20 May 2019
Best known for its picturesque harbour, friendly native dolphins and the largest sand dune in the southern hemisphere, Port Stephens is also rapidly becoming a retirement living mecca.
Located some 2.5 hours from Sydney, the council area of Port Stephens extends from the southern foreshore of the port itself through to the northern foreshore of Newcastle’s Hunter River.
In recent years, land lease community developers have been busy taking advantage of Port Stephens’ abundance of flat semi-rural land.
On 10 May 2019, Ingenia announced it was building its second Port Stephens land lease community at Fullerton Cove, in the southern part of the council area.
With joint venture partner Sun Communities, Ingenia spent $5.5 million purchasing a 9.2 hectare land parcel with approval for 145 sites. The joint venture plans to amend the approval plans to instead cater for 119 homes.
Ingenia is currently developing the 270 home Latitude One land lease community, located at Anna Bay (which is to the north of Fullerton Cove).
Construction of Latitude One commenced in July 2017. The first five stages of the project have sold out, with a limited number of homes currently available in the sixth stage, starting at $445,000.
A company spokeswoman said the release date of the final stage “will depend on the success of the current and future stages.” Resort facilities include a clubhouse, cinema, library, sports bar and bowling green, along with a wellness centre, heated pool and gym and consulting rooms.
Meanwhile, construction at Hometown Australia’s Sunrise Lifestyle Resort at Anna Bay is well underway, with the first residents expected to move in around November 2019.
The resort will include two pools, a bowling green, tennis court and indoor/outdoor dining and relaxation areas. In addition, the resort will include a court where seniors can play the increasingly popular game of pickleball (described as a “cross between badminton, tennis and table tennis”).
Hometown sales associate Chris Simpson said there were 18 homes still available in the resort’s first stage, with prices starting at $477,000. She said buyers could choose from five different home designs.
“We have many purchasers getting ready to move in and excitement is building,” Ms Simpson said.
Other new retirement living options in Port Stephens includes the Boardwalk Lifestyle Village at Anna Bay and the Palm Lake Resort at Fern Bay, while Raine and Horne Nelson Bay has a range of apartments and homes available for sale.
In addition, on 21 May, the Newcastle Golf Club announced it had joined with two of the Hunter's biggest property players to develop a seniors living complex at Fern Bay. The proposal still needs rezoning and development application approval.
About Port Stephens
Port Stephens is an undisputed marine wonderland, which makes it very attractive to retirees who love the beach or getting out on the water.
The waterway of Port Stephens is twice the size of Sydney Harbour, while there are some 26 beaches located around the council area.
Meanwhile, the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, in the Worimi Conservation Lands, cover 4,200 hectares and are the longest moving sand dunes in the southern hemisphere. The dunes are very popular for a range of activities, including quad-biking, camel trips and sand boarding.
Port Stephens’ main centre is Nelson Bay, which is home to a pedestrian-friendly shopping village and a marina which has quality restaurants and gift shops. However, the southernmost part of the Port Stephens council area is actually closer to the Newcastle CBD, which has recently been revitalised through the installation of a light rail line.
