In the picturesque hills of Airlie Beach, newlyweds, Jared and Sophie Russell, are turning their dream of building their first home into a reality.
The young couple are among a growing number of Aussies exiting the hustle and bustle of the city to call Airlie Beach, the second fastest growing region in the country, home.
Originally from the Gold Coast, the pair jumped at the opportunity to invest in a block of land at Airlie Summit. The $60 million project now being developed by Queensland company, Alder.
“We were in town for an impromptu holiday, thanks to our wedding being postponed during Covid-19 and just fell in love with the scenery and pace,” says Mr Russell.
“We hadn’t ever considered moving any further north than the Gold Coast but between the lifestyle and the block, we were sold. Our land has million-dollar views of the entire bay and is something really special.”
Like all the blocks at Airlie Summit, their land is positioned 200 meters above sea level, on the hillside, offering amazing panoramic views over Port of Airlie Marina to Pioneer Bay and out into the Coral Sea.
The Russells have designed their home for open plan living, with high vaulted ceilings and an abundance of natural light.
The structure follows the contours of the hillside and is broken up into terraced zones to make the most of the space. Rock walls and lush green landscaping will add a natural element to the striking design.
“It will be split over four-levels, with three bedrooms, an office, two and a half bathrooms and we have excavated underneath to allow for an additional living space in the future. We have also managed to include a completely separate self-contained apartment for the in-laws, thanks to the generous lot sizes,” says Mr Russell.
“Street level to the ground drops about 4m, but at ground level the rest of the block is gently graded so we have a huge piece of land. It allows for a pool, a yard and space for kids and a dog to run around.
“As first-time homebuilders, people told us we were crazy choosing a sloping block, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. It has given us the opportunity to capitalise on space and design our home around the views.”
While demand for houses and trades in Australia has been heating since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and labour shortages and problems sourcing materials have also presented a major challenge for the construction industry, the Russells say, for them, it’s been smooth sailing.
“We watched other builds progress and met with numerous designers and builders before deciding to engage a local building designer and building team, that best suited our needs. We went in with a host of ideas and ultimately took a step back to let the professionals, who understand the site and the region, guide us,” says Mr Russell.
Airlie Summit is unique, boasting cascading blocks with views of the cerulean blue Coral Sea and exquisite Whitsunday Islands.
Also backing onto Conway National Park, it offers residents 72 hectares of green space to explore and is one of the last remaining major subdivisions sites left in the burgeoning coastal town.
When completed, the development by Alder will include 89 residential and apartment lots, adding a critical supply of housing to the fast-growing town.
Alder General Manager of Developments Greg Tupicoff says Airlie Beach is ticking a lot of boxes for people, especially since the pandemic.
“Airlie has the right amount of infrastructure and the laid-back lifestyle that so many people are now seeking,” says Mr Tupicoff.
“The town is really changing, and Australians are now recognising it as much more than just a holiday destination.
“We are also seeing a huge shift in the style of homes being built. The new builds are very similar to the upmarket dwellings we see in Noosa and on the Gold Coast, but they are being built at competitive prices. Buyers of land in Airlie Summit can get the same luxury finishes, but closer to the centre of town in a less busy, yet still thriving, Queensland community.”
Mr Tupicoff says Alder is working alongside some incredibly talented architects and building designers with specific expertise in capitalising on sloping blocks.
“With the right help, sloping blocks enable you to create something truly spectacular for a very reasonable cost. We can connect our buyers to our trusted network of building experts which takes the hard work out of finding the right team,” he says.
“The beauty of buying at Airlie Summit is that the purchaser can choose to have complete creative control over their build or opt for a house and land package and let the work we have done be their guiding light to achieve a new residence or holiday home. Seizing complete creative control is exactly how Jared and Sophie are delivering their impressive first home build; a project anybody can do with the right designers and builders helping to guide you along.”
In the new financial year Alder will release the next stage of Airlie Summit, giving more Australians the opportunity to buy into paradise. This will be pre-released to the database first before opening to the general public.
“The upcoming launch of Stages 3 and 4 will offer more opportunities for others to join this thriving coastal community and registering on the Airlie Summit webpage is the best way to be first in line for this amazing development,” says Mr Tupicoff.
