagga - landed $305,200-$544,500 <https://www.lloydshomes.biz/home-ranges/> - [marginal] Golden Age Homes 'Tasman' 3-bed 1-bath house for removal - landed $313,200-$462,500 <https://gah.com.au/project/tasman/> - [marginal] Aveley ex-display 3-bed modular, NSW - landed $322,200-$451,500 <https://modularsales.com.au/listing/3501/> - [no] Parkwood 'Ramsey' 3-bed modular - landed $347,200-$496,700 <https://www.parkwoodhomes.com.au/project/the-ramsey-3-bedroom-modular-home/> ## Crew housing, cheapest upfront first The best way to house a crew for under $100k is to lease a 3-bed house in Darlington Point or Griffith. Up front it costs about $10.6k-$21.2k (bond, 2 weeks' rent and furniture), then about $28k-$40k a year. The runner-up is the Darlington Point Accommodation Village: nothing up front, 3-bed cabins from $252 a night, about $32k-$46k a year at 50% occupancy. Nothing placed on the block gets under $100k once off-grid power, water, septic and raised footings are counted; the cheapest, an ex-hire donga camp, is about $112k-$190k. What could sink the rental is supply: only 2 houses were listed in Darlington Point, and one of them (1 Corbett St) is now for sale. - [best] Lease a 3-bed house in Darlington Point (or Griffith) in the company's name - upfront $10,580-$21,180, $27,760-$39,560 a year <https://www.homely.com.au/for-rent/darlington-point-nsw-2706/houses> - [viable] Book 3-bed cabins at Darlington Point Accommodation Village per rotation - upfront $0-$0, $32,000-$46,100 a year <https://darlingtonpointav.com.au/accommodation/> - [marginal] New 40ft expandable (folding) container home, 3 bed 1 bath, about 72m2 - upfront $106,465-$176,360, $3,000-$8,000 a year <https://expressportables.com.au/products/3-bed> - [marginal] Donga camp: ex-hire 12x3.4m 4-room sleeper plus a new 6x3m ensuite/kitchenette unit, joined by a verandah - upfront $112,090-$190,090, $3,000-$9,200 a year <https://www.tradeplantequipment.com.au/detail/auzbilt-exhire-12m-x-3.4m-4-room-1082347> - [no] Class 1a liveable steel shed (Wide Span 'Bush Living' 16x7m) fitted out as crew quarters - upfront $126,100-$228,000, $3,000-$8,000 a year <https://www.sheds.com.au/liveable-sheds/> - [no] Used 14.4x4.3m 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom mining donga (single person quarters) - upfront $132,000-$218,000, $3,000-$9,000 a year <https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-3+bedroom+donga/k0> - [no] Relocate an existing 3-bed weatherboard house (Wyee NSW, home only) - upfront $152,000-$260,000, $3,500-$9,000 a year <https://www.gumtree.com.au/web/listing/other-real-estate/1344418233> - [no] Buy the cheapest 3-bed house in Darlington Point (1 Corbett St, 1950, 78m2) - upfront $303,500-$328,500, $6,000-$10,000 a year <https://www.onthehouse.com.au/property/nsw/darlington-point-2706/1-corbett-st-darlington-point-nsw-2706-4280880> ## Notes First crew-housing cycle: 8 options for team members on rotation, cap $100k all-in upfront.
Nothing here is financial advice. Holdings and opinions are my own; the "agent" sections are written by an automated research skill and may be wrong. Built 2026-09-28 21:35 UTC.