Pacific Dunes Port Stephens - Resort Style Living

Life at Pacific Dunes a golfer’s dream

When keen golfer Fraser Newcombe stumbled across the Pacific Dunes website on the internet from Texas in the United States almost three years ago, he had no idea the magnificent Pacific Dunes golf course would soon be the vista from the back veranda of his family home.

At the time, New Zealanders Fraser and his wife Rachel, Project Controls Manager for an international engineering and construction company, were living in the United States with their young son Jake, now six.

“I love golf, so I was surfing the net looking at different courses around the world and came across the Pacific Dunes site,” Fraser said.

“I was struck by how beautiful it looked.”

As fate would have it, Rachel was soon posted to the Hunter by her employer and Fraser was able to convert his yearning for a family home on the golf course to a reality.

“When we arrived we rented a place for a while at Raymond Terrace,” he said.

“We were looking to build a new house and someone told us about Pacific Dunes so we came to have a look – I couldn’t believe it was the same course I had been admiring from the States!

“We bought the land on the spot – it was an immediate, emotional decision and we’ve never regretted it, in fact it just gets better and better. Our children love it here.”

The Newcombe’s – now numbering four with the addition of 18-month-old Libby – built their home in the Hillside 2 precinct, from which they have sweeping views of the course.

After moving in just over a year ago, the family is well settled and enjoying their new lifestyle at Pacific Dunes.

“I play at least one game of golf a week and the course is as great to play as it is to look at,” Fraser said.

And it’s not just the golf course the Newcombes are enjoying.

“We walk down to the clubhouse for a coffee – we know everyone there and they know us,” Fraser said.

“We also use the playground and the walking tracks. It’s such a family-oriented area and everyone is very friendly.

“The kids can play out the front of the house with their friends and we know they are perfectly safe.”

Fraser said the location of Pacific Dunes suited the family’s lifestyle perfectly.
“We are close to work for Rachel, while Libby goes to the Childcare Centre down the road once a week and Jake attends Medowie Christian School,” he said.

"It's a great place to live and Rachel and I are enjoying our quality of life here!"

First it was the 'sea change' and then the 'tree change', but it seems a 'tee change' is all the rage these days.

Residential golf course living has become big business, offering buyers peaceful lifestyles with homes that will never have their views built out.

One such couple looking for a 'tee change' was Len and Lyn Johnson who moved to Pacific Dunes 12 months ago from Newcastle where they ran a bed and breakfast.

Looking to finally retire, the couple, well past sixty, happened upon Pacific Dunes when they received a golf voucher from one of their children to play the championship course.

They decided to take a look at the display homes in the Fairways Precinct and fell in love with the development.

Len, a former builder and architect was impressed with the Cox Richardson designed homes and views onto the 11th Fairway.

"We were looking for a home where we could retire but still enjoy an active lifestyle, and that is exactly what Pacific Dunes has provided," Len said.

"As we came from a four story terrace house, being on one level was vital and the fact that we can walk to all the amenities is great.

"With five children and 14 grandchildren, space is also important to us, so it is great to have the community facilities like the pool and barbecue areas close by when we entertain."

"One of the main attractions for us was the peaceful atmosphere here and the community spirit shared by residents," Lyn said.

"There are always plenty of community events happening like outdoor cinema, charity balls or special dinners which give us a chance to get to know our neighbours.

"We also like the fact that it is not just retirees living here, but families as well.

"There really is something to suit everyone at Pacific Dunes, with a range of block sizes to fit a large family home or smaller house for two," she said.

The couple credit Pacific Dunes' proximity to the Hunter Valley and Sydney as well as facilities such as the airport as adding appeal.

"Pacific Dunes is convenient to everything so it has the best of both worlds," Lyn said.

Law family settle in at Pacific Dunes.

Pacific Dunes is home to a range of residents, from empty nesters to young families.

One such family is the Law's. Mum Liz, dad Jamie and their four children aged two, four, 13 and 15.

Speaking to Liz Law, it is clear to see that the family have found their place at Pacific Dunes. The family built a six bedroom home in Hillside Stage 2 after moving up from Melbourne in 2007 and have been living at Pacific Dunes since November 2007.

Originally from New South Wales, Liz wanted to move back to the state to be close to family.

Husband Jamie started doing some internet research on the kind of development they wanted to move to and his interest in golf led them to Pacific Dunes.

After flying up to Newcastle to see the development in the flesh, the couple were taken with Pacific Dunes and decided to make the move.

"We were looking for something in the Newcastle area, and the fact that Pacific Dunes is so close to the airport and has easy access to the freeway and Newcastle was a deciding factor in our decision," Liz said.

"Moving from Warrandyte, outside of Melbourne, which was a peaceful and laid back area, we were happy to find a similar community in Pacific Dunes.

"The golf course is another great attraction as Jamie is a keen golfer, and our 13 year old son has also started playing the game."

But the lifestyle facilities available at Pacific Dunes are not limited to the course, with walking and cycling tracks, a playground and recently opened community facilities which include the Summer House, tennis courts and swimming pool.

"We recently hosted a barbecue for my husband's cricket team at the Summer House, and it is really great to have those facilities onsite as a place to host your guests as well as share with other residents.

Liz said one of the best parts of living at Pacific Dunes was the sense of community shared by residents and fostered by the development team.

"There is always a community event happening which gives residents the chance to get to know each other and enjoy the development and all of its facilities,"she said.

"We have no plans of moving from Pacific Dunes in the near future, as the proximity to schools and the university in Newcastle give our kids access to everything they could need.

"Jamie and I can definitely see ourselves enjoying a great lifestyle here at Pacific Dunes into our retirement - hopefully when we have more time to enjoy golf!"