THE desire to live on a golf course has fuelled the construction of residential golf estates across New Zealand and Australia over the past 20 years. The phenomenon has seen approximately 60 golf communities developed in various parts of both countries.
Historically, homebuyers tend to value water views more than any other aspect. The next most attractive features tend to be golf course and parkland views. But there are a number of reasons behind the remarkable growth of residential golf estates.
To get a better take on why Kiwis are choosing to live in residential golf estates, we explored what’s happening in several communities around the country and across the Tasman.
The Quays at Clearwater offers some of the best waterfront living in New Zealand.
The Jack’s Point development in Central Otago is taking shape around the acclaimed 18-hole layout designed by John Darby. Upon completion, some 5,000 residents will live in the Jack’s Point settlement on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, just 15 minutes from Queenstown.
While planning has taken 15 years, Jack’s Point will eventually comprise 1,300 residential homes, a lakeside village with accommodation, restaurants and shops, a luxury lodge and 35 kilometres of hiking, cycling and equestrian trails.
Once a high-country farming station, Darby’s vision was to convert it into an upmarket residential estate. Only five per cent of the total 1,200 hectares will undergo construction – in keeping with the environmental philosophy of Jack’s Point: “5% settlement, 95% preserve and 100% life”.
“Jack’s Point is truly one of the very special sites in New Zealand, sitting so close to Queenstown on the sunny side, right under the Remarkables mountain range,” Darby says. “In designing the village, neighbourhoods and golf course, we wanted to capture and preserve the sheer scale of this dramatic land with the mountains rising above it.
“We made some ground rules for ourselves very early on – one was to make sure 95 per cent of that area was kept as open space for everyone to enjoy.”
The Green is a boutique residential community coming to fruition at New Plymouth Golf Club.
A commitment to exceptional design, landscaping and harmony is what differentiates The Green, a residential community that is coming to fruition at New Plymouth Golf Club. Lining the 10th fairway, The Green is just 10 minutes north of downtown New Plymouth and within easy walking distance of the city’s iconic coastal walkway, schools and Bell Block Village.
The Green was envisaged as a unique development in a special location, comprising quality homes that respect neighbouring properties and are at ease with the surrounding landscape. Hence, the developer’s catchphrase, ‘Be part of nature’s neighbourhood.’
From a masterplan by Richard Bain of BlueMarble Landscape Architects, each homesite offers north-west views of the golf course, out to the Tasman Sea and back towards Mount Taranaki in the south. Some 23 bespoke sites were included in Stage One, ranging in size from 560-710m2 and priced from $250,000. Fifteen blocks have already been sold.
Build zones and maximum height criteria protect the views, privacy and sunlight of each homeowner. Boundaries are hedged and fenced, while the tree-lined entrance, wide grass berms and a narrow roadway set the neighbourhood’s tone.
A ‘Green Code’ has been implemented to preserve the estate’s identity while allowing landowners to build a home unique to their needs. This includes a select palette of materials and colours that sit comfortably within the neighbourhood (thegreen.co.nz).
A limited release of four Boathouses is now available in The Quays at Clearwater. Set on the crystal-clear waters of Lake Rotoiti, these stunning ‘Boathouse’ villas offer some of the best waterfront living in New Zealand.
Clearwater Resort is Christchurch’s premium address, featuring the region’s top international golf course, trout-filled lakes, tennis courts, walking and mountain-biking tracks and the five-star Peppers Resort with its bar, café and restaurant. The Resort has become a magnet for the region’s business leaders, sports stars, families, professionals, retirees and those looking for a low-maintenance home or apartment.
A unique aspect of the ‘resort’ zoning structure allows owners to have their property professionally managed and let by Peppers’ exclusive clientele. This flexible structure has proved popular with investors as well as owner-occupiers that take extended vacations of travel.
Located on the north-western edge of Christchurch, Clearwater enjoys the lifestyle of a countryside resort location whilst being just eight minutes from Christchurch International Airport and 18 minutes to the central city.
John Darby, in consultation with Sir Bob Charles, designed the Clearwater course that has hosted men’s and women’s New Zealand Open championships. The golf course, walking tracks, lakes and streams have made it a recreational paradise in close proximity to The Groynes and Waimakariri River. Clearwater’s compact river shingle base has left the area relatively unaffected by the region’s earthquakes.
The Quays’ Boathouses and Apartments are the last main development and are selling quickly with 11 boathouses built and sold. The four that remain are the pick of the lot, having a private cul-de-sac location flanked by a clear stream to the rear and lake to the front. The views over the lake to the golf course offer sunny waterfront living that would rival anything in the world.
Each boathouse has a private jetty with a small boat shed on the lake edge. Use it for water sports, as an office, art studio or a hang out for kids and guests. The 280m2 boathouses also feature three bedrooms, open plan living, a media room, a study/office, large garages and expansive decks.
Boathouse 2, 3 and 4 are nearing completion, and pricing starts at $1.9m. Boathouse 1 can be purchased as a section ($1.2m) or a completed boathouse $3.1m.
Soon to be released to the market will be two and three-bedroom apartments, designed by award-winning Pacific Environment Architects. They share the same north-facing lakefront outlook as the boathouses, yet also take in views to the Southern Alps. These substantial sky homes range from 112-160m2, plus balcony, carparking and storage. They offer the very best of low-maintenance lifestyle living.
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Across the ditch in Sydney, Ross and Ros Hogan were the first residents to make their home at Cranbrook Residences, an aged care and retirement facility next to Castle Hill Country Club in the city’s north-west. The couple is indicative of retirees who are seeking a new standard in retirement living.
Ross is enjoying his 12th year of golf, and retirement, but Ros is a relative newcomer to the sport. They’ve fallen in love with Cranbrook Residences, the nearby Castle Hill course and the club’s welcoming social scene.
“When we were looking to downsize, our priority was proximity to great golf, finding a community purpose-built for those over 55 and choosing an apartment with high-quality finishes and plenty of room,” Ross says.
“We have three bedrooms as well as 205 square metres of living space. The fact our apartment looks out over the gorgeous sixth green and seventh holes is a very welcome bonus.”
The 53 apartments at Cranbrook Residences feature an abundance of natural light and luxury inclusions. Designated indoor/outdoor living zones and custom-designed kitchen appliances make entertaining a pleasure.
Lifestyle amenities include a contemporary café and on-site wellness centre with hair and beauty salon, hydrotherapy pool, gym for physio, visiting doctor’s consultation suite and a soon-to-be completed fitness centre.
Aveo Newcastle is breathing new life into Shortland Waters Golf Club in one of Australia’s most liveable cities. This secure, tranquil retirement community in Newcastle will boast 300 independent living villas that meander along fairways, linked by green walkways.
Perched on a tree-fringed ridge, the spacious villas maximise views and natural light. Featuring a chef’s kitchen with European appliances, the open-plan living and dining areas incorporate flexible study areas while the private terraces provide the perfect spot to relax. All villas are designed with secure, direct-access garages and fitted with a 24/7 emergency response system.
Residents have access to all the support they need, both now and in the future. With an on-site residential aged care home planned in future stages, they can stay part of the community and be close to friends and loved ones.
The master-planned village will have a community centre, featuring a lounge bar, communal kitchen, café spaces and a gym. Residents will also have exclusive access to a health and wellness centre where they can receive treatment from doctors, physiotherapists and podiatrists.
Security, care and lifestyle are paramount so that residents can maintain their independence as well as enjoy retirement. A limited number of first-release villas are available at Aveo Newcastle, which is 15 minutes from the city with easy road links to local beaches, airport and Hunter Valley.
On Queensland’s Gold Coast, Marina Concourse is the centrepiece of The Concourse at Royal Pines. Award-winning developer Sunland Group has emphasised contemporary architecture in its stylish twin-tower development that features 110 luxurious apartments and penthouses adjoining the layout that hosts the Australian PGA Championship.
Two six-storey, mid-rise towers will stand above the waterfront setting nestled between the Nerang River and Royal Pines marina. With views of the Gold Coast hinterland and Surfers Paradise skyline, the apartments feature a sophisticated open-plan design, high ceilings and full-height windows to provide stunning outlooks from every angle.
Marina Concourse contains a mixture of two-bedroom, two-bedroom plus study, three-bedroom and three-bedroom plus media residences. The penthouse apartments will be located on level six.
The atrium of Marina Concourse has a retail and dining precinct with direct access to the waterfront and landscaped gardens. The world-famous Gold Coast beaches are 15 minutes away.
On the New South Wales Central Coast, Magenta Shores has seen excellent growth over the past 24 months. In some cases, it has extended beyond 19 percent at this premium lifestyle product. In the fashionable Sanctum precinct, 51 luxury beach homes and golf-side homes were offered off the plan. Some 48 have now sold and the next stage of design is underway at the estate, which offers ocean views surrounded by national parkland just one hour north of Sydney.
Down south, Black Bull Golf Course is winning rave reviews and Silverwoods Golf and Lifestyle Resort is flourishing at Yarrawonga on the banks of the Murray River. Located in one of the fastest growing regional towns, Silverwoods has been a hive of construction over the past few years and property buyers have witnessed the completion of streetscapes and continued overall growth. An exciting new stage release is coming soon to Silverwoods, which will be the highly sought after waterfront allotments on Lake Mulwala with first fairway views. Plans have also been announced to build a Sebel 4-star boutique hotel and serviced apartments.
Twice As Nice
Marc and Shannan Webber hadn’t always dreamed of living on a golf course, yet within the past six years they’ve built new homes on two different occasions within the same estate.
The Stonecutters Ridge residents moved into their current home behind the 12th green of the three-time New South Wales Open venue in mid-2016. Initially they built elsewhere within the 900-block estate, owning and occupying a two-storey home for three years before going through the entire process from scratch again in a different part of the residential precinct.
The Webber family feels right at home at Stonecutters Ridge.
Why the move?
“We wanted to live on the golf course,” Marc says of their current home. “It’s therapeutic, looking out there and watching people playing. And I liken golf-course frontage to being like a water view because they’re both rare. It’s a valuable commodity in re-sale, for one; and two, we’re all golf fanatics.”
Indeed, golfers dominate the family of five. Marc joined Stonecutters Ridge from Parramatta Golf Club along with several friends not long after word circulated that Parramatta would soon be closing its gates. Shannan also plays, as does Kade, their 12-year-old son who enjoyed a moment of fame last November as Jason King’s pint-sized caddie at the NSW Open.
“The first house, because there was initially no other building going on around it, you could see the course and it fit the bill,” Marc says. “But once the other houses went up, you could’ve been anywhere in Sydney, albeit close to a golf course. But now, with this, it’s not easy to do but it’s heaven.”
Heaven, yes, but not necessarily the realisation of a long-held dream. Living on a golf course was instead something that began on a whim for the Webbers.
“It was never in our wildest dreams until five or six years ago,” Marc recalls. “It just happened that one of our mates, off the cuff after golf on a Saturday at Parramatta, said he was coming out to look at housing blocks on the Sunday. And, ‘Did we want to have a look, too?’ We did, then 24 hours later we had a deposit down on a block of land. And that’s how it all started.
“I was happy with the life we had where I drove on a Saturday from Glenwood to Parramatta, 10 kilometres away, played my golf and came home. I was quite happy with that as I wasn’t a fanatical golfer yet, but now … well, I’m thinking about it half the day, and how lucky we are to come home here.”
For Kade, it’s like living in Disneyland, Marc says. If he’s not at the practice range, he’s out playing; and if he’s not playing he’s taking a lesson or out the back putting. “He wants to go as far as he can with golf – and here he’s got the perfect springboard.”
Shannan and Marc agree that the other best aspects to living in a golf-course estate are the immediate access to the course, the views and the sense of community the environment creates.
And the worst part? “At times there’s no privacy!” Marc laughs. “Every five minutes there’s someone on the course waving at you or calling out and having a chat. If you’re trying to read the paper out the back, forget about it! If there is a downside, that’s about as bad as it gets.”
– Steve Keipert
Piece of Paradise
Often it’s the accompanying attributes of a golf-course estate that help make the selection.
Retired supermarket chain executive, Ted Moore, has been living beside the third green on the Legends course at Moonah Links [above] for more than a decade. Still a member of a number of boards, Moore, refers to his study as the “green office”.
“I always wanted to retire to a golf-course residential development and at the time there were 45 under construction around the country,” he says.
Moore, chose Moonah Links on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula because of the tranquillity it offers: “It’s a piece of paradise just 50 minutes from Melbourne. There are a number of wonderful golf courses in the area but only one of them, Cape Schanck, is residential. The only noise I hear in the morning is the chattering of magpies.”
“I didn’t even play golf until I came here,” the 17-marker says. “And my wife, Robyn [inset], was pretty much a social player. But we never tire of playing these two courses. They present a new challenge every day.”
Wind always plays a part in a round at Moonah but both courses are playable all year because of the sandy terrain on which they are built. “I can only remember on one occasion where the greens were unplayable because of surface water,” Moore says proudly.
And at the risk of stating the obvious, all this is available by taking a short cart ride to the first tee. Not to mention the wonderful restaurant, clubhouse and gym facilities at their fingertips as well as private access to the adjoining hot springs and winery.
“We’re extremely happy to be here. We couldn’t ever see ourselves leaving this place,” Moore says.
– Michael Davis