The owners of Esperance's Stonehenge replica will keep the unique tourist attraction on Western Australia's south-east coast open as they continue to seek a suitable buyer.

Key points: The full-sized Stonehenge replica was built in 2011 on a cattle farm 18km from Esperance

The full-sized Stonehenge replica was built in 2011 on a cattle farm 18km from Esperance The replica consists of 137 stones of granite, some weighing up to 50 tonnes, that were quarried less than 1km from the site

The replica consists of 137 stones of granite, some weighing up to 50 tonnes, that were quarried less than 1km from the site Esperance Stonehenge was built to align with the summer and winter solstices, when the sun's rays align with the station stones and shine through to the altar stone

Kim and Jillian Beale are retiring to Bridgetown where they grew up before moving to farm near Esperance, 700 kilometres south-east of Perth, as newlyweds 48 years ago.

The couple built the replica of the prehistoric English monument in 2011 after a millionaire's plans to build it near Margaret River fell over due to financial problems.

The property has been on the market for nearly six years, initially advertised for $5 million in 2014.

But after a sub-division sold off large sections of the cattle farm last year, 87 hectares — which includes the Stonehenge replica and an adjacent three-bedroom house — is now listed for offers above $2.1 million.

The Beales will make the move on February 4, with two full-time staff to keep the tourist attraction open five days a week.

They claim it continues to grow in popularity.

"Esperance really does need some more tourist attractions rather than just talking about beaches all the time," Mr Beale said.

"There were about 8,000 people in the first year [after their Stonehenge opened].

"Every year there seems to be more and more, and last year it was around 16,000.



"Sometimes you think they've got to be crazier than the bloke who built it when they're coming from the other side of the world."

Marion and Kevin Simpson at Esperance Stonehenge as their grandchildren play in the background. ( ABC News: Jarrod Lucas )

'Interest' from potential buyers

Mr Beale did not say if there have been any formal offers but said there has been significant interest from potential buyers.

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"It's obviously a bit flat [the market] at the moment, but we have got interest at present," he said.

"We've got huge numbers of people who would love to buy it but they'd have to win lotto first.



"I just really hope whoever takes it on can see the potential … because if you want to be in the game of tourism the potential here is massive.

"You could put in a lot of different infrastructure here to accommodate tourists."

The couple believe there needs to be either a cafe, accommodation, brewery, or some other reception venue for Esperance Stonehenge to reach its full potential.

Mrs Beale said prospective buyers could take the concept to the next level.

"This was originally just our home but now it's a tourism precinct," she said.

"I think you could do a lot more than just a cafe.

"It depends on what you want to do. There's certainly a lot of meat on the bone.

"The Instagram generation do a lot of our PR for us, along with the grey nomads."

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No shortage of Stonehenge replicas

The website clonehenge.com lists 96 large, permanent replicas of Stonehenge around the world, including five in Washington State in the United States.

The owners of Esperance Stonehenge describe their creation as the only astronomically aligned, full-scale, "exact" replica of a pristine Stonehenge in natural stone granite.

Construction of the replica took about 10 months.

According to the charity English Heritage, construction of the original Stonehenge in the United Kingdom is believed to have begun more than 5,000 years ago.

The Wiltshire monument has been a World Heritage Site since 1986 and archaeologists still debate theories surrounding its use and meaning.

Today, nearly one million people visit Stonehenge every year.

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How does replica compare to the real thing?

The ABC spoke with Kevin and Marion Simpson from Midlands in central England while they visited Esperance Stonehenge with their grandchildren.

"It's something different, isn't it," Mrs Simpson said.

"We have been to the original in Wiltshire, it's impressive and has the same feeling. It's a spiritual feeling.



"It's definitely the same [layout]. It's just the stones look a bit more ancient [in England]."

Mr Simpson said the Esperance Stonehenge was worth the trip.

"There's more of it. A lot of the original stone [at Stonehenge] is missing or put back where they think they were," he said.

"There's about 4,000 years of weathering on the original stone as well, so this looks quite new."

Esperance tourism looks to new strategy

Tourism is the region's second-largest industry behind agriculture, with more than 60 accommodation providers in Esperance.

Esperance Stonehenge tour guide Susan Ashman speaks to visitors. ( ABC News: Jarrod Lucas )

The pristine white sands of Lucky Bay at Cape Le Grand National Park is one of the main attractions, with the park on track for record visitor numbers this year.

The Shire of Esperance closed tenders last week seeking submissions from consultancy groups to develop a new tourism strategy.

Mrs Beale said a new approach is desperately needed as the tourism industry is growing at a rapid rate.

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"I think Esperance has to move forward in the tourism business," she said.

"For many years we've been this sleepy little town with gorgeous beaches right at the corner of Western Australia.

"But with all the social media photographers coming here, it has opened up Esperance to a lot more people in the tourism world.



"We need to capture those people. You only have to look at the overflow we have here at Christmas when people think they can grab a caravan or camp site easily.

"It's no longer like that, we are growing, and if you are going to captivate people and give them a really good experience you have to expand on what you've got."

Grey nomads remain the largest tourist market, along with cruise ships which dock in the port town.

Tourism Esperance chairman Wayne Halliday said the Stonehenge replica would be a big part of future strategies.

"We're very fortunate to have such a unique attraction," he said.

"I think those things [extra attractions at Stonehenge] will evolve. I can see that area being used as a tourist precinct in the future."

He said Stonehenge needs the right buyer.

"Of course it will sell," he said.