Par excellence

With time poverty a daily reality, quality of lifestyle is something we're all striving for. To address the need for improved leisure time and a more relaxed way of life, specially designed residential communities focussed around golf courses, lakeside locations or seaside suburbs are springing up.

One such development, the only one of its kind in the NSW Hunter Valley wine region, is the residential community at the Vintage Golf Resort. Planned around a championship 18-hole, Greg Norman-designed golf course, it is set in native bushland and flanked by the Brokenback Ranges and the Barrington Tops to the north.

At the heart of the community, the resort precinct will include a $5 million clubhouse with a lap pool, tennis courts, gym, health spa and community centre. The greater residential community will also incorporate walking paths and a village green.

A co-venture between Vintage Developments and CPG Developments, The Vintage Collection of homes comprises six different styles of home incorporated into 26 home-and-land packages. Each style has been architecturally designed to complement the architecture and lifestyle of the Hunter Valley region.

Martin Campbell, development manager for CPG Developments, says that aside from the obvious lifestyle benefits the community offers, convenience and ease are the major advantages of purchasing a Vintage Collection home.

"If you're building a new home, the process can be rather stressful," says Campbell. "You have to find a site, choose a design, obtain the necessary permits and oversee the construction. But with the Vintage Collection we take care of everything for you. We have carefully selected the location of each house. All a buyer needs to do is choose the design option they prefer, the rest is done by us."

All Vintage Collection houses have been pre-allocated to their individual lots. Each has council approval and has either been completed or is currently under construction, with some houses available for immediate occupation.

"From the landscaping and driveways through to the courtyards and carpeting, everything is done for you," says Campbell. "Our design team, which includes Burns Design Architecture, has carefully considered the environment of each of the 26 home sites to optimise the comfort and amenities of each house."

Among the design options are single and double-storey houses in golf-course or parkland locations, with views of either the mountains or the golf course and surrounding parkland.

The choice of houses caters to the needs of different family units. The three-bedroom Grenache is a cosy double-storey home with 200m² of living area and a separate double garage. The single-level Tokay has three bedrooms and a loft above the garage, making it suitable for smaller families.

Designed for entertainers and families, the 242m² Merlot features open living spaces, three bedrooms, plus a loft studio, a family room, a study and a games room.

Also created with larger families in mind, the Hermitage is a spacious, two-storey home with three bedrooms, plus a studio over the garage, and three and a half bathrooms. The upstairs children's retreat incorporates a multi-media room and conservatory, while the large downstairs master suite has a spa bath in the ensuite.

With 230m² of light-filled living space and generous galleries on both levels, the three-bedroom Shiraz includes a guest retreat, a formal lounge, a rumpus room and paved outdoor living areas.

Featuring an open-plan dining and family room, the Semillion is a spacious family home with four bedrooms and a separate loft studio above the detached double garage.

The houses in the Vintage Collection all have large kitchens with stainless steel Smeg appliances and Caesarstone splashbacks and benchtops. All homes also have fireplaces and feature walls made of Austral face bricks and split-face blocks.

For information or sales enquiries, contact Robert Brooks at The Vintage sales office, phone 1800 889 889, or visit the display centre at The Vintage Golf Resort, off McDonalds Road, Rothbury, Hunter Valley. View the designs online at www.thevintage.com.au.

Story by: Trendsideas