Nicole and Mick were only casually looking at a new place to call home. However, when Nicole, a Conveyancer, managed the settlement of a property in Newenham for their friends, they decided to take a drive to the Adelaide Hills and see why their mates were so excited about their move. They were instantly hooked.
Nicole had always been attracted to the country lifestyle, so when they saw the large allotments, natural open spaces, landscaped streets and the thriving community at Newenham it encouraged them to make the move and join their friends.
“We loved that we could get a nice, good-sized block of land and not feel like we’re tight and congested. We wouldn’t have done it otherwise,” says Nicole.
Nicole and Mick have been together for 30 years and have two adult daughters, Amy and Sarah. Nicole grew up in Adelaide and has also lived in Naracoorte and Mick in Newcastle in New South Wales. And although they have lived in the city most of their married life, Nicole has always been a country girl at heart. Perhaps that’s why Newenham appealed to her and Mick.
“I’m from the southeast. I used to live in Naracoorte and went to Naracoorte High, so I’ve got a little bit of country in me. Newenham is a perfect compromise, being not far from the city but still having the country vibe,” says Nicole.
The couple still commutes to the city to work each day. Nicole runs her own business, Cornerstone Conveyancing SA, based in Pirie Street and Mick works for a Pathology company, but, they love nothing more than coming home to the serenity of Newenham.
“We just love the quietness on the weekends. We used to live on a main road, so this is a lot different. You feel relaxed. Even just walking around, you feel relaxed, which is really nice and I need that with my job.” says Nicole.
Nicole, Mick, and daughter Amy moved into their custom-designed home in March 2022. No strangers to the challenges of building, their Newenham home is their third build.
Apart from the expected COVID delays, they found the whole process progressed with minimal hassle.
Their home has many specially designed features; some planned, some unplanned.
“We ended up with more retaining than we anticipated because our block has a bit of a slope on it” says Nicole.
With a little planning and creativity, they love the extra privacy they’ve created at the back of the property and adore the beautiful bluestone wall in the front.
“Once the slab was laid, you could really visualise it. And then we thought, “What are we going to do out the front?” We had a bluestone wall built, which allowed us to level the front yard and is something that I absolutely love,” says Nicole.
Even though they hadn’t quite factored it in, the slope of their block was a blessing.
“They’ve done such a good job. It was a hand-built, dry-stacked wall, and it’s just stunning. And we wouldn’t have been able to have that if we didn’t have some slope,” Mick explains.
Another thing that was important to Nicole and Mick as part of the build was the inclusion of a cat enclosure. Nicole is a huge animal lover and loves cats because they’re easy to maintain. So, it’s essential that their cats stay safe while protecting the local wildlife.
“We decided to net in our whole backyard. We’ve had it done through a professional company, and they’ve done an amazing job. The netting itself is great because it’s so subtle looking. It’s not invasive. We still get people coming in the backyard and not even noticing. So, they get the whole run of the house and backyard,” says Mick.
The cats even get their own unique entry with a custom-designed pet door to allow complete access.
“We’ve got another professional company who deal with pet doors in the glass. I thought they would cut a hole in the existing glass door and install the pet door, but they don’t. They actually take the whole glass out and replace it with another new piece of glass with a lockable pet door fitted in,” says Nicole.
Yet another feature of Nicole and Mick’s home is a pool.
As Nicole points out, “That was never part of the plan. We had a spa in our last house and were wondering whether we bring the spa up when we moved. When Mick started talking about a pool, I said, “Well, you can’t have both; we don’t have that much room.” And after talking about it some more, we decided we’d put in a pool and sell the spa.”
For Nicole and Mick, Newenham ticks all the boxes for de-stressing after a hectic week.
“I’ve got nine to five, Monday to Friday, full-on stress. Outside of that, I’ve got the serenity up here. It feels like you’re on holiday every weekend,” says Nicole. “I love that we’ve got farming in the background, and going to the shops, you’re passing farm animals and paddocks just to go to the shops and into town. I think it’s pretty and a bit nostalgic for me.”
Newenham’s rustic charm, wide-open spaces, lots of natural reserves and green areas promote an open and country feel. However, the planned community farm was another huge drawcard for Nicole.
“I’m really looking forward to the community farm. I just like the sound of it. I think it’ll be awesome to go and get fresh produce and to be involved in it as well,” says Nicole.
The couple are also coming to terms with the community aspect of Newenham, which they found lacking in the city.
“It’s a nice community feel with everyone looking out for each other and getting to know everyone becoming friends with your neighbours, and that kind of thing. And we’ve been really fortunate to meet some amazing neighbours,” Nicole stresses.
The transition to Hills living means new opportunities for Nicole and Mick to explore their new surroundings. Getting to know local businesses meant Nicole has discovered a great country butcher.
“I love Lowe’s butchers. They are absolutely amazing, and they’ve just become our new local butcher. Everything’s fresh, and every cut of meat melts in your mouth. They’re just high quality, and we love really good quality foods It’s so nice to have a local butcher that can provide that,” enthuses Nicole.
Outside Mount Barker, the couple can often be found at Grounds for Coffee café for brunch and Hahndorf on weekends for their fruit and veg.
“We love the Hahndorf Fruit and Veg Markets. They’ve just got everything. It’s all fresh produce and fresh bread they bake on site, and everything is beautiful,” says Nicole.
After living on ‘the flats’ for so long, Nicole and Mick’s move to Newenham is proving to be the perfect place to unwind and de-stress from the hustle and bustle of the city. And with large blocks and a community of like-minded people, it’s the ideal solution for those looking for a Hills location with a distinct country feel.
As Nicole sums it up, “It’s so peaceful, and so beautiful. We love it.”
If you’d like to know more about securing your future in our thriving community, simply contact our Sales Team on 0429 107 497 or on sales@newenham.com.au.
Check the website for the Sales & Information Centre opening hours.
We recommend booking a private 1-on-1 tour, even on weekends, to ensure we can provide you with the excellent service we are known for.
We look forward to welcoming you to Newenham soon.
