Nestled deep in a secluded mountain valley in northern New South Wales is one of Australia’s most unique and pristine private estates, deliberately curated over the past decade to support self-reliant, independent living at scale.
Set 87km northwest of Grafton and bordered by Washpool National Park, the 1,922-hectare property Coombadjha Creek is the visionary creation of Queensland-born entrepreneur Judd Armstrong.
Recognising how current societies rely on others for their livelihood, Mr Armstrong’s desire for planned independence, coupled with his entrepreneurial streak, drove his enthusiasm to build and create the world-class self-reliant property ten years ago, which served him and his family during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For those of us who are entrepreneurs, who run businesses, who are self -employed, we understand the need for planning for future contingencies. And we need to apply that to our life as well,” Mr Armstrong said.
“I think society nowadays has been growing more dependent on the services, on government, on grocery stores, on fuel stations.
“You go back one or two generations, it wasn’t like that. There was a lot more independence going on. People had vegetable gardens, people had lands, people had their own resources, tangible assets.
“But nowadays, we’re just focused on those numbers in the bank account and it’s easy to get sidetracked and we learnt with COVID that things can change incredibly fast.
“This project was already in place several years before COVID, and even we were taken aback by how important it proved to be. We simply wouldn’t have been able to pivot when circumstances changed without this property.
“We just were fortunate that if COVID were to have developed into something more serious then we would have been totally fine and that’s the beauty of it.”
Coombadjha Creek is a proven and functioning model of long-term independent living, capable of producing food, generating power, storing fuel, preserving harvest and maintaining communication, all within natural mountain boundaries and an exceptional natural water supply.
It sits in a high-rainfall catchment receiving more than 1,200mm annually, and has 11km of creek frontage, feeding an interconnected network of gravity systems, spring-fed dams and bores.
And it’s incredibly beautiful.
Market opportunity for those seeking independence
A decade on since he started his visionary project, Mr Armstrong is putting Coombadjha Creek on the market due to a change in personal circumstances.
“It’s a really special opportunity that you don’t come across very often,” Mr Armstrong said.
“To have a place that’s been curated and proven so well, but also to be in a place of seclusion with a national park right next door, your own little valley, and the creek runs all the way through from start to finish of your property. It just brings a lot of peace of mind.
“It’s all been done and curated for you. You’re walking in pretty much with your toothbrush.”
Significant investment in world-class infrastructure
“One of the biggest ideas in self-reliance is that if you’ve only got one, you’ve actually got none,” Mr Armstrong said.
It was this a philosophy that underpinned his investment in world-class facilities at the property.
“We’ve applied that principle across a lot of the key resource areas here at the farm,” he said.
“For example, if we have a specific tractor, we’ll make sure we have two of that specific type of tractor.
“We have two solar power systems here at the front of the farm and they’re identical but just different size systems. And then at the back of the farm, we have two systems that run exactly the same size and equipment. So we can interchange parts easily if anything fails. That’s really key for us.”
The extensive power infrastructure is designed to support self-sufficient operations and is backed up by twin 9 kVA diesel generators, however, the property offers the luxury of switching to mains power at any time.
Fuel storage has also been approached as a system. All elements of long-term diesel preservation have been implemented, including temperature level management, mitigation of temperature variation, stabilising fuel additives, environmental safety measures, double bunding, and a dedicated backup tank for spill recovery.
Communications are assured by a solar-powered repeater communications tower positioned high on the western ridgeline, providing closed-network coverage across the entire property and beyond.
Risk-mitigated agricultural production supports food security
Under typical seasonal conditions, the property supports 350–400 cows and calves or approximately 600 steers. Fencing has been renewed, new cattle yards were completed in 2024, and irrigation infrastructure has been installed and proven, supporting zucchini production for leading supermarkets.
The cultivation fields remain maintained and ready for reactivation, supported by leading-edge hydroponics infrastructure that Mr Armstrong said adds another avenue for food production.
“We have a hydroponics system from Massachusetts, which is a fully kitted-out insulated shipping container,” he said.
“All the inputs are handled by a computerised system and designed to produce thousands of leafy greens on site.
“We have not used it, but it’s kept in pristine condition and ready to be used at any time.
“While it could be used as a business opportunity, it is really good having it as another layer for food production where you’re not subject to the weather and the elements.”
What distinguishes Coombadjha Creek is not just its ability to produce food, but also to store it and preserve it.
Equipped with world-class, climate-controlled storage at scale enables the successful storage and preservation of perishables. Food produced on the property is dehydrated and stored using advanced, purpose-built facilities in the packing shed, converting seasonal abundance into year-round continuity.
“There’s not many farms or facilities like this in the world,” Mr Armstrong said.
“I can say with confidence that we have world-class facilities for all kinds of things here like food storage, fuel storage and water redundancy.”
Designed for connection, not isolation
Despite its scale and privacy, Coombadjha Creek, was designed to accommodate large groups of people. The recently renovated three-bedroom homestead is supported by additional cabins and amenities capable of housing up to 30 people, with capacity to expand to 60 if required.
Large kitchens form the operational heart of the homestead, supported by substantial fridge and freezer capacity, multiple cooktops, and a generous covered deck that serves as a central place for shared meals.
The spacious layout allows people to spread out while remaining connected, with facilities that keep families engaged, including horse areas and stables, a gym, and a full-size basketball court.
Once in a lifetime opportunity
Agent for the sale, LAWD Director George Barton, said Coombadjha Creek was one of the most unique properties listed in his career portfolio.
“Coombadjha Creek is not just a quality agricultural asset in a beautiful landscape, it’s an extraordinary opportunity for buyers who value long-term security without isolation, independence without compromise, and who want to be prepared rather than reactive,” Mr Barton said.
“While it performs strongly on traditional agribusiness metrics, Coombadjha Creek is a remarkable example of what can be achieved when all scenarios are considered and planned for.
“Even though the current owners have prioritised privacy, the property offers significant potential for low-impact eco-tourism and camping thanks to its location near the World Heritage-listed trails of Washpool and Gibraltar National Parks.
“We expect to see global interest from high-net-worth individuals, high-end tourism operators, or even celebrities seeking a haven to retreat to.”
Located within easy reach of Grafton’s services and approximately two hours from Coffs Harbour Airport, Coombadjha Creek offers connectivity with the benefits of a remote and beautiful location.
Coombadjha Creek is for sale by Expression of Interest closing 12pm (AEDT) Thursday 07 May 2026. For more information, contact LAWD Directors, George Barton on +61 473 613 332 or Simon Cudmore, on +61 433 160 413, or LAWD Sales Executive, George Berry on +61 438 081 736.
