Renting in Adelaide’s Northern Eastern suburbs in a street of tightly packed townhouses, Scott and Emma realised Newenham Adelaide Hills was the perfect place for their active young family to grow and thrive.
When the simple pleasure of riding their bikes around the block was becoming too dangerous for seven-year-old Harry and five-year-old Rosie (accompanied by Mum of course), Scott and Emma knew it was time to move and make the tree change to the spaciousness of Newenham.
“We had both always loved the Adelaide Hills, and the beautiful scenery and easy access to the natural environment appealed to us,” says Emma.
Chippie and construction site supervisor Scott and reception teacher Emma first met on a working holiday in London before moving back to Melbourne (Scott’s home town) and eventually to Adelaide to start a family.
The Adelaide Hills had always held appeal for the young couple, so when the decision to move was made, the location was already front of mind.
“There was also the affordability factor. Moving to the Hills meant we could build a home suited to our family, on a much bigger block, far more easily than if we stayed in the city,” Emma says.
The young family looked at other Hills developments before deciding that Newenham was the community for them.
“We looked at a number of other developments before deciding on Newenham, but none of them had the same sense of space,” Emma recalls. “Being located on the outskirts of Mount Barker means we still have the ‘country’ feel. Many of the other developments felt cramped and almost claustrophobic,”
Once the couple and their young children decided Newenham was the place to be, they realised there were more than a few other attributes that appealed to them and reinforced their decision.
“We love the layout of the development, in particular the fact that many of the roads have been built around the beautiful Gum trees, as well as the sense of space. The larger allotments create a more traditional feel to the area, as opposed to rows of houses on top of each other. It is also so close to the main shopping area of Mount Barker, yet we have the benefit of country tranquillity,”
That theme of open space seems to resonate well with Emma and the kids who can now ride their bikes around the area and explore independently. But she is also finding the Newenham community is very welcoming.
“Our community is wonderful – because everyone is building or establishing their homes and gardens, we are always meeting new people, people wave as you drive or walk past, and just generally look out for each other,” she says. “Newenham has also been instrumental in helping us build connections with our neighbours, by organising neighbourhood and community social events, which have always been really popular.”
Even the kids are rapt with Newenham. Not only with the extra space it affords, but for enjoying the local surrounds and meeting a couple of the locals.
“The children love to look at the cows in the fields alongside Newenham Parade, observe the water levels in the creek and dam, and the changes of colour the different seasons bring. There’s even a resident koala in a gum tree at the top of our street!”
Although Scott works in construction, this was the young family’s first build. The choice to go with a recognised builder and get everything they were looking for proved to be a great decision.
“Scott is a carpenter by trade, so he had a good understanding of the process before we began. We engaged Oakford Homes to build a four-bedroom home, with a study and playroom, and open plan kitchen/dining room,” enthuses Emma.
The family moved into their home in 2019 and are already enjoying the benefits of the home’s many design features… both inside and out.
“We have a timber decked alfresco at the side of the house which has already been well used on beautiful mild summer nights. Our living room is slightly separate from the dining area, so it feels like a different space. We also don’t know how we ever managed without our walk-in pantry!” Emma says.
Scott, Emma, Harry and Rosie have settled into the good life at Newenham and have already explored the local area.
“The development of the connecting path from Newenham to the existing track along the creek has meant we can ride or walk through Keith Stephenson Park and right out to the Wetlands, without going on any main roads. It’s fantastic!”
And the proximity of Newenham to Mount Barker and other nearby attractions has meant the family can spend time discovering all that is great about the Adelaide Hills without having to venture too far.
“We’re close to Kuitpo Forrest, beautiful wineries and fresh, locally-sourced produce at a range of wonderful local cafés,” Emma says.
And they’ve already discovered some favourite nearby eateries at a couple of famous Adelaide Hills wineries.
“Lot 100 has quickly become a favourite of ours as well as Barristers Block Winery. Both are really family-friendly and offer beautiful pizzas and antipasto platters, live music and plenty of space for the children to roam and explore,” they both agreed.
The dream of natural open spaces, large allotments and an amazing community spirit has now become a reality for Scott and Emma and their children. So too has riding their bikes in a safe and welcoming environment to a range of local attractions and conveniences.
If you’d like to know more about joining our ever-growing community or securing your future at Newenham, simply call our Sales Team on 0429 107 497 or pop by the Sales Centre at 164 Flaxley Road, Mount Barker – check the open hours here.
We look forward to welcoming you to Newenham soon.
