Making the move from the city to the Adelaide Hills was a surprise for Chelsea and Nick. The birth of their first son changed everything for the Adelaide city-living couple. They’ve recently purchased a Newenham block and can’t wait to raise Frederik and their (hopefully growing) family in the spacious, green environment of the Hills.
Despite both Chelsea and Nick growing up in Littlehampton in the Adelaide Hills, the couple have lived in cities most of their adult lives. After living in Melbourne for five years, the pair moved back to Adelaide in 2014 to their current house on Gilbert Street in the CBD. Though city-living was ideal for the young couple, they say becoming a parent changes things.
“We thought we would stay in the city, but decided we needed a little more room land-wise. As we got older, we realised the city lifestyle wasn’t what we wanted to raise a family in,” Chelsea says. “We started thinking about Frederik growing up and playing outside in his own backyard – we don’t have any grass in our backyard in the city.”
And so the hunt began.
Originally planning a move to the eastern suburbs for space, it was a trip to the Adelaide Hills to visit another estate that led them to Newenham. “We saw the bigger block and thought ‘this is what we’re after!’ We wanted space for our family and we will hopefully have other children so we wanted the space and somewhere nice for our children to grow up.”
While they began searching for established homes, they were swayed by the decision to buy land and build a home with Newenham’s varied options. “We found Newenham and the block and thought it was just great.”
But it wasn’t just the bigger block sizes available which convinced the pair to start their new life at Newenham. “The block and home fit within our budget, the estate looked nice and we liked the views. Mount Barker is also a good sized town and it’s easy to live with amenities close by, and it’s close to town being only half an hour down the freeway.”
Chelsea and Nick were also impressed with the vision here at Newenham and the commitment to building a community. “We liked the vibes of Newenham with the farmers’ market and everything,” Chelsea says. “We had the Sunday afternoon drinks recently and they had the Feel Good Friday twilight session in December too. It feels like there’s a lot of emphasis on community.”
This is something the couple think we are losing far too quickly these days, a community ethos and experience close to their hearts. “I grew up in a street where I was friends with everyone on the street,” Chelsea says. “We’re looking forward to having the same sort of setting for our family.”
They say the commute is barely an adjustment. Chelsea works in the city and Nick works in Hackney, so they’re able to get into Adelaide with ease, with under a 30-minute drive down the freeway.
“We don’t see it as having to relocate. It’s a way for us to get the bigger house and the land we’re after within the budget,” Nick says. “Growing up there, we’re used to the drive. We know the Hills well, and we like the lifestyle.”
Having just signed their contract at Newenham, they hope to see the beginnings of their house take shape in February. Utilising the full space of the block, the house will take up most of the width of the property, allowing “as much outdoor living space as possible,” says Chelsea. Inside will be open plan with a large fireplace, using sustainable and natural heating, a way of living encouraged at Newenham.
“We’re looking forward to having a backyard and some grass. We’re looking forward to having a bigger home too,” Chelsea says. “Nick really wanted to be able to play cricket and kick the footy with Fred – all those things dads do.”
Fond of wineries, like Deviation Road and Golding, and eateries like the Crafers Hotel, Nick says they’re excited to be closer to the food and wine culture in the Hills.
“We’re really looking forward to the farmers’ market and the cafes and the sporting facilities… Having those nice and close to your house with safe streets and quiet footpaths are all appealing for us. It’s a combination of all of that we’re looking forward to.”
If you’d like to know more about joining our community or securing your future at Newenham, simply call our Sales Consultant, Ben Walker on 0429 107 497 or visit the Sales & Information Centre, open 7 days from 12 – 5pm at 164 Flaxley Road, Mount Barker.
We look forward to welcoming you to Newenham soon.
