What makes for a truly successful lifestyle block?

To really enjoy your rural lifestyle property, it needs to be within a convenient distance of your main home.  You should aim for a travel time that is no more than 2 hours between the properties.
Make sure your chosen rural property destination also has a well-stocked dairy or mini-supermarket nearby, as there will likely be times when you want to arrive at the property without having to stop first for supplies. A lack of shops, restaurants or other conveniences nearby can really impact your enjoyment of the property.
It's best that the rural property you choose is low maintenance, otherwise you’ll spend your weekends doing nothing other than the normal maintenance work you’d be doing at home – just somewhere else.
You should also consider ongoing property security. An isolated lifestyle block that is not visited regularly is a target for thieves.  A home that is next door to permanent residents is far less likely to be broken into than a home frequently left alone.