After spending most of their lives in Salisbury Heights, Shirley and Ross were ready for a change. When they discovered Newenham in Mount Barker, they knew they had found the perfect place to downsize and embrace a new chapter.
Shirley and Ross have been married for 61 years, a lifetime filled with love, family, and dedication. Ross enjoyed a long and fulfilling career in the medical diagnostic imaging industry, while Shirley dedicated herself to raising their three children and indulging her passion for gardening.
Their half-acre property in Salisbury Heights, which was their first build more than 50 years ago, was a demonstration of their love and shared interest in gardening, full of lush gardens and sub-tropical fruit trees that they occasionally opened to the public through the Australian Open Gardens scheme.
As time went on the Salisbury Heights property became too large and the garden too expansive for them to manage. They reluctantly decided to downsize, seeking a place that would be easier to manage yet still offer the beauty and tranquillity they loved.
Their search for a new home took them on a journey through various developments between Gawler and Mount Barker. “We were looking at land north, south, and in the hills to downsize when our daughter saw an advert for Newenham and told us to ‘get up there and look at it,’” Shirley recalled.
As soon as they set foot in Newenham, they felt an instant connection. The larger block sizes, beautiful green tree-lined spaces, and Burke Urban’s reputation for quality development and creating strong communities, set Newenham apart from all the other places they had seen.
Their architect son Benjamin was keen to design a unique home to reflect their tastes and needs. He presented a design featuring a central courtyard garden with large windows throughout that overlooked both the courtyard and the parkland gum trees on all sides.
The house, built by GQC builder Grant Goode, sits on a 702 sqm block, surrounded by landscaping designed by Benjamin and installed by Shirley and Ross themselves, complete with gabion walls and distinctive fencing.
“The compact design provides quietness and security with ample space for our love of gardening,” Ross noted.
The change of climate was a big adjustment for the couple too, which allowed them to test their gardening skills with new varieties of plants such as berries, pome, and stone fruits.
“We now have 28 fruit trees planted along the fence line”. Ross explained.
Living in Newenham has been a dream come true for Shirley and Ross. The Hills location offers fresh air, cooler temperatures, and a friendly, peaceful community that meets all their needs without requiring extensive travel.
Their home’s design features have truly enhanced their lifestyle, with greenery from the courtyard garden to their deck and underfloor heating. These elements have transformed their home into a sanctuary, not just a place to live.
“The quality of a Burke Urban development and the location of our unique house and gardens” are what they love most about living in Newenham, as well as the connection to local businesses they so often frequent. Kitchen Farm Pantry within Newenham is a favourite, along with various cafes and restaurants in Mount Barker and Hahndorf.
They also enjoy expanding their visits to surrounding Hills towns to visit local wineries like Anvers near Kangarilla and Pike and Joyce at Lenswood. For all their garden supplies Ross and Shirley enjoy sourcing from local markets and nurseries like the Strawberry Farm and Coromandel Native Nursery which have supplied all the plants from their front garden.
The passion and efforts for the design of their home took an exciting turn this year when their home submitted by Benjamin, was shortlisted for the SA Chapter of the Australian Architecture Awards 2024 in the Residential Architecture – Houses (New) category.
Shirley and Ross were overjoyed to learn that following the shortlisting Benjamin (Parabolica) subsequently won The John S Chappel Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) 2024, for their house. It is a recognition of the vision and hard work of everyone involved, especially their son Benjamin, but a testament to their shared passion for gardening which has been a consistent theme through their 61 years of marriage.
Shirley and Ross couldn’t be happier with their decision to move to Newenham. It has truly been a journey worth taking, from the moment they first discovered this beautiful community to now, living in their award-winning home.
If you’d like to know more about joining our tight-knit welcoming community, simply contact our Sales Team on 0429 107 497 or on sales@newenham.com.au.
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